Neuroimaging studies reliably show changes in brain function among those who experience chronic anxiety, and they involve dysfunction of connectivity among areas of the brain that work together to orchestrate emotional response. Their reactivity is linked to the personality trait of neuroticism, one of the strongest risk factors for anxiety. A large number of people-in some estimates, as many as 20 percent of the population-are said to be highly sensitive having a low threshold of nervous system arousal, they overrespond to both internal and external stimuli and can be easily overwhelmed emotionally. Some people are highly sensitive to internal body sensations-interoception-and may devote so much mental energy to monitoring, say, their heartbeats that every variation becomes a source of doubt and concern. People with breathing problems such as asthma or who have severe allergies to common substances may live with chronic worry about exposure to triggering substances. In fact, having a heart attack is known to raise the risk of health anxiety by 20 to 30 percent. Those with chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease are at risk of constant worry about getting sick or sudden death. The state of a person’s health, past or present, plays a large role in triggering anxiety. In addition, dating and mating practices are far less structured than in past eras, and digital forms of communication create so much ambiguity that young people are often clueless about where they stand in romantic relationships. Social media are singled out for their especially pernicious effect on young teens, because they introduce a means of constant social comparison and, through it, self-doubt-and that self-doubt drives further social media use, with compounding negative effects. In addition, a lack of coping skills, emotion regulation skills notably among them, is said to be making younger people vulnerable to a number of mental health disorders, particularly anxiety and depression. The high cost of health care also creates a burden of chronic worry about getting sick. In general, as the middle class erodes, there is growing economic uncertainty for much of the population. Several factors are thought to be responsible for a rise in prevalence. High as the number is, there is some-and sometimes conflicting-evidence that the prevalence of anxiety (and depression as well) is increasing, especially among the young. will grapple with disabling anxiety at some point. Population-based surveys indicate that about a third of adults in the U.S. Many factors can contribute to prolonged rumination-worry, the cognitive component of anxiety- over uncertain outcomes.Īnxiety in its several forms, including phobias and social anxiety, is the most common mental health disorder in the U.S. But sometimes worries intensify or persist, endlessly caroming through the brain without engaging problem-solving mechanisms, or overwhelming them, and impairing the ability to function. Occasional bouts of anxiety are entirely normal and one of the unavoidable costs of being alive anxiety alerts us to danger, compels our attention, and urges us to make necessary preparations to protect ourselves. It can be triggered by events in the real world-an upcoming doctor’s visit, relationship conflict, a rent increase-or generated wholly internally, through thoughts of real or imagined threats (not knowing what to say when the boss calls on you in a meeting). As a mental state of apprehension about what might, or might not, lie ahead, anxiety reflects uncertainty about future circumstances, whether regarding one’s own health, job, or love life, or climate change or a downturn in the economy. The true cause of anxiety is being a human being, gifted with the capacity to imagine a future.
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