The most common form of mental illness in the United States, anxiety affects at least 40 million adults every year. Anxiety is a widespread condition that manifests in various ways for different people.
We all have it to some degree—you might get nervous before a date or job interview, or have an attack of anxiety when your plans go awry and you don’t know where to turn next. What sets these responses apart from an actual disorder is how many times the feelings occur, for how long, and their intensity: the more intense and lasting your response is, the more likely you are dealing with something that won’t go away on its own.
Anxiety comes in several different forms, but it’s typically considered to be either a disorder with a specific set of symptoms or a trait that may or may not become a disorder. Researchers are still sorting out the difference between one and the other. In particular, social phobia is known to have some genetic links, which means it’s likely to be passed down from parent to child, but anxiety in general can also be learned—a sign that it may not be as innate as some anxiety disorders appear.
While there is no single cause for anxiety disorders, research suggests that genetics and environment contribute equally to their development. The environment in which we live and the people with whom we interact routinely either encourage anxiety or help prevent it. This means that, not only are you responsible for your own anxiety, but the people around you are responsible as well.
It’s possible to overcome it all on your own, but it helps to know where you’re starting from in order to make small changes that add up over time. The first step is recognizing the symptoms of an anxiety disorder so you can know how to handle them before they take over your life.
Anxiety in the Brain
A growing body of research shows that anxiety is associated with an activation of the hippocampus, an almond-sized part of the brain near the back that’s crucial to learning and memory. This has led researchers to believe that chronic stress triggers a response in this area that sends distress signals to the amygdala, a pair of almond-shaped nuclei tucked atop each temporal lobe. The amygdala then sends these signals into the prefrontal cortex where they can cause fear or other negative emotions.
This finding has been instrumental in helping scientists piece together an understanding of how anxiety develops from a physical perspective. In some cases, extreme stress can cause physical changes in the brain that lead to chronic anxiety: researchers at Stanford University have observed connections between the size of the hippocampus and clinical anxiety, which suggests that a shrunken hippocampus may result from incessant worrying.
The origin of your anxiety isn’t as important as how you handle it when it develops, but understanding why you might be more prone to anxiety than a friend or family member can help you take steps to prevent it. For instance, if you know that your parents responded to stressful situations with worry and panic attacks, you’re going to need extra help learning how to manage those feelings effectively.
The Brain on Anxiety
Animal research shows that anxiety may create cellular changes in the hippocampus, but similar changes have not yet been observed in humans. Still, there’s evidence that the neural pathways between the brain and the rest of your body change in response to chronic stress. For instance, a study of rats found that when they had continual access to a stressor, their brains showed signs of distress even if they were given antidepressants to help them cope. So while it’s not known specifically how anxiety creates these physical changes in the brain—whether it’s through an actual disruption or whether a person is predisposed to anxiety because of mental health issues—it’s clear that they exist.