What Causes Anxiety And How To Manage It

With the pressure and hectic schedules of modern life, anxiety is becoming incredibly common.

It can cause feelings of worry, fear, tension, and can even manifest itself in panic attacks and chest pain in some extreme cases. The causes of anxiety disorder can be complicated and vary depending on genetics and environmental factors.

However, it’s clear that certain events or experiences can trigger symptoms of anxiety. For that reason, the discovery of any anxiety triggers you may have is an important step to manage your anxiety. Here are some of the most common causes of anxiety and what you can do to manage them.

1. Health Issues

A health diagnosis that is upsetting or difficult for a patient to cope with, such as cancer or a chronic illness, can cause immediate triggers for anxiety or make it worse than it already was. Health issues are a very powerful trigger since they produce strong personal feelings. 

Management Strategy:

If an illness diagnosis triggers your anxiety, you can ease it by being proactive and engaging more with your doctor. The experts at Energetics Institute explain that if your anxiety is just too extreme, you may find speaking to a therapist helps to learn to manage your emotions around your diagnosis. Just talking about the situation with a professional therapist or counselor can help ease the mental burden and resulting anxiety.

2. Medications

Some over the counter or prescription medications can worsen your anxiety because some of their active ingredients can make you feel uneasy or unwell. Commonly taken medicines that can trigger anxiety are birth control bills, cough and congestion pills, and weight loss medication. The negative feelings resulting from those medications can cause a series of reactions in your mind and body that may set off additional symptoms of anxiety. 

Management Strategy:

As your medications are the main reason, you experience anxiety symptoms, the best way to manage them is to talk to your doctor about how these drugs make you feel and prescribe alternatives that don’t worsen your symptoms.

3. Caffeine Intake

Many people rely on their coffee to wake up and get their day going, but it can trigger or worsen your anxiety. People with specific health issues, such as panic disorder or social anxiety disorder, may find themselves specifically sensitive to the anxiety-triggering effects of caffeine.

Management Strategy:

You can work your way to cutting back your caffeine intake slowly every day until you are totally off it. Or you can substitute non-caffeinated options if possible.

4. Skipping Meals

We are no stranger to the term “hangry” (being angry because you are hungry), but it is actually a scientific fact. When you don’t eat, your blood sugar drops, which lead to jittery hands and a rumbling tummy. For some people, these symptoms can be an anxiety trigger.

Management Strategy:

To manage anxiety resulting from missing meals, you should create a balanced eating pattern with three meals a day. It is essential to not only manage your anxiety but also to provide your body with enough energy and nutrients. If you cannot make time for three meals a day, make sure to have a healthy snack with you to prevent low blood sugar.

5. Negative Thinking

Your mind is able to control your body, and that is very much true with anxiety. No one is happy all the time, and there are moments when we use negative words to talk to ourselves. However, these upsetting and frustrating feelings can trigger a greater feeling of anxiety.

Management Strategy:

If you tend to talk negatively to yourself, it’s essential to talk to a therapist who can help you refocus your language and feelings when you start down this path.

6. Financial Pressure

Life is tough, and not all of us are as financially secure as we would like to be. When financial pressures such as debts or unexpected bills start to get on top of you, they can trigger fears and anxiety too.

Management Strategy:

To ease your anxiety, the best way is to get your finances in order. You may find it helpful to seek a professional financial advisor. Having an expert helping you with your decisions can make it easier to solve your financial pressure and anxiety.

Anxiety triggers vary from person to person, and some people may have multiple triggers. For that reason, it’s essential to watch out for your triggers and take the right steps before they become a problem. Although occasional anxiety is common, chronic feelings of worry and fear are not. Look out for yourself and your loved ones and seek professional help with your mental health if necessary.