Studies have found that stress is linked with many chronic diseases, but many physicians do not provide enough education to patients on managing stress, The New York Times reported June 27.
Stress can drive immune changes and inflammation in the body that can worsen or cause symptoms. However, many stress-induced issues, like headaches, heartburn, blood pressure problems and mood changes, can also be symptoms of chronic illness, creating a confusing overlap for physicians, according to the Times.
Some patients with chronic illness told the Times it took multiple physicians and sometimes years to get a diagnosis, and that many physicians dismissed their symptoms as stress. Even after receiving the proper diagnosis, some patients said they feel that physicians do not appreciate how hard it can be to manage stress while feeling sick.
Many physicians are not trained to ask for sources of stress or counsel patients on the impact of stress, Alyse Bedell, PhD, a clinician-researcher who specializes in how stress affects digestive health at UChicago Medicine, told the Times. A 2015 study found that primary care physicians counsel patients on stress management in 3% of visits.
Patients said they would rather have physicians work with them to devise small ways to manage stress daily rather than being told to simply cut it out.