Some people seem to get an itchy scalp when they have anxiety. In addition, the body releases fewer anti-inflammatory corticosteroids at night, while releasing higher levels of certain itch-related hormones.Īlso, unlike during the day when we have plenty of distractions, lying in bed at night can draw our attention to the sensations in our body, including itchy skin, making it feel more itchy. While researchers don’t know exactly why this happens, there are a few theories.įirst, your body increases blood flow to the skin at night, and your skin tends to retain less moisture - both of which could potentially worsen itchy sensations. Itchy skin at night is also called nocturnal pruritus. Some people with anxiety-related itching report that their itching is worse at night. Does anxiety make you more itchy at night? If you see your friend scratching, or you’re reading about itching or watching a movie with a person scratching, it can make you feel itchy too! Everyone can experience this at some level, but it tends to happen to a greater degree among people with neurotic personalities. You might also have experienced the “contagious itch” phenomenon. In another study, healthy women with no chronic itch conditions reported greater itching sensations due to histamine reactions when they experienced negative emotions from distressing film clips. One study found that when people with a chronic itch condition viewed stressful images - such as a snake preparing to strike or a person being pulled from a burning building - their itch severity increased. People who report severe depression also report higher itch intensity, compared to people who report low symptoms of depression. Research has also shown a link between itching and symptoms of depression. Many people with chronic itch report that psychological stress is a factor that aggravates their itching. Psychogenic itching, as well as other types of chronic itching, can significantly affect a person’s mental health and well-being. Anxiety leads to itching, which in turn leads to more anxiety, and so on. In fact, there’s evidence that anti-anxiety medications and psychosocial treatments for anxiety - including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) - can have anti-itch effects.Īnxiety and itching can result in a continuous itch-anxiety cycle. When you reduce anxiety, you might find that your itching goes away. However, during chronic stress, the body becomes less sensitive to cortisol, allowing for more inflammation and itching. In short-term stress, cortisol acts as an anti-inflammatory and helps balance out the histamine levels. Stress also activates the immune system to release histamine, a compound known to play a role in signaling itch sensations. But researchers do know that when the body’s “fight, flight, or freeze” response is activated under stress, it releases a flood of hormones and other chemicals, such as cortisol and adrenaline. More research is needed to identify the specific mechanisms behind why anxiety and itching go together. The central nervous system (CNS), which is responsible for regulating anxiety, is particularly involved. The brain’s sensory, motor, and emotion-related areas are activated when we’re feeling itchy, and even when we just think about scratching. Research into anxiety and itching says that the brain plays a critical role in the sensation of itching. Psychogenic itching, or psychogenic pruritus, occurs when psychological factors trigger or worsen itchy skin. Some researchers call it the “brain-skin connection.” Unlike many other organs in the body, your skin has an immediate reaction to mental stress.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |