The relationship between fibromyalgia and depression, anxiety, anxiety sensitivity, fear avoidance beliefs, and quality of life in female patients

Abstract

The study aims to determine whether there is a relationship between fibromyalgia (FM) disease and depression, anxiety, anxiety sensitivity, fear-avoidance beliefs, and quality of life in female patients with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. 37 female patients followed up with FM diagnosis in pain medicine clinic and a control group consisting of 37 healthy women were included in the study. Sociodemographic and Clinical Characteristics Data Form, Quality of Life Form, fear-avoidance beliefs questionnaire, Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and Visual Analogue Scale was applied to the participants. When the patients in the FM group were compared to the control group; Statistically lower scores in all Quality of Life Form subscales except emotional role difficulty and social functionality scores; statistically higher scores in both physical and work activity subscales in fear-avoidance beliefs questionnaire; statistically higher scores in cognitive symptoms subscale in Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and Visual Analogue Scale scores were found. In FM patients, it has been determined that anxiety, depression and perceived pain severity reduce social functionality and quality of life in areas such as mental health, physical function, and emotional role difficulties. It was determined that the functionality and quality of life of patients diagnosed with FM decreased in daily life. An important contribution of the study to the literature is that it shows that the behavior of avoiding activity due to pain-induced fear exacerbates the pain and even contributes to its chronicity. These results, which show the effects of anxiety, depression, anxiety sensitivity, and fear-avoidance behavior on the prognosis of the disease in FM patients, indicate that psychiatric evaluation and treatment in FM patients is an important factor that determines the functionality and quality of life.

Correlation of Psychological Factors, Obesity, Serum Cortisol, and C-Reactive Protein in Patients with Fibromyalgia Diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Other Comorbidities

“…It is likely that FM patients inherently have low cortisol to start with and because of chronic pain and fatigue develop depression, which elevates the cortisol level. Patients with no psychiatric conditions or depression displayed a lower cortisol level compared to patients with depression [ 32 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 ]. Of all listed conditions, anxiety comorbid with FM overtakes the HPA axis, raising cortisol.…”

“…Previous studies show increased rates of OSA in this population [ 31 ]. OSA may contribute to the severity of FM symptoms [ 19 , 32 ]. Untreated sleep symptoms in FM patients worsen feelings of fatigue, severity of pain and mood, and general quality of life [ 33 , 34 ].…”

Unraveling the Complex Web of Fibromyalgia: A Narrative Review

“…Patients may also experience a range of other symptoms, including headaches, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, anxiety, and depression [29][30][31].…”

Psyche und Fibromyalgie

“…Diese psychischen Gesundheitsprobleme können sowohl als Folge der FM-Symptome auftreten als auch dazu beitragen, die Schmerzempfindlichkeit und das Unwohlsein zu verstärken. In mehreren Vergleichen mit Gesunden zeigte sich, dass bei FM-Patient*innen Depressivität und Ängstlichkeit signifikant stärker ausgeprägt waren als bei Gesunden [7] [8]. Noch immer lebt der Mythos, dass FM eine maskierte Depression oder eine Störung des affektiven Spektrums sei.…”