Anxiety Disorders Causes & Risk Factors
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The brain is a very complex organ. There are five major systems in the brain involved with how we feel, what we think and how we act or behave. Abnormalities in any of these five systems -- including combinations -- can underlie the symptoms of anxiety and depression. The five systems include:
- Basal Ganglia: Sets the body’s idle and anxiety level
- The Deep Limbic System: The brain’s emotional center that helps regulate how we feel
- The Anterior Cingulate Gyrus: The brain’s gear shifter that allows us to be flexible and adapt to change
- The Temporal Lobes: The brain’s memory manager and interpreter of experience
- The Prefrontal Cortex: The brain’s CEO
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Everyone responds to anxiety and stress differently. A complex combination of biological, genetic, psychological, and environmental factors affect your risk for anxiety disorders. Scientists believe anxiety disorders may run in families, so your risk for an anxiety disorder may increase if you have a close relative that suffers from one. Being exposed to emotional trauma can both cause and increase your risk for developing certain anxiety disorders.
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Another psychological feeling hearing loss is anxiety. After living with poor hearing for months, you may become obsessed with how you feel each day, noticing every new feeling or symptom. Complaints of general nervousness and irritability, excessive worry, and sleep problems are common with chronic health conditions. Anxiety may also take the form of specific phobias (such as fear of being alone, fear of driving, or fear of going to work). Alternatively, you may find yourself completely angry or bitter toward your doctor, your family, or even life in general.
The cost of anxiety and depression is high as it greatly interferes with your activities at work and at home. The symptoms can be successfully treated with a combination of medication and therapy, so it’s important to discuss these feelings openly with your doctor.
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While anxiety disorders are not life-threatening, if you suffer from an anxiety disorder, you may feel as though your life has been taken away from you. Anxiety disorders can turn everyday situations into overwhelming, frightening experiences, affecting your relationship with friends, family, and coworkers. Depending on the type and severity of your condition, you may be unable to get out of bed in the morning or you may avoid public places for fear of a panic attack. While anxiety disorders are serious, they are also treatable. Medication and talk therapy have been proven effective. Your doctor can help you manage your symptoms and get your life back in control.
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Anxiety disorders are caused by a complex combination of biological, genetic, psychological, and environmental factors. Traumatic events are a key environmental factor known to trigger some anxiety disorders, specifically post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For example, a rape increases your risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder: PSTD occurs in 65 percent of men and 46 percent of women who are raped.
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Roughly two-thirds of people with anxiety disorders are women. Anxiety disorders may affect women more often than men because women experience hormonal fluctuations throughout their lives, including menstruation, pregnancy and menopause. These hormonal fluctuations are thought to trigger imbalances in other neurotransmitter systems, often provoking conditions such as anxiety and depression.
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Anxiety can be the result of both physical and psychological factors. For example, extreme stress can definitely trigger anxiety, but so can certain stimulants, such as caffeine. Anxiety can also be triggered by elevations in blood lactic acid level. Lactic acid is the final product in the breakdown of blood sugar (glucose) when there is a lack of oxygen.
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Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a serious condition. People who suffer from it may find it difficult to function normally at times. Common problems that accompany GAD, such as digestive disorders, insomnia, fatigue, irritability, and headaches, can be debilitating and distressing in themselves. Depression is a common problem for people with GAD. Generalized anxiety disorder may also cause a person to turn to drugs and alcohol due to an inability to cope.
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When a veteran experiences anxiety disorder, it could be due to a number of factors. It may be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, social stressors, or genetic predisposition. Some researchers believe that negative life experiences, such as poverty, abuse, or exposure to violence can lead to anxiety disorders. Personality type may also be a factor. It is thought that people with low self-esteem or undeveloped coping skills may be more vulnerable to anxiety. Studies specific to veterans and anxiety disorder suggest that social phobia in particular may be related to guilt or shame about wartime experiences, or negative homecoming experiences.
