People experiencing chronic anxiety may develop chronic dry skin as well. This is true for individuals with generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and those who are dealing with significant ongoing life stress. Dry Skin Therapy in Chevy Chase MD can help them manage these symptoms if they are trying to deal with chronic anxiety naturally instead of taking anti-anxiety medication. Those drugs can be very helpful, but they have sedating qualities and also are addictive.
How does anxiety relate to dry skin? A couple of factors cause this problem. One is the decreased blood flow to the skin in response to an instinctual fight-or-flight reaction in the body. The body directs more blood flow to areas that need the extra oxygen and nutrients in case the person must do battle or run away. In modern life, those aren’t the typical actions to be taken, but physiology continues to respond this way to perceived threats. Without healthy circulation to the skin, it becomes dry, irritated and itchy. People can even develop rashes due to this problem. Anxiety does not appear to cause eczema, but it can cause flare-ups when a person already has the condition.
Another factor involves the nervous system. During high levels of stress and anxiety, nerves become hyperactive. People commonly feel jittery and may develop aches and pains they don’t normally have. This stress response can affect nerves in the skin too. Anxiety causes disturbances of the immune system as well, explaining why people tend to be more vulnerable to contagious illness when they are chronically stressed. Both a poorly functioning and an overactive immune system can result in skin dryness and irritation.
Unfortunately, many people deal with dry, itchy and irritated skin long after their anxiety has dissipated. Their stress levels may decrease, or they may learn effective psychological methods to reduce generalized anxiety. Yet the person’s physiology takes the time to fully adjust. Dry Skin Therapy in Chevy Chase MD can help when skin health and appearance does not return to normal even though the individual is feeling better emotionally. This person may want to seek help at a facility such as Tamjidi Skin Institute.
