What causes anxiety?
Anxiety is a natural bodily response to experiences or situations that we find threatening or stressful. Essentially, it is caused by our body entering “fight or flight” mode and making sure we are prepared for action. Though most situations that cause anxiety in the modern day don’t require us to fight or run away, our body still responds in the same way. Luckily, these kinds of anxious feelings usually don’t last long once the perceived threat or stress has disappeared.
The causes of anxiety as a mental health condition are more complex and wide-ranging. If you have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, it may be that your body “overreacts” to stressful situations due to other factors related to your past experiences or medical history. These factors can be roughly separated into the categories below.
Traumatic experiences in the past
If you had a difficult childhood or have at any point experienced trauma, you may be more susceptible to anxiety. Events associated with anxiety later in life include:
- Physical or emotional abuse
- Losing a parent
- Being isolated through bullying or parental neglect
Stress in your current life
You might find that your anxiety centres around health problems, work or social commitments, relationships, or money issues that you are currently having. It’s common to feel anxious about:
- Difficulty at school, university, or work
- Financial pressure e.g. struggling to pay rent and bills
- Problems in a romantic relationship
- Dealing with the illness or death of a loved one
Anxiety can also be made worse by stressors such as working long hours, having too much work, or being pressured to perform. Using social media is believed to be a cause of anxiety, as it can lead some people to compare themselves unfavourably to others.
Other health issues
Living with a long-term health condition, particularly one that is serious, is a common cause of anxiety. You may be more susceptible to anxiety if you have other mental health conditions such as low mood/depression. Hormonal changes, e.g. during pregnancy or the menopause, are also thought to be associated with anxiety symptoms.
Understanding the causes of your anxiety can be helpful in bringing it under control.
If you need to speak to someone about your anxiety you can make an appointment with Doctor Care Anywhere. You can also use our wellbeing tool, MyHealth with tips and resources for improving your mental health.
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