Lupus and Anxiety

Living with lupus means navigating a complex and unpredictable illness. It can affect your skin, joints, organs—and your emotional wellbeing. One of the most overlooked but impactful aspects of lupus is anxiety.

If you’ve been feeling unusually anxious, restless, or overwhelmed alongside your physical symptoms, you’re not alone. Anxiety is a common, and often under-discussed, part of living with lupus.

Lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE) is an autoimmune disease where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues. It can cause widespread inflammation and affect everything from your joints and skin to your kidneys and brain. Lupus symptoms can be unpredictable, flaring up and calming down without warning.

Why Anxiety Is So Common in People With Lupus

• The Stress of Chronic Illness: Managing a long-term illness like lupus means dealing with uncertainty, doctor visits, flares, medications, and lifestyle changes. This constant strain can trigger chronic stress, which may evolve into anxiety over time.
• Neurological Involvement (Neuropsychiatric Lupus): Lupus can directly affect the brain and nervous system, sometimes causing symptoms like mood swings, cognitive issues, and yes—anxiety. When lupus involves the nervous system, it’s known as neuropsychiatric lupus (NPSLE), and anxiety is one of the more common symptoms.
• Medication Side Effects: Some lupus medications, like corticosteroids (prednisone), can have psychiatric side effects. People often report mood changes, irritability, or anxious thoughts, especially at higher doses or during dose changes.
• Inflammation and Brain Chemistry: Inflammation plays a major role in both autoimmune disease and mental health. Research shows that inflammation can affect neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which help regulate mood. In people with lupus, chronic inflammation may contribute to feelings of anxiety and depression.
• Isolation and Quality of Life: Chronic fatigue, pain, and flares can make it difficult to work, socialize, or engage in activities you used to enjoy. That sense of isolation or loss of control can amplify anxiety—especially when you feel like others don’t understand what you’re going through.

Signs of Anxiety to Watch For

• Constant worry or racing thoughts
• Trouble sleeping
• Restlessness or feeling on edge
• Difficulty concentrating
• Muscle tension or stomach discomfort
• Panic attacks

If these symptoms persist or interfere with your daily life, it’s time to talk to your doctor or a mental health professional.

Coping Strategies

• Talk to your care team: Let your rheumatologist or primary doctor know if you’re experiencing anxiety. Treatment options may include therapy, medication, or lifestyle support.
• Consider therapy: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and trauma-informed approaches can help manage health-related anxiety.
• Practice stress reduction: Yoga, meditation, journaling, and breathing exercises can calm the nervous system and reduce flare triggers.
• Track your symptoms: Keeping a journal of physical and emotional symptoms can help you and your doctors spot patterns and triggers.
• Join a support group: Talking with others who understand lupus can ease feelings of isolation and provide practical coping tips.

Anxiety isn’t “just in your head”—it’s a real, valid part of the lupus experience. Whether it’s rooted in biology, medication side effects, or the emotional toll of chronic illness, you deserve support. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health—and treating both together is the key to truly living well with lupus.