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My mother is suffering from anxiety disorder from 1 month and still is not fine at all. Before this she was suffering from low hemoglobin.

By Anonymous October 9, 2018 - 7:45pm
 
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please help me, what to do.

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HERWriter Guide

Hello Anon

Thank you for writing.

Anxiety is a very difficult condition to live with. Your mom needs to get to the bottom of why she is feeling this way - and it could be her recent health issue. Thank you for mentioning that.

Different medical conditions, including anemia, can affect mental health. Anemia is characterized as a health condition involving a deficiency in hemoglobin, which helps red blood cells carry oxygen, according to an article on www.familydoctor.org.

Many women know how it can feel to lose too much blood during their menstrual cycles. Iron deficiency can be caused by heavier periods, and this can lead to anemia in some cases, according to an article on www.familydoctor.org. This type of anemia is referred to as iron deficiency anemia.

General mental health symptoms of anemia include fatigue, dizziness, headaches, difficulty thinking and concentrating, according to an article on the National Center for Biotechnology Information website.

Nzinga Harrison, a board-certified physician who specializes in general psychiatry and addiction, said in an email that anemia can have comparable symptoms to some mental health disorders.

“Anemia is one of the most prevalent illnesses in America that has mental health symptoms,” Harrison said. “The most common symptoms are fatigue, loss of energy, difficulty sleeping, heart racing and light headedness. When you compare those to the symptoms we use to diagnose depression, you can see the overlap: loss of energy, fatigue, difficulty sleeping.”

Anemia and anxiety can share some similar symptoms as well.

“The racing heart symptoms and light-headedness can sometimes be indistinguishable from the anxiety symptoms associated with panic attacks,” Harrison said. “So overlapping are the symptoms of anemia and depression, that psychiatrists will routinely check a CBC (complete blood count) to rule out anemia as a cause of depression or anxiety in women (the group that has the highest prevalence of anemia).”

Anon, please have your mother talk to her doctor about her anxiety to set up a treatment plan. We cannot say if her recent anemia (low hemoglobin) is the cause so an exam and a chat will be needed with her health care provider. I hope this helps and please keep us updated.

Best,
Susan

October 10, 2018 - 4:50am
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