Causes and effects of anxiety
Anxiety is a term used to describe the unpleasant feeling we experience in stressful, threatening, or challenging situations or when we are facing a problem. It is not a mental health condition on its own.
Most people will experience anxiety at some point in their lives for various reasons. It is a normal response and usually subsides over time, especially when the situation changes or when you are no longer exposed to the source of anxiety.
Anxiety can become a problem when:
- Your anxiety is very intense or severe
- You feel anxious all or most of the time
- There is no apparent reason for your anxiety
- It negatively affects your daily life
When this happens, anxiety can make you feel constantly on edge, prevent you from doing the things you want to do, and make it difficult to enjoy life.
Feelings of Anxiety
Anxiety can affect both your mind and body in many different ways.
- Constant worrying
- Feeling tired or having trouble sleeping
- Difficulty concentrating
- Irritability or feeling low
- Feeling tense or nervous
- A sense of helplessness
- Fear that something terrible might happen
- A fast or irregular heartbeat (palpitations)
- Sweating
- Dry mouth
- Muscle tension or pain
- Headaches
- Twitching or shaking
- Numbness or tingling in your fingers, toes, or lips
- Rapid breathing
- Dizziness or fainting
- Stomach problems such as indigestion, pain, or nausea
- Frequent urination
- Increased anxiety due to these physical symptoms
Sometimes, people with anxiety worry that these symptoms are signs of a serious physical illness, which can make the anxiety even worse. It's also common to feel depressed when anxiety persists for a long time. Many people with anxiety also experience symptoms of depression at the same time.
Causes of Anxiety
There is no single cause of anxiety disorders.
Your genetics, social environment, and life experiences all play a role—and often influence each other.
If a close family member has an anxiety disorder, you are four to six times more likely to develop one yourself. However, no single gene is responsible. Instead, multiple genes, each contributing a small effect, work together to increase your risk of developing the condition.
Anxiety can be triggered by many different factors, including:
- Everyday situations, such as receiving a stressful email at work or dealing with a demanding customer
- Major life events, such as going through a divorce, being diagnosed with a physical illness, or experiencing the loss of a loved one
Sometimes, anxiety can also arise during positive events. For example, going on a date or attending a job interview—while not negative experiences—can still cause the physical and emotional symptoms of anxiety.