Anxiety Attacks Causes - Emotional Triggers For Anxiety Attacks Revealed

The causes of anxiety attacks are usually situations or events that can be particularly stressful or emotional. Generally speaking, folks who suffer anxiety attacks are usually also suffering from anxiety in their lives. Almost on a daily basis, they are worried and anxious about anything and everything. So that their anxiety levels are much higher than normal, even in today's fast moving world.

Slap a strong emotional event on top of that and the sufferer's anxiety levels rocket even higher. The result is an anxiety attack. Here we'll look at the causes of anxiety attacks and why some people are more prone to them than others.

Causes of Anxiety Attacks

The causes or 'triggers' for anxiety attacks are things such as;

traffic jams exams job interview job loss money problems bereavement failed relationship moving house crowded supermarkets stuck in an elevator etc.

But these are things that most people encounter at some point in their lives without having anxiety attacks; they are able to handle and overcome these emotional and stressful situations. Why? Since anxiety attacks usually occur in folks with already highly elevated anxiety levels, we need to ask the question, why do these people suffer anxiety disorders and others don't? Let's look at the causes of anxiety to help us...

Causes of Anxiety Disorders

Frankly, no one is certain about the causes of anxiety, but there are several theories that have been put forward. Some of these are;

Brain chemistry - chemical imbalances in the brain

Genetics - people whose parent(s) had anxiety and anxiety attacks are more likely to suffer too.

Childhood upbringing - learned behaviour, traumatic experiences, etc.

Personality characteristics - excessive shyness, politeness and deference, low-self esteem, passiveness, etc.

Another way at looking at these theories on the causes of anxiety, could be as theories on why some people are more prone to anxiety disorders than others.

How to Cure Anxiety Attacks

Generally, mainstream treatment consists of prescribed drugs such as anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medicines, 'talking' therapies such psychotherapy and counselling, and self-help therapies like meditation and yoga. Sometimes they are used in combination. But the drugs only control the symptoms of anxiety, whilst the therapies teach you how to manage the disorder. In addition the drugs can have pretty bad side effects.

Remember that certain emotional 'triggers' on top of anxiety cause attacks? One trigger not mentioned above, is the fear of having another attack. The actual fear can cause an anxiety attack to occur. When this happens your anxiety levels increase even more.

And then you agonize about another attack, you have another attack, your anxiety is reinforced, and so on. You are in an anxiety cycle fueled by this fear. You need to get rid of the fear of other attacks in order to break the anxiety cycle. In this way you can prevent more anxiety (panic) attacks and so focus totally on curing your underlying anxiety.