What are the causes of anxiety?

There are several different external factors that can cause anxiety in a person including:

• Stress at work or school
• Difficulties in close personal relationships
• Cyclothymic disorder: a milder form of bipolar disorder marked by less intense mood swings
• Financial pressures
• Emotional trauma such as a bereavement
• Stress caused by a serious or chronic health condition
• Side effects of a prescribed medication
• Alcohol and drug abuse

Anxiety can also be a symptom of a medical condition such as heart attack, hypoglycemia, and heat stroke and is the body’s way of alerting us that something is wrong.

There are different types of anxiety disorder including the following:

• Panic disorder: Characterized by feelings of intense terror that are often accompanied by chest pains and heart palpitations that leads some to believe they are having a heart attack
• Social anxiety disorder: Also known as social phobia, this is when someone feels very anxious in social situations, particularly in large crowds
• Specific phobias: Someone who has a fear of heights may suffer from anxiety when placed in a situation where they face their fear. Some may go to great lengths to avoid what to most of us are ordinary situations
• Generalized anxiety disorder: Marked by excessive, unrealistic worries, or concerns that aren’t based in reality

Whatever the causes of anxiety, the symptoms can be extremely distressing and include:

• Intense panic, fear and unease
• Interrupted sleep patterns
• An inability to relax or stay calm
• Cold or hot sweats
• Needles and pins feeling in hands or feet
• Shortness of breath
• Irregular heartbeat or palpitations
• Nausea and dizziness
• Muscle tension and aching joints