What Causes Anxiety Disorder

Studies show that anxiety disorders are now quite prevalent amongst adults, elderly and children as well. New cases are being reported and diagnosed every day. Sufferers often have no idea of the root cause of their anxiety disorder and doctors can also be left baffled as to the root cause when making a diagnosis.

We will have a more detailed look at some of the more common causes of anxiety and panic disorders.

Medical Triggers

Certain medications and other substances can act as catalysts to an anxiety disorder. Prescription drugs, illegal or recreational drugs; alcohol and tobacco can all cause restlessness and irritability, which can lead to increased anxiety. If you have recently started on a prescribed medicine then it is worth checking to establish if that is the cause of some of your physical symptoms. It is important that, as an anxiety sufferer, you exercise extreme caution towards alcohol and other potentially damaging substances. It has been noted that many anxiety sufferers choose to "self-medicate" with alcohol. The first step towards tackling an anxiety disorder would be to address any excessive drinking.
A withdrawn or 'passive' personality.

A passive nature is something that we may be born with or else develop due to outside circumstances. A lack of assertiveness has been linked to increased prevalence of the 'fight or flight' mechanism and might go some way towards explaining why some individuals consider themselves to have always suffered from anxiety.
Phobia

A more generalized anxiety disorder can develop from an exposure to situations linked to pre-existing phobias, such as agoraphobia or fear of flying. It is possible that through experiencing tension through phobia, an individual may develop further anxiety.
Genetic Factors

Some studies have shown that the symptoms of anxiety can be inherited. Children of anxiety sufferers are more likely to develop a disorder then children whose parents have not suffered from anxiety. Of course, this might also be explained by the fact that we learn behaviors from our parents. It could be argued that by observing an anxious or stressed older family member, the young child 'learns' how to become anxious.