What Causes Anxiety: Mental Health
Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School
What causes anxiety?
Many people assume that anxiety arises from a traumatic event or overwhelming stress. It's true that experiences such as the death of a parent during childhood or another early trauma can play a significant role, but these kinds of events aren't always at the root of the problem. Not everyone who has lived through a tragedy or terrifying occurrence develops an anxiety disorder, and not everyone who develops an anxiety disorder has endured such an ordeal. Research suggests that anxiety is partly genetic. Certain genetic variations may cause imbalances in brain chemistry that can predispose someone to anxiety. The biological tendency toward anxiety may be latent for years until an exceptionally stressful event triggers its expression. Personality factors may also play a role.
| Last updated: | September 05, 2008 |
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Medical content reviewed by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School. Harvard Health Publications, Copyright © 2007 by President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Used with permission of StayWell.
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