Winter Forest

Information on other anxiety conditions / disorders / phobias

Other anxiety conditions are covered here.

Depersonalisation Disorder (DD)

Depersonalisation is the experience of feeling unreal, detached, and often, unable to feel emotion. It is a phenomenon characterised by a disruption in self-awareness and emotional numbness. Many people experience depersonalisation during a panic attack and this is often characterised as the peak level of anxiety.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

This condition is also known as the "Winter Blues" because those who suffer with it feel down, depressed, experience loss of energy, changes in appetite/sleep patterns during the winter months. The condition is believed to be due to the lower light levels that are around during winter.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders, with up to 20% of the population suffering from it at some point in their life. It is found in both men and women, although it is more common in women, and it can affect people of any age, including children.

The Symptoms of IBS

The typical symptoms of IBS include either recurring diarrhoea or recurring constipation, and some patients also suffer from both diarrhoea and constipation at different times.

Additional symptoms can include stomach pain (which is sometimes relieved by a bowel movement), bloating, nausea, and wind. IBS can wax and wane, and patients may experience a few weeks or even a few months of good health before the symptoms come back

Different people experience different severities of IBS, ranging from mild symptoms to extremely painful and debilitating symptoms that interfere with every aspect of life. Sufferers often need the toilet urgently, which can be very embarrassing and cause problems at work and in everyday situations such as shopping, and people with constipation can suffer just as much from pain, difficulty travelling and general discomfort.

Causes of IBS

The cause of IBS is still a mystery, although a large number of IBS sufferers can date their symptoms back to a particular event which may have caused long-term problems with their digestion, such as a bout of food poisoning or an abdominal surgery. Other people date their symptoms back to a long course of antibiotics, or a particularly stressful period in their lives. It's not really known how these events trigger the IBS symptoms.

Diagnosis of IBS

There is no specific medical test for IBS, and it is sometimes called a diagnosis of 'exclusion'. This means that a doctor may rule out other bowel and stomach complaints such as coeliac disease or inflammatory bowel disease before giving a diagnosis of IBS.

Sometimes patients are given a colonoscopy, where a tiny camera is inserted into the intestines to look for abnormalities. In an IBS sufferer the colonoscopy won't detect any visible physical signs of disease such as inflammation, although of course that doesn't make the symptoms themselves any less real.

It is very important that patients do not try to self-diagnose IBS as it is impossible for a patient to tell the difference between IBS symptoms and bowel symptoms caused by other disorders.

The Treatment of IBS

The first stage of IBS treatment may involve medications such as anti-spasmodics, which will relax the muscles in the gut walls, or perhaps a low dose of an anti-depressant, which can help to reduce the pain.

Fibre supplements such as Celevac or Normacol can help to add bulk to the stool, which can be helpful for both diarrhoea and constipation. Sufferers with diarrhoea sometimes use calcium carbonate tablets, and magnesium tablets can help deal with constipation.

A nutritionist can advise on ways to identify any particular food 'triggers' which may be setting off the symptoms, and also on whether there might be a food intolerance to something like gluten or lactose.

Hypnotherapy has proved very effective at treating IBS in clinical trials, and a special form called gut-directed hypnotherapy has been developed just for digestive problems.

IBS and anxiety

Although IBS is not a psychological disorder in itself, it can be closely linked to stress and anxiety because of the connection between the brain and the gut. Even people who don't suffer from IBS sometimes find that they need the loo if they are very nervous, and this is a result of the so-called 'brain-gut connection'.

This connection means that the digestive systems of IBS sufferers can be very sensitive to stress and anxiety. This is exacerbated by that fact that many sufferers have experienced a time when they desperately needed the loo but couldn't get to one immediately. They may even have been incontinent in a very public place. Once this has happened, sufferers can become very anxious when they don't have easy access to a toilet, and this anxiety creates extra sensitivity in the gut, and a vicious circle is established.

M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyeltis)

What is M.E?

M.E. is an illness. M.E. stands for Myalgic Encephalomyeltis / Encephalopathy - which is a bit of a mouthful, but basically means muscle (Myalgic) and head (encephalitic) symptoms. M.E. is also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) or Post-Viral Fatigue Syndrome (PVFS). The condition is known by other names elsewhere in the world; in the US for instance, it's called Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS).

It affects people in a variety of ways, with common symptoms including fatigue, cognitive problems, memory loss, aches and pains, dietary and digestive problems.

Often, M.E. will start after an ordinary viral infection - flu, chicken pox, glandular fever, even a cold. It is possible for an apparently healthy person to come down with a viral infection, and develop full-blown M.E. immediately. In other cases, there may be no obvious viral 'trigger' at all and the person may 'slide' into the illness over a period of months or even years. It is not known what causes M.E, but there is good evidence that certain infections can trigger M.E. such as a viral infection (glandular fever, viral meningitis, and viral hepatitis) or ordinary flu-like infections. M.E. is generally thought to be caused by a combination of factors.

Treatment and recovery

As yet, there is no cure for M.E. It is a long term chronic illness which can last for many years. Many people go on to make a full recovery and many more make significant progress. An important fact in recovery is pacing and managing the condition. This can help with quality of life as well as with recovery. It is vital that the person does not do too much and rests when necessary. This can mean an extended break from work, university or school.

Symptoms

One symptom common to all people suffering from M.E. is an overriding and debilitating fatigue. This does not just mean 'tired all the time'. The intensity of the fatigue varies, sometimes depending on the time of day and often depending on what the person has done.

Cognitive functioning, or thinking, attention and memory, are often affected in CFS/ME. One very frustrating symptom is 'brain fog'. Often, someone with M.E. is unable to concentrate for any length of time.

Memory can be adversely affected. People with M.E. have difficulty transferring things from short term memory to long term memory.

There are many physical symptoms of M.E. As well as the overwhelming fatigue, there is usually pain in the muscles or joints. This pain can be extremely uncomfortable and very difficult to treat.

Depression/Anxiety and emotional problems are often an effect of living with M.E, but it is important to realise that these are symptoms of the illness and not its cause. Remember to be patient with someone who is appearing angry, anxious or depressed. This may be due to the illness affecting the nervous system or frustration from living with a chronic illness.

Useful Links:

Want to know more

This ANXIETY UK site has information on a range of resources to get more detailed information and help.

ANXIETY UK Publications

  • ANXIETY UK publishes a fact sheet and tapes dealing with some of the above conditions available from the ANXIETY UK online shop

Recommended reading

Recommended Web sites

  • Please visit our web links section for links to sites dealing with some of these conditions.

Personal experiences

Do you suffer from any of the above and want to share your experience with other people? Send us your experience and we will put selected ones here.

Haven't you ever made yourself sick worrying over a presentation you had to make in front of the class, or a trip you have to take? Ever notice that when you are off work and at home and relaxed, you don't get sick? You get sick right before you go to work, or an appointment, or anything new or out of the ordinary that worries you.

Although IBS is pretty much chronic, and I will always have occasional flare-ups, I don't have to let them control my life. I have learned that when I am going down the road, almost at my destination, and I feel that cramping, burning feeling that I am all too familiar with, I just take deep breaths and tell myself that I can do this. It's going to be alright and I am stronger than this.

I think about what is the worst thing that could happen (I have had panic attacks in the past too) and I decide that the worst thing is that I will get diarrhoea and have to go to the bathroom. It's not going to kill me, it's no big deal. There are tons of women out there like me, and it is OK if I have to go to the bathroom. Once you feel this way about it, it's like it doesn't have this power over you anymore.