Anxiety is the number one mental health issue today. Panic attacks are the number one mental health issue for women in the US. But what causes anxiety?
There are different theories. Dr. Archibald Hart in The Anxiety Cure book states that “Humans were designed for camel travel, but most people are now acting like supersonic jets.” It is likely that most doctors and therapists would agree with Hart that much of what causes anxiety is due to high adrenaline, caused by a high stress life-style, which results in a depletion of the brain’s natural tranquilizers.
In The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook there are several contributing factors that are outlined by Dr. Edmund Bourne in his popular anxiety workbook:
- Heredity
- Childhood Circumstances
- Biological Causes
- Triggering Causes like acute stressors
- Trauma
- Imbalances in neurotransmitters like norepinephrine, serotonin and GABA
He also sites the very important aspects of maintaining cause of anxiety attacks:
- Avoidance of Phobic Situations
- Anxious Self-talk
- Mistaken beliefs
- Withheld Feelings
- Lack of Assertiveness
- Lack of self-nurturing skills
- Muscle Tension
- Stimulants and other dietary factors
- High-Stress Lifestyle
- Lack of meaning or sense of purpose
No matter what the cause, there is much you can do to help relieve your anxiety. An important approach to therapy is to identify and address your maintaining cause of anxiety.
The answer to the cause of anxiety however is to get more information that will allow you to help yourself. The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook is one of the most thorough manuals available.
If you or a loved one is experiencing anxiety don’t wait until your level of functioning is severely impaired. Find a therapist now to help you conquer anxiety!