Health > What Are The Causes Of The Anxiety Attacks?
22nd Sep 2022
Learn the causes of anxiety attacks
Health

What Are The Causes Of The Anxiety Attacks?

We all occasionally struggle with anxiety. Intense, excessive, persistent worry and anxiety about normal circumstances are common in people with anxiety disorders. An anxiety attack normally sparks off the fear of some specific problem or occurrence that could come about. A common feature of this disorder is hyperventilation, feeling tired or weak, acute feelings of apprehension, or having a sense of impending doom. The effects of these sensations of worry and panic can be severe, difficult to regulate, out of context to the actual threat, and linger for an extended period. Let’s begin with essential knowledge, symptoms, types, and what causes anxiety attacks.

What is an anxiety disorder?

An anxiety disorder is a specific type of mental condition. If you suffer from a generalized anxiety disorder, you could experience fear and panic in response to particular things and circumstances. Additionally, anxiety can cause bodily symptoms like sweat and a racing heart.

Feeling apprehensive or anxious when dealing with a problem at work, going to an interview, taking a test, or making a big decision is normal. Good things can also come from stress. For instance, it helps us focus our attention and make us aware of potentially dangerous circumstances, keeping us safe.

Anxiety disorder types

There are various types of categorised pain disorders, and each condition has a unique range of traits that particular circumstances may bring on.

1. Panic disorder

This entails having regular panic attacks and living with the constant anxiety of having further episodes. People with panic disorder may get fired from their jobs, refuse to depart their houses or go on vacations, or avoid whatever they think would set off an attack.

2. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

This excessive and continuous fear or concern can continue for months or even years.

3. Social anxiety disorder

People will constantly and intensely worry that others are looking at them and judging them.

4. Phobic disorder

This is characterised by extreme stress and unreasonable fear of circumstances or objects, such as a phobia for spiders or wide open spaces. People who have the aversion may be conscious that their dread is unfounded.

Symptoms of anxiety

In addition to the physical signs of anxiety, individuals may also experience the following:

  • Feeling anxious or tense
  • Unable to unwind
  • Plagued with fear
  • Anticipating the worst
  • Requiring a lot of assurance from others
  • Depressed or unhappy mood
  • Rumination
  • Worrying regarding what may happen shortly and when a panic attack might develop

Not all anxiety cases will exhibit all of these signs and symptoms. Tension can range from minor to extreme depending on the trigger and how the person responds to it. Some people could feel a little nervous before an exam, while others might feel all the symptoms mentioned above. Symptoms typically disappear when a risk or perceived danger no longer exists.

Causes that trigger an anxiety attack 

It might be challenging to determine what drives anxiety and its issues. It’s possible that various elements, such as genetics and environmental variables, are at play. However, some situations, feelings, or experiences may either trigger the onset of anxiety attack symptoms or exacerbate them.

1. Negative attitude

Anxiety is a clear example of how much of your body is under the power of your mind. The things you tell yourself when you’re angry or frustrated can make you feel more anxious. When you embark on this road, it’s helpful to learn to reorient your speech and emotions if you frequently use harsh words to describe yourself. In this process, interacting with a therapist could be highly beneficial.

2. Financial struggles

Concerns about indebtedness or cutting costs might bring on anxiety. Other reasons include unforeseen expenses and financial worries. It could be necessary to seek expert assistance, such as from a financial advisor, to learn how to deal with these stressors. Your anxiety might decrease if you have a friend and a guide.

3. Conflicts

Conflicts in relationships, fights, and confrontations can cause or exacerbate anxiety. Learning conflict resolution techniques could be necessary if a clash sets you off. Additionally, find out how to control these emotions by speaking with a therapist or other mental health specialist.

4. Stress

Sustained or ongoing stress can result in long-term anxiety, deteriorating ailments, and other health complications. Alcohol consumption, sleeping too little, and skipping meals are all behaviours that can be brought on by stress. These elements can also cause or aggravate anxiety. Learning coping skills is frequently necessary for both treating and preventing stress. You can learn to identify your causes of stress and deal with them if they become bothersome or unmanageable with the assistance of a trained therapist.

5. Personal triggers

Personal triggers might unconsciously or consciously bring up dark memories or painful experiences in your life. Environmental factors typically cause anxiety in people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Finding your triggers may take time, but doing so can help you learn how to deal with them. These factors could be challenging to recognise, but a mental health professional is qualified to assist you.

6. Medications

Anxiety symptoms may be intensified by some medication and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. This is because the prescriptions’ active chemicals may cause you to feel uneasy or ill. These emotions can cause a chain reaction in your body and mind, resulting in different anxiety symptoms.

Managing Anxiety Disorder Symptoms

Try these recommendations to control or lessen your symptoms:

  • Understand your disorder
  • Adhere to your treatment schedule
  • Try to consume fewer foods and drinks that contain caffeine
  • Abstain from alcohol and illicit drugs
  • Eat healthily and move more
  • Improve your sleep
  • Learn to unwind
  • Control your negative thinking
  • Reframe your thoughts through cognitive behavioural therapy
  • Get a group of pals together
  • Seek assistance

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Conclusion

Recognising the causes behind your panic disorders may enable you to take control of your life and make adjustments to reduce their frequency or get the support you require to stay healthy. 

FAQs

What primarily triggers anxiety attacks?

A stress buildup primarily brings on anxiety bouts. Severe anxiety symptoms may be brought on by a significant incident or a stack of lesser stressful life circumstances.

How does an anxiety attack feel?

An anxiety attack is characterised by emotional distress. Shaking, disoriented, nausea, quick, irregular heart rhythms, parched mouth, breathlessness, sweat, and dizziness are just a few of the physical symptoms of anxiety or panic attacks.

What are the top five signs of anxiety?

1. Feeling uneasy, fidgety, or anxious
2. The feeling of worry, impending peril, or despair
3. Experiencing an elevated heart rate
4. Fast breathing
5. Sweating
6. Trembling
7. Feeling drained or feeble

Read more:

Discovering What is Anxiety Disorder and How To Deal With It

How to reduce stress and anxiety in elders?