Knowing what causes anxiety is pretty difficult to determine, although basically doctors suspect environmental stress, brain chemistry and genetics as the main factors that shape the development of such nervous disorders. Even the medication prescribed to alleviate the symptoms for people who suffer from chronic depression and anxiety has a working mechanism that is not fully understood by scientists. From this perspective it seems like a nervous disease has lots of unknown elements in the equation, and that symptoms are easier to treat than the causes. Nevertheless, recovery doesn’t have to be out of the reach, on the contrary, one can regain full health by a balanced use of medication and therapy.
Brain chemistry seems to be one of the causes of anxiety since the abnormal levels of the neurotransmitters are responsible for the panic episodes. Information travels from never to nerve via these chemicals called neurotransmitters. When the brain chemical secretion is faulty, incorrect messages reach the brain, and anxiety is often the immediate consequence. Other than brain chemistry, genetics play an important part among the causes of anxiety, since this disorder is more frequent among people with a family history of generalized anxiety disorder. Thus, the brain sensitivity is genetically passed on from parents to children.
Traumatic life events are other causes of anxiety, but it all depends on the sensitivity of the person in question. Thus, while some will develop anxiety after the death of a loved one, others will experience it because of job or school changing or divorce. Anxiety disorders also tend to get more serious during periods of intense stress, with the mention that the withdrawal from addictive substances can also aggravate the condition. Thus, it will be a lot more difficult to quit smoking or eliminate alcohol and caffeine from your life when you suffer from generalized anxiety disorder.
Pregnancy for instance is another great life change that may cause temporary anxiety, but subjective factors and personal sensitivities have their share in the game as well. Then, the use of drugs like cannabis, ecstasy, LSD or amphetamines can also trigger anxiety in different forms and at various intensity levels. Some causes of anxiety are part of daily life; in fact, stress is often a motivating factor for lots of people, and many owe their success to it. Therefore, the causes of anxiety don’t have to be pathological; in many cases you will be able to stop anxiety attacks with the proper relaxation and the right attitude.
