Causes of anxiety

We might feel anxious at different times in our lives. Or because of certain experiences.

Everyone's experience of anxiety is different. There's usually more than one cause. Lots of factors are involved.

The feelings of isolation and anxiety were at their highest in my second year at university. My placement responsibilities ramped up, and I was on my own in the classroom instead of with another student. 

Past or childhood experiences

Experiencing very stressful or traumatic things can make us feel anxious. Particularly if we didn't have very good support to get through them.

Having these experiences as a child can have a big impact. But going through these things at any age can lead to anxiety. These experiences can include:

• Physical or emotional abuse, including neglect
• Being bullied or being socially excluded
• Experiencing racism

The way that you were raised by a parent, carer or guardian might also contribute to anxiety. Particularly if they were very overprotective. Or very harsh.

Looking back I realise I had been suffering from anxiety since I was 9, when I lost my younger cousin to leukaemia. Counselling wasn’t on offer then so I didn’t get help processing the loss. It left me feeling scared and confused.

Your current life situation

Current problems in your life can also make you feel anxious. They might make you worried about how you'll be able to cope in the future. Or how you'll get through things right now.

For example:

• Exhaustion or a build-up of stress
• Lots of change or uncertainty
• Feeling under pressure while studying or in work
• Being out of work
• Money problems
• Housing problems and homelessness
• Things happening in the world – like war or climate change
• Bereavement
• Feeling lonely or isolated
• Being abused, bullied or harassed – including racism

Experiencing menopause can also make you feel anxious. There's more information on our page on how can menopause affect mental health?

Family inheritance

Research shows that you're more likely to have anxiety if someone in your family has anxiety. This can be for lots of reasons. It might be because you learnt to be more anxious or worried from the person that raised you.

There's also research that shows some genes might be connected to feeling anxious. But there isn't just one gene related to anxiety. And the environment you live in will impact how your genes work and respond.

You can also have anxiety even if no one else in your family does.

Disability, physical or mental health problems

Other health problems can sometimes cause anxiety. Or can make anxiety worse. For example:

• Physical health problems and disability. Having a disability or health problem can make you feel anxious. For example, you might feel worried about your health. Or anxious about doing certain activities, particularly if you experience discrimination.
• Other mental health problems. Anxiety can be part of other mental health problems, like post-traumatic stress disorder. You might have anxiety and another mental health problem at the same time. Our page on types of anxiety disorders has more information.

Those of us who are autistic or have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more likely to experience mental health problems, like anxiety.

For more information, see our pages on autism and mental health and ADHD and mental health. These pages also list some places to find support.

Drugs and medication

Anxiety can sometimes be a side effect of taking:

• Some psychiatric medications
• Some medications for physical health problems
• Recreational drugs and alcohol

You might also experience anxiety when you stop some medications. This is called withdrawal.

If you're worried about how a medication is making you feel, you can talk to your GP.

You can also report side effects on the Yellow Card website.

Talk to Frank has information on how certain recreational drugs can impact your mood.  And our pages on drugs, alcohol and addiction explain where you can find support.

I got into alcohol and drugs to numb my trauma. I developed an addiction that led to an anxiety and depressive disorder.

Can diet cause anxiety?

Some of us find that certain foods and drinks make our anxiety feel worse. Like caffeine. But they normally don't cause anxiety on their own.

Our food and mental health page has more information.