Abstract

Anxious people have a higher lifetime prevalence of a variety of medical issues. People with chronic medical conditions are also more likely to develop psychiatric disorders and overall dysfunction. Anxious people have a disproportionately high lifetime risk of cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and other medical problems. The increased comorbidity is not surprising given that many symptoms of anxiety and panic/fear mimic symptoms of medical conditions. Panic disorder, in particular, is strongly linked to medical conditions due to its prominent somatic symptoms, such as dyspnea, dizziness, numbness, chest pain, and heart palpitations, which can indicate danger and 0deterioration in people with chronic diseases. This examines the implications for the treatment of both types of conditions, identifying shared correlates of medical illness and anxiety disorders as well as evidence for misinterpreting symptoms as medically relevant.