Along with more well-known risk factors of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) -- such as experiencing a traumatic event -- there is also a connection between something known as anxiety sensitivity and PTSD. Anxiety sensitivity may put a person at increased risk for PTSD.
What Is Anxiety Sensitivity?
Anxiety sensitivity refers to a person's tendency to fear anxiety-related symptoms (for example, increased heart rate, sweating, muscle tension, headaches) due to the belief that there will be some negative outcome as a result of having those symptoms. For example, a person may fear having an increased heart rate because they believe that it will increase their risk for a heart attack. Another person may fear being anxious because they think that others will view them in a negative light. Finally, someone might fear having the anxiety symptom of having a headache or difficulties concentrating because they think this is a sign that they are "going crazy."
It is thought that anxiety sensitivity develops early on in a person's life. There is even some evidence that anxiety sensitivity may be partly inherited from your parents. However, it is generally thought that anxiety sensitivity largely develops from early experiences in your life. For example, a child who sees his or her parents overreact with fear to sickness may begin to believe that certain normal bodily feelings (such as those connected with anxiety) are dangerous and threatening.
Anxiety Sensitivity and Risk for PTSD
People with PTSD typically have high levels of anxiety sensitivity. Likewise, people who develop PTSD as a result of intimate partner violence also usually have higher levels of anxiety sensitivity than those who did not develop PTSD. Often, the extent of a person's anxiety sensitivity predicts whether or not they develop more severe PTSD symptoms following the experience of a motor vehicle accident, for example.
How Are Anxiety Sensitivity and PTSD Connected?
It is not exactly known why anxiety sensitivity increases risk for PTSD. However, it may be that fearing anxiety symptoms may cause people to have stronger emotional responses to situations that bring about anxiety, such as traumatic events, thereby increasing the severity of hyperarousal symptoms of PTSD. In addition, fearing anxiety symptoms may cause people to try to avoid those experiences or feelings, which may put people at risk for developing PTSD (because they are not actively confronting and processing their emotions surrounding a traumatic event).
Treating Anxiety Sensitivity
Fortunately, anxiety sensitivity can be reduced through treatment. Cognitive-behavioral treatments have been found to be very effective in reducing anxiety sensitivity. In addition, exposure therapy for PTSD has been found to also reduce a person's anxiety sensitivity. These treatments help people confront and experience their anxiety, allowing them to realize that anxiety is not dangerous and will not have negative consequences (such as having a heart attack or "going crazy").
You can find out more information about treatment providers in your area who might offer some of these treatments through UCompare HealthCare from About.com, as well as the Anxiety Disorder Association of America.
Sources:
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