Anxiety symptoms can occur to most people once in a while. Sometimes anxiety can create serious disorders in people who constantly worry about anxiety attacks and symptoms. Many anxiety symptoms can be avoided by preparing for situations that cause them. Sometimes therapy and medication can help people with severe anxiety disorders.
Stress
Stress often plays a major role in anxiety symptoms. The stress can be from everyday problems such as difficulties at work or in school or it can result from more serious financial or relationship problems. Some people who have experienced stressful events in the past, such as abuse or victimization, may suffer more from anxiety, according to Medical News Today. Stress from a serious illness or just having symptoms of a possible illness or disease can also lead to anxiety.
Previous Experiences
Excessive worrying may start from serious problems that existed during a certain period, but develop into expected anxiety when a person is in a situation that is similar to a past situation that caused anxiety. This is often the case for people who suffer from panic attacks or post-traumatic stress disorder. People may avoid situations or places where earlier anxious moments have occurred, compounding the problem. For example, they may avoid jobs or apartments in areas where their anxiety symptoms have occurred in the past. Cognitive therapy and relaxation techniques can help avoid these feelings, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Genetics
Anxiety disorders may have genetic factors, according to the American Psychiatric Association (APA). People with a family history of anxiety problems may have an increased risk of developing anxiety symptoms. These difficulties may lead to a person suffering from anxiety disorders, panic disorders and attacks or obsessive-compulsive disorders.
Brain Chemistry
Areas of the brain that control fear responses may play a role in anxiety, the APA notes. People with abnormal levels of neurotransmitters in the brain may have an increased risk of developing generalized anxiety disorder, a serious disorder in which situations are blown out of proportion and bring on constant anxiety. The brain may react inappropriately during some situations and cause anxiety.
Drugs
Use or abuse of such drugs as cocaine or amphetamines may cause anxiety, Medical News Today says. Withdrawal symptoms from illegal drugs or prescription drugs and alcohol can cause anxiety because of a perceived need for the drug. But even side effects from certain medications can cause extreme anxiety, especially if the person is suffering from a serious illness.
