Why Is My Anxiety Getting Worse?

A certain amount of anxiety is expected in our day to day lives.

We may get nervous about going on a date, or before making a big decision. We accept that we will by anxious about the event and then it will pass. But many times our nervousness becomes more than that - it becomes something that interferes with our daily activities or our ability to live our life to the fullest. Many times these symptoms of anxiety that are interfering with our lives will continue to get worse and become excessive and all consuming until you seek treatment from a professional.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has reported that there has been much research about anxiety and has found that it is often caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Most professionals agree that mild anxiety will often resolve on its own when the stressor is relieved but may reappear from time to time, whenever there is another life stressor. For approximately 40 million people in the United States, these symptoms are not just occasional problems that resolve. These individuals suffer from long term symptoms of anxiety that cause them daily problems and these symptoms continue to worsen over time.

So what are the reasons these symptoms of anxiety will not resolve on their own? Why are we not able to control these symptoms on our own? There are many causes of anxiety that is excessive with increasing symptoms over time and rob us of our ability to enjoy our life or be successful.

The biggest and most common cause of debilitating anxiety is stress. Most people experience stress on a daily basis in one form or another. Traffic jams, missing a plane, a sick child - all of these can make anyone anxious. But many people suffer more long-term and chronic stress such as long term illness and death of a loved one; divorce; loss of a job; increase in financial obligations; getting married; moving into a new home; and many more.

Another cause of crippling anxiety is from trauma experienced in our lives. Trauma may be caused by what has been called by founders of trauma therapy, 'Big T' traumas, such as the type experienced by soldiers on the battlefield; someone who has witnessed a traumatic event such as a murder; or by having a traumatic event happen to you such as a sexual assault. There are also a different type of trauma that is called developmental or complex trauma. These are long term abusive situations that are endured for months or years by the person. This type of trauma can be physical abuse, verbal abuse, sexual abuse, bullying, domestic violence and many others.

There are several other forms of anxiety that can be so severe that your quality of life is impacted. General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is worry or irrational fear that is with you on a daily basis. It can often result in physical symptoms such as trouble concentrating, fatigue and short term memory issues. Panic Disorder is sometimes referred to as panic attacks or anxiety attacks. These are unpredictable events that cause a person to feel like their heart is racing, they have shortness of breath, chest pains, and nausea. Many people with panic disorder will feel as though they are having a heart attack. Social Anxiety is the fear of being judged or publicly humiliated by others, to the point of not wanting to leave home. This person will often avoid all types of social interaction even those that are work related.

These are just a few of the types of anxiety that can change the way you interact in your life. A person's reaction to anxiety can result in isolation, irritability, insomnia, chronic headaches or stomachaches, problems in relationships, substance abuse and suicidal thoughts. The good news is that anxiety is treatable and people who suffer from these issues can live a productive and healthy life. If you are having these types of feelings or thoughts, don't suffer alone. There is help out there, and hope for you to reclaim your sense of well-being.