Like all Mental Health Disorders, Anxiety Disorders can stem from numerous factors. Medical issues, family history, and life experiences can make you more vulnerable to developing an Anxiety Disorder. A Licensed Clinical Psychologist looks at these and other factors to determine the root of your Anxiety Disorder and create a specialized and effective treatment plan for you. What are the causes of anxiety, and how can a Skilled Psychologist give you the treatment you need? Find out with this overview of anxiety and its causes.
Family History
Many Mental Health Disorders run through families. Genetic factors can make you more vulnerable to other causes of anxiety and increase your risk of developing an Anxiety Disorder. If anxiety runs in your family, it might also be a result of circumstances such as social and economic factors. Alternatively, children might learn certain ways of thinking and acting from parents with anxiety, which contributes to the disorder running through the family. Understanding both genetic and circumstantial factors in your family history sheds light on your experience with your Anxiety Disorder.
Excessive or Ongoing Stress
Stress is one of the common causes of anxiety. Everyone experiences stress throughout their life. Feeling anxious about stressful situations is common, but an Anxiety Disorder causes you to feel distress or worry over a significant period of time. Stressful events—especially severe or unresolved stress—can lead to an Anxiety Disorder. This stress can stem from major events, such as a death in the family, or smaller events that build up over time, such as challenges at work.
Traumatic Experiences
Real or perceived threats can create anxiety for anyone, but for those with an Anxiety Disorder, the stress and fear don’t recede after the threat has passed. Because of this, both recent and past traumatic events can lead to the development of an Anxiety Disorder.
Individuals who experience a traumatic event during childhood are particularly vulnerable to developing an Anxiety Disorder. Abuse, neglect, or losing a close friend or relative at an early age are all experiences that seriously affect mental health and can lead to an Anxiety Disorder as you grow up. Bullying and other social factors can also influence anxiety at a young age.
Medical Causes
Physical and mental health illnesses can create feelings of dread and worry as well as physical symptoms of anxiety. For example, chronic pain can cause ongoing stress and create feelings of anxiety that may develop into an Anxiety Disorder. Anxiety Disorders can also develop alongside other Mental Health Disorders, such as depression.
Moreover, anxiety shares symptoms with many physical and mental health conditions. In some cases, symptoms of anxiety can be an early sign of a different medical condition—or vice versa. A Skilled Psychologist analyzes how your Anxiety Disorder intertwines with other Mental Health Conditions and builds a personal treatment plan that addresses your specific needs and experiences.
Everyone who experiences an Anxiety Disorder faces unique causes, symptoms, and challenges. However, you don’t have to struggle with these obstacles on your own. Dr. Blair is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with years of experience in anxiety treatment services. At Blair Wellness Group, we help clients tackle their anxiety at the root to better achieve their clinical objectives and treat their Anxiety Disorders. Reach out to the team at Blair Wellness Group today to learn more about how our services can help you.
