colds and other illnesses

Hi does anyone pick up colds and things more often with having anxiety ?? I have not had loads of colds but can feel another one coming on this will be the 3rd one in six months.Just wondered if anyone else picks things up more easily

[hedgecrone]

I tend to get headaches, migraines and cystitis more when I'm feeling anxious. Not surprisingly. You might have hay fever or an allergy rather than a cold perhaps? I think anxiety probably drags you down more so you notice symptoms that otherwise would pass unnoticed if you are relaxed or happy; Hope that helps a bit!

[Hidden]

Hi thanks for your reply i have health anxiety so i tend to panic at anything need to calm myself down x

[Pickle165]

Hi, since my anxiety and depression got quite bad over the last couple of years i have cought everything going! i think anxiety makes your body weaker and unable to fight these things as well as normal and its always worse when you have health anxiety. i feel like im worrying 27/7. back in march i had the full blown flu and i though i was actually dying!

[F_Shadow1]

Yes I get lots of colds, despite being a bit obsessive when it comes to hygiene etc I still seem to catch them, I could put it down to being in an open plan office and using public transport etc but I don't think it's just that... always seem to catch it if something is going round!

[Hidden in reply to F_Shadow1]

Im obsessive with hygiene also but always seam to catch what is going around.Think when you have anxiety your immune system is low anyway.

[Holisticstress]

This can be linked to the stress vulnerability that you have.Zubin and Spring (1977) is a good article to look at

Stress effects people in many ways it effects and affects the immune system- people who have a lower threshold to stress and have a vulnerability to colds will get more when stressed.

This is also why people who go on holiday can get ill"when they are not stressed" this is also due to the effect of the cortisol that is still washing around the body at stressed levels ( it takes 23x longer for it than the adrenaline to go back to "normal levels")- following the getting ready to go on holiday stress