advertisement

What Causes Anxiety? 10 Reasons Why You Are So Anxious

What causes anxiety? Why am I anxious? Those common questions led to researchers identifying ten possible causes of anxiety. Learn what causes anxiety here.

What causes my anxiety? Why am I so anxious? As if anxiety itself weren’t bad enough, not knowing what causes anxiety can make matters even worse. It’s natural to want to know just what is making you feel the worry and fear of generalized anxiety disorder, the dread of people and social situations of social anxiety disorder, the unease of separation anxiety disorder, the frights of phobias, or the death-grip of panic disorder/panic attacks. Knowing what causes any type of anxiety can be an important part of the puzzle and can help you move forward.

Ten Possible Causes of Anxiety

Before discussing some of the causes of anxiety, it’s important to note that researchers don’t agree on a single cause or set of causes for anxiety. Anxiety is complex and each individual person is unique. Just as anxiety is experienced differently by different people, so, too, are the causes.

Medical researchers do know that anxiety can be a response to factors outside of us as well as within us.1 With this in mind, here are 10 possible causes of anxiety:

  1. Background: Events we’ve experienced or behaviors we’ve learned (maybe a parent that modeled anxious behavior) can contribute to anxiety.
  2. Trauma and/or stress: Life experiences can have a negative impact on our mental health, including the development of significant anxiety.
  3. Behaviors: Sometimes, the things we do or don’t do, the actions we take or don’t take, can cause anxiety. Things such as avoidance or making decisions driven by worry can cause anxiety to tighten its grip.
  4. Substance use: Drugs and alcohol create changes in the brain, including altering serotonin and other neurotransmitters, potentially causing anxiety. Further, using these substances to ease anxiety serves to worsen anxiety, leading to increased use and more anxiety in a vicious cycle. It's noteworthy that 20 percent of people with social anxiety are also dependent on alcohol.
  5. Physiology: The brain itself can cause its own anxiety. Structures within the brain as well as brain chemistry impact how we think, feel, and act, including the anxiety we experience.
  6. Genetics: Researchers are finding that one’s genetic makeup can cause anxiety disorders to develop and have even begun to pinpoint specific genes, such as the RBFOX1 gene as culprits.2
  7. Medical factors: Health issues can cause anxiety. Thyroid, respiratory, heart, and other conditions can underlie anxiety. For this reason, it’s important to check in with your doctor to rule out medical problems.
  8. Personality type: Some personality types, such as type A, are prone to be intense, driven, and susceptible to stress and anxiety.
  9. Thoughts: Our thoughts can be our own worst enemy. We overthink things. We have automatic negative thoughts that cause worries and anxiety, and we have what’s known as a negativity bias that can cause anxiety.
  10. Emotions: Our emotions are closely tied to our thoughts, one following the other in a downward tumble that can lead to intense anxiety. When we feel bad, our view of ourselves and the world is clouded and anxiety rains down.

You Don't Cause Your Anxiety

While researchers don’t have a definitive, single cause of anxiety, one thing is known with certainty: you’re not the cause of your anxiety, and anxiety isn’t your fault. Yes, multiple factors are involved in anxiety, and many are things within your control. That doesn’t mean you’re intentionally being anxious. What it does mean is that you can act on those things to make positive changes and reduce your anxiety.

What if, upon reading these ten causes of anxiety, you still can’t pinpoint a cause? That’s perfectly okay. Knowing some of the causes of your anxiety can give you a starting point in overcoming it, but you can also focus on things like your anxiety symptoms and your goals for an anxiety-free life to feel less anxious and live well.

Sources

1 What Causes Anxiety? (2015, August 3). Retrieved August 10, 2017
2 Healthline Editorial Team (Ed.). (2016, June 23). Anxiety Causes. Retrieved August 10, 2017, from

APA Reference
Peterson, T. (2017, August 10). What Causes Anxiety? 10 Reasons Why You Are So Anxious, HealthyPlace. Retrieved on 2024, March 29 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/anxiety-schmanxiety/2017/08/why-am-i-anxious-ten-causes-of-anxiety



Author: Tanya J. Peterson, MS, NCC, DAIS

Tanya J. Peterson is the author of numerous anxiety self-help books, including The Morning Magic 5-Minute Journal, The Mindful Path Through Anxiety, 101 Ways to Help Stop Anxiety, The 5-Minute Anxiety Relief Journal, The Mindfulness Journal for Anxiety, The Mindfulness Workbook for Anxiety, and Break Free: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in 3 steps. She has also written five critically acclaimed, award-winning novels about life with mental health challenges. She delivers workshops for all ages and provides online and in-person mental health education for youth. She has shared information about creating a quality life on podcasts, summits, print and online interviews and articles, and at speaking events. Tanya is a Diplomate of the American Institution of Stress helping to educate others about stress and provide useful tools for handling it well in order to live a healthy and vibrant life. Find her on her website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

pam
May, 30 2018 at 2:46 pm

I suffer from depression and anxiety i can't cope. I have two kids and they need me a lot, I seriously need help. How can I get rid of this?

June, 1 2018 at 10:38 am

Hi Pam,
Coping with depression and anxiety can be a huge challenge, especially as a parent (I have two kids, too, so I appreciate the extra challenge they bring). Getting professional help can be very beneficial and help you take back your life. I'll include some links to articles listing different resources and ways to find help. Also, online therapy is a growing option. Two reputable sources are talkspace,com and betterhelp.com (HealthyPlace has no connection to either of these, nor do we endorse any single organization either online or off because each individual is different, and what works great for one person may not work as well for someone else. We like to provide a variety of resources for people to investigate.) Here are the other resources:
Where to Find Mental Health Help: https://www.healthyplace.com/other-info/mental-illness-overview/i-need-mental-help-where-…
Types of Mental Health Doctors and How to Find One: https://www.healthyplace.com/other-info/mental-illness-overview/types-of-mental-health-do…
Types of Mental Health Counselors: Finding a Good One: https://www.healthyplace.com/other-info/mental-illness-overview/types-of-mental-health-co…
It might not seem like it right now, but things can and do get better. Focus on the life you want and taking the steps to create it. It's a process, so be patient with yourself and embrace all progress even if it seems small (it's the small stuff that adds up to big impacts).

Dinesh
August, 26 2017 at 7:50 am

Many people have phobias too. It all adds up and ultimately person become mentally disordered

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

August, 26 2017 at 8:55 am

Hi Dinesh,
Yes -- phobias are part of this, too. Thank you for mentioning that. And you're right -- the cumulative effect of many "little" (and not-so-little) factors adds up to something huge.

Neil D.
August, 26 2017 at 1:48 am

Thanks, Tanya. Yup, medical factors. My own anxiety appears to be linked to mitral valve prolapse (who knew this was a thing?). Doc prescribed meds and recommended lifestyle changes. So far so good, but the Xanax makes me sleepy. We’ll see how it goes.

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

August, 26 2017 at 8:57 am

Hi Neil,
There are so many medical conditions that we aren't even aware of that can be behind anxiety! Follow the doc's orders -- but if Xanax keeps causing bothersome drowsiness, talk to him/her about alternatives. And take care of that heart! :)

deen
August, 10 2017 at 1:35 pm

that's a nice thought that I don't cause it but I know it's not entirely true. even if I don't directly cause it, I do contribute. continued learned behaviors. caffeine. relationships.

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

August, 11 2017 at 4:47 am

Hello deen,
I do agree with your point. We all have the power and ability to be accountable for our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. We can contribute to or perpetuate anxiety, which means we also have the ability to work on these things and reduce anxiety. That said, people aren't at fault for their anxiety. It's not a personal flaw or a way of living that's wrong, and anxiety isn't something that's created intentionally (well, there are rare exceptions to this last one). I'm glad you left this comment to clarify this.

Leave a reply