Stress and Everyday Life With Autoimmune Disease

Have you ever noticed how stress can affect not just your mind, but also your body? While many people often deal with stress, its impact on individuals with autoimmune conditions can be overwhelming. Stress stimulates physical and emotional responses that may disrupt the body’s ability to heal when fighting sickness. Living with an autoimmune condition is already challenging. However, when stress is added into the mix, it can interfere with daily activities and make symptoms even harder to manage.

Research has shown a clear correlation between stress and the exacerbation of autoimmune diseases. According to a study by Annina Seiler, Christopher P. Fagundes and Lisa M. Christian titled “The Impact of Everyday Stressors on the Immune System and Health”, (2019), up to 80% of patients reported experiencing significant emotional stress before the emergence of their condition. Stress can not only contribute to the development of autoimmune diseases but also aggravate their symptoms. This pattern could be recognised as a feedback loop. With stress contributing to the progression of the disease and the ongoing anxiety of living with the diagnosis, patients find it difficult to find relief.

In another research study, “Association of Stress-Related Disorders With Subsequent Autoimmune Disease”, authors Huan Song, Fang Fang, and Gunar Tomasson conducted a poll to compare people currently living with stress and people without it. The researchers uncovered that individuals with stress-related disorders have a higher risk of developing an autoimmune disorder later on. The most common autoimmune disorders related to stress that develop are arthritis, lupus, bowel disease, and sclerosis. This research emphasizes the importance of recognizing and managing stress to potentially reduce the risk or severity of autoimmune diseases.

It’s important to realize stress affects everyone differently and what someone finds stressful might be manageable to you. Stress can come from many different sources, such as losing a loved one or financial difficulty. It can impact any individual, making it essential to recognize your own stress factors and find healthy ways to manage them.

These new discoveries display how closely stress and the immune system are connected. For people living with these conditions, managing stress isn’t just about improving your body emotionally, it is also an important part in maintaining your overall health. Understanding how stress can affect your body may encourage patients to consider strategies to reduce stress and change their lifestyle. Whether its dietary changes, regular physical activity, or improving sleep quality, even a small difference can reduce symptoms and improve the overall quality of life for an autoimmune patient.

Jan 11 • Written by Lena Park and Annalee Sapa • Edited by Nathan Lee and Erin Tran