The origin of anxiety: a look at its psychological causes - psychology anxiety

"Why do I feel this way?" is the question many people with anxiety ask themselves. The answer, from a psychological perspective, is complex and multifactorial. Anxiety doesn't have a single cause; rather, it arises from an interaction between our biology, our thoughts, and our experiences.

1. Cognitive Factors: Thinking Patterns

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), one of the most effective approaches, postulates that it's not the situations that cause us anxiety, but rather our interpretations of them. People with anxiety tend to engage in "cognitive distortions":

• Catastrophizing: "If I fail this test, I'll ruin my future."
• Mental filtering: Focusing only on the negative and ignoring the positive.
• All-or-nothing thinking: "If I don't do perfectly, I'm a failure."

These thought patterns fuel worry and fear.

2. Behavioral Factors: The Avoidance Cycle

When something makes us anxious, our instinct is to avoid it. If public speaking makes you anxious, you're likely to avoid presentations. In the short term, this brings immediate relief ("Whew, I was saved!"). However, in the long term, this behavior is devastating. It teaches your brain two things:

• That the situation was, in fact, dangerous.
• That you don't have the skills to cope with it.

Thus, avoidance reinforces and increases anxiety over time, creating a vicious cycle.

3. Biological and Genetic Factors

There is a genetic predisposition. If you have family members with anxiety disorders, you are more likely to develop it. This has to do with brain chemistry (neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA) and the reactivity of the amygdala, the fear center of the brain.

4. Life and Learning Experiences

Having experienced stressful or traumatic events, especially in childhood, can permanently sensitize our alarm system. We also learn through observation; Growing up with anxious parents can teach us, implicitly, to see the world as a dangerous place. Understanding these roots isn't meant to blame, but rather to empower. It allows us to identify where we can intervene to begin dismantling the mechanism of anxiety.