December 23, 2008) - It’s the waiting that can kill you—the wondering, worrying about whether the next pink slip will have your name on it or whether an eviction notice will greet you at your door.

Levels of anxiety in communities across the United States have increased due to the faltering economy, medical experts say.

“This is a very stressful time,” said Baltimore Health Commissioner Dr. Joshua Sharfstein. “Everyone’s waiting for the next shoe to drop.”

It started with a rash of foreclosures, then the crippling of Wall Street, companies began to close their doors and in November alone, more than 500,000 people were laid off. Most economists predict that things will get worse, and medical, mental and social health professionals say the state of the economy likely will be reflected in people’s health.

“We are anticipating over the next few months not so much suicidality but depression will increase,” said Dr. Gabe Kelen, professor and chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Johns Hopkins Hospital. “[And] when cupboards become truly bare, we’ll see a true level of despair.”

Kelen said so far, that increased anxiety has not translated into more emergency room visits but then, “People with mental health issues may come complaining of a backache—it may not be immediately obvious.”

Carlos Silva, a clinical psychologist and the Behavioral Health Integration coordinator at Baltimore Medical Systems, said traffic in their clinics has increased, and he believes there is a correlation between the economic depression and some of the psychosomatic displays he is seeing in patients.

“The fear of losing your job, of not being able to make ends meet—all those ideas get channeled into the body,” Silva said, “and they manifest those thoughts through symptoms like tension headaches, smoking, drinking, the increased use of [drug] substances, anxiety, depression, insomnia; people are eating more carbohydrates and junk food…people come in complaining of relationship issues….”

“There are plenty of things for young people to be anxious about — from the economy and national security, to personal relationships and career choices. Everyone worries from time to time,” Solotar said. “However, if anxiety is so serious that it disrupts your life and your work, you may be suffering from an anxiety disorder.”

Adults who have panic disorder or panic attacks have an increased risk of heart attacks and heart disease, but not heart-related deaths, a new study shows.

British researchers analysed the medical records of almost 58,000 adults diagnosed with panic disorder/attacks and more than 347,000 adults without the condition.

People who were younger than 50 when first diagnosed with panic disorder/attacks were 38 per cent more likely to have a heart attack and 44 per cent more likely to develop heart disease than those in the general population. People who were over age 50 when diagnosed with panic disorder/attacks had an 11 per cent increased risk of heart disease.

The study appears in the Dec. 11 issue of the European Heart Journal.

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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- New research suggests a combination of behavioral therapy and drug therapy may be best for children with anxiety disorders.

In a study recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found 59.7 percent of children with anxiety disorders who received cognitive behavioral therapy significantly improved, 54.9 percent of children who received sertraline (Zoloft) significantly improved and 80.7 percent of children treated with a combination of the two treatments significantly improved. All of the therapies were helpful in treating anxiety disorders in children.

For some children, worry is a way of life, undermining their success at school and jeopardizing their friendships.

For those with common anxiety disorders, a combination of psychotherapy and antidepressant medication is the most effective treatment, according to a recent study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health.