Anxiety, a very common and often overwhelming experience, that affects millions of people in the United States, irrespective of age, gender and background.
At its core, anxiety is not just a feeling, it’s a complex interplay of chemicals in the brain that can significantly affect your daily routine activities.
Many patients that are dealing with anxiety disorder think what chemicals or things cause anxiety , they think what causes and what chemical alterations in my brain causes anxiety which affects my daily life routine.
Anxiety is caused/ triggered and influenced by various Brain chemicals (neurotransmitter) in the brain.
Some important chemicals that cause anxiety are discussed below
• Nor Adrenaline or Norepinephrine (Unpacking the Anxiety Connection)
Nor Adrenaline often interchangeably referred to as Norepinephrine, is a neurotransmitter that plays a central role in the body’s stress response.
This hormone (chemical messengers) is produced in the Adrenal glands (located just above the kidneys) and nerve endings.
This chemical messenger takes centre stage when it perceives a threat, whether real or perceived.
In moments of heightened stress or anxiety, the release of nor adrenaline triggers the “fight or flight” response . This physiological reaction involves an increased heart rate, Increase blood pressure, increased alertness — means this chemical prepares your body to confront or escape a potential danger.
While this response is designed to ensure survival, an overactive or dysregulated release of epinephrine can develop or exaggerate anxiety disorders.
If you are having a persistent high level of nor epinephrine level in your body, you may find yourself in a state of chronic Stress, Manifesting as anxiety that significantly impacts your daily routine life.
• Gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA)
(Your Brain’s Calming Messenger)
Ever wondered why sometimes you feel a bit too anxious or stressed???
That is because of the disturbance of chemicals in the brain.
GABA plays an important role in keeping things calm. Means think of GABA as the brain’s own chill pill.
Gamma-aminobutyric acid, better known as GABA, is a chemical ( Neurotransmitter) that influences mental well being. It’s a chemical Neurotransmitter that tells your brain cells to take it easy, like a gentle reminder to slow down.
Remember when GABA is doing its job well, everything stays balanced, and you feel calm and relaxed.
GABA operates as an inhibitory neurotransmitter, acting as a calming agent in the brain to regulate neural excitability.
In the relation of anxiety, GABA’s role is important. When GABA levels are insufficient or its functioning is impaired, the balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitter is disturbed. This imbalance can lead to disrupt neural activity, that causes anxiety symptoms.
Means decreased levels of this chemical can lead to increased anxiety.
• Serotonin ( The Mood Messenger)
Serotonin is like a brain’s happiness manager. It talks to different parts of the brain, helps to control our feelings.
When this chemical messenger does its job right, we feel happy and satisfied.
But it’s not just about emotions, serotonin plays an important role in our body, i.e. learning, memory, happiness, regulation of the body’s temperature, sleep, sexual behaviour and hunger.
Imbalance or lack of serotonin level are associated with various mental health conditions i.e anxiety, depression, mania and other mental health conditions.
The balance of serotonin in our body is important.
Regular exercise, exposure to sunlight, diet rich in tryptophan helps to increase serotonin levels in our body.
Some medicine i.e SSRI’S, made to enhance serotonin levels, are commonly prescribed for mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, mania.
• Glutamate (The Brain’s Excitement Signal)
Imagine glutamine as the brain’s volume control for excitement. It is a chemical Neurotransmitter that helps our brain cell communication, especially when we are learning and remembering things.
But , like any good thing, too much of ur can be overwhelming.
When there is too much excitement, Glutamate increases in our body, and it can lead to increased stress and anxiety. The brain becomes over stimulated that makes us stressed and anxious.
Certain factors like Stress or trauma, can disrupt the balance and lead to excess Glutamate activity. This increased level may exaggerate anxiety levels.
It’s like ensuring the brain’s excitement stays at just the right level for a more relaxed and peaceful mind.
• Cortisol (stress hormone)
Cortisol is a steroid hormone made by the adrenal glands, which are located on top of each kidney. Although this is not a neurotransmitter, cortisol, a hormone releases when you take stress. It plays an important role in the body’s response to Stress (often referred to as the “Stress Hormone”) regulates various functions i.e. metabolism, blood pressure and immune response.
When you are faced with a perceived threat, the body releases cortisol to prepare for the “fight or flight” response.
While cortisol is essential for survival, chronic stress and prolonged elevation of cortisol levels can contribute to anxiety. This is because sustained high levels of cortisol can impact other Neurotransmitters in the Brain i.e serotonin, which is related to mood regulation.
Additionally disruption of the natural circadian rhythm of cortisol secretion, often seen in cases of chronic stress, can interfere with sleep patterns, exacerbation of feelings of anxiety.
• Thyroid Hormone
Thyroid, a butterfly shaped gland in the neck, produces hormones that play an important role in regulating various functions of the body, including metabolism and maintaining energy levels.
Two main hormones are produced by the thyroid gland namely thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). These hormones influence almost every cell I’m the body, and an imbalance can impact mental health, that may potentially contribute to anxiety.
Both an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) and an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) can be associated with anxiety symptoms.
Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid can) lead to symptoms such as increased heart rate (Tachycardia), restlessness, and nervousness, weight loss, which may contribute to increased anxiety and panic attacks.
Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), in this condition a person may experience fatigue, lethargy, and a general sense of low energy, which can manifest as feelings of anxiety and low mood.
• Endorphins (Internal Painkillers)
Endorphins are neurotransmitters produced by the body, often referred to as “internal painkiller” chemicals, as they act as natural painkillers and mood elevators. These chemicals are released in response to various stimuli, i.e. stress, pain, or physical activity, and they bind to receptors in the brain to reduce pain and induce a sense of well-being.
Endorphins act as a natural mechanism to alleviate stress and anxiety.
When endorphins levels are elevated, they can decrease the impact of stress and anxiety, and promote more positive, good mood and reduces pain.
Endorphins contribute to the body’s overall stress
physical exercise is a well-known trigger for endorphin release.
Endorphins release when people do physical exercise, engage themselves in activities like jogging, swimming, or dancing.
Endorphins contribute to the body’s overall stress response by promoting relaxation and reducing tension.
Moreover, endorphins contribute to the body’s overall stress response by promoting relaxation and reducing tension. The calming effect of endorphins helps regulate mood, making individuals feel more at ease and less susceptible to anxiety.
• Dopamine (feel-good hormone)
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, a chemical messenger that plays an important role in various functions in the brain i.e. Reward, motivation, and cognition. It is often referred to as a “feel-good” neurotransmitter due to its association with pleasure, reward and motivation.
Dopamine is involved in regulating mood, attention, and movement, making it more important in both mental and physical well being.
While dopamine is associated with positive feelings, an imbalance or dysregulation in its levels can impact mental health.
Lower levels of dopamine may be linked to symptoms i.e lack of motivation, fatigue, and difficulty experiencing pleasure, all of which can contribute to feelings of anxiety or depression.
On the other hand, excessive dopamine activity may be associated with conditions like schizophrenia or certain types of anxiety disorders.
Physical causes of anxiety disorders:-
• Co morbidity or long term Medical illness:
Certain medical illnesses or long term diseases like thyroid disorders, heart or valve disease, or chronic pain, can initiate or worsen anxiety symptoms.
• Brain or neurological causes
Certain brain disorders i.e convulsion disorder,epilepsy or chronic brain diseases can increase the risk of anxiety disorders.
• Drug abuse or Withdrawal
Some forms of substance abuse, excessive alcohol consumption, heavy coffee consumption, or abrupt cessation of drugs or alcohol.
• Society & environmental causes & factors
Child abuse, mental torture, job change, relationship problems etc can physically affects the brain and contribute to the anxiety and stress disorders.
Other causes of anxiety
• Medications
medications that increase GABA activity, like benzodiazepines or certain anti-anxiety medications i.e lorazepam, diazepam, are often prescribed to decrease symptoms of anxiety. However, long-term use of these medications can lead to dependency on medicine and adverse and side effects.
• Family History
A family history of mental illness like anxiety or other mental health disorders can predispose individuals to anxiety disorders and mental health issues in teens.
• Hormonal Changes during puberty
Changes of hormones in body, pregnancy, or menopause, can initiate or exacerbation of mental health issues like anxiety.
What causes anxiety in teen
Anxiety in teenagers has many reasons, some common causes discussed below
• Hormonal Changes
when you cross Adolescence significant hormonal fluctuations are there that can impact mood and emotions, potentially contributing to anxiety.
• Bad Past Experiences
Bad Past Experiences and traumatic events also can cause anxiety disorders in teenagers.
• Stressful Life Events
It involves various factors i.e Academic pressures, exams pressure,social life challenges, family issues can trigger anxiety in teens.
• Genetics
genetics also play an important role in this anxiety disorder or related to mental health illness.
• Brain Development
Delay in the development of the brain or trauma during birth, especially in areas where emotions and decision making, are also responsible for anxiety disorder in teens.
• Social Pressure
Many teens struggling to fit in society,try to maintain social status, Concerns about fitting in society, afraid of people judging them, handling relationships, and societal expectations from growing teens can cause stress and anxiety in teenagers.
• Social Media Pressure
Negative thoughts spreading on social media, bad comments on posts, wrong and bad content watching can also cause anxiety problems in teens.
• Mental Health Conditions
Many teens hide their feelings of mental issues, and because of many factors symptoms can exaggerate,
Many teens are hiddenly dealing with Conditions i.e generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety, or specific phobias can emerge during adolescence.
What triggers anxiety in the brain?
Anxiety is a complex emotional and physiological response that involves various factors and neurotransmitters in the brain.
There are multiple factors that contribute to the experience of anxiety, here are on What triggers anxiety in the brain…
• Amygdala Activation
Amygdala is a small, Almond shape structure present in brain.it is a part of limbic system.
It is responsible for processing emotions, and extremely important structure when it comes to your survival, particularly fear, plays a central role in anxiety.
When the brain perceives a threat, the amygdala sends signals to activate the “fight or flight” response, releasing stress hormone like cortisol.
• Neurotransmitter Imbalance
Imbalance in Neurotransmitters (Chemical messenger) in the brain, can contribute to anxiety.
i.e Low levels of GABA or disturbance in other Neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine.
• Hormonal Factors
Hormones such as cortisol releases during stress, that also play an important role in anxiety. Chronic stress can lead to prolonged elevation of cortisol levels, affecting various brain regions that contribute to anxiety disorders.
• Genetic Predisposition
There is genetic component to anxiety, individuals with family history of anxiety disorders may be more susceptible to have anxiety disorders.
Certain genetic variation and variations and genetic factors in DNA may influence the brain’s response to Stress and contribute to anxiety.
• Brain Structure and Function
Alteration and differences in brain structure and function, including the size and connectivity of specific regions, changes in blood vessels like atherosclerosis, stroke, can influence susceptibility to anxiety.
For example abnormalities in the prefrontal cortex, which regulate decision-making and emotional responses,Might cause anxiety disorders.
• Trauma and Memory
Past traumatic experiences can have a long lasting effect on the brain, especially if Traumatic lesions are present in the area that belongs to memory and emotional processing.
Some bad memories or horrible traumatic experiences happen in the past like big loss, breakups are also responsible for exaggeration of anxiety disorders.
• Inflammation in the brain
Inflammation in the brain can also affect neural circuits and increase anxiety symptoms.
Chronic inflammation often associated with various health conditions, may also affect mood and emotional regulations that cause anxiety disorders.
• Environmental Factors
External factors, such as a stressful environment, childhood problems, or ongoing life stress and tension, can influence the brain’s response to anxiety triggers.
