What causes anxiety? If this is a topic that you find interesting, you may want to brace yourself. The answer is that some of the factors that cause anxiety are things that we as individuals can control, such as life experiences and personality. In that sense, we may be causing some of our own anxiety.

Of course, there are factors involved that we cannot simply decide to change, such as genetics or brain chemistry. Some of these are firm and fixed, such as genetics, and some are difficult to change at all even with a doctor’s contributions, such as brain chemistry. Still, we can affect our personality. And even when events in our lives happen that are outside of our control, we can control how we react to these events.

Scientists who do brain research tend to agree that brain chemistry affects anxiety. Often, people who suffer from anxiety are prescribed medicine to alleviate the symptoms. These medications work to change brain chemistry, leading scientists to deduce a link.

Scientists also have found that anxiety tends to run in families. Does anyone in your immediate family suffer from anxiety? Immediate family includes siblings, parents, grandparents and so on. If the answer is yes, you can expect that you will likely experience anxiety yourself.

Personality may also be a factor in anxiety. Some researchers suggest that personality issues can make a person more prone to anxiety. For instance, if you have low self esteem, or have trouble coping with difficulties, you are also going to be more likely to be anxious.

It can be hard to tell which is influencing which in some cases, though. When anxiety occurs in childhood, it can influence a person to have low self-esteem, which can contribute then to more anxiety in adulthood.

People who have suffered long periods of poverty or abuse are especially vulnerable to developing problems with anxiety.

Anxiety can be externally caused, however, by the use of street drugs such as LSD, amphetamine, or Ecstasy. Caffeine, the perfectly legal active ingredient in colas and coffees, can also contribute to our feelings of anxiety and pressure on a daily basis.

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categories: psychology,depression,self help,motivational,happiness,goal setting,social issues,health,family,reference,teens,recreation,parenting,kids