Causes of Anxiety in Men Anxiety can be caused by a number of things, including work stress, family dynamics, traumatic events, and more. It also can stem from ongoing medical conditions like diabetes, heart disease, or even a natural decline in hormone levels.
Stressful or traumatic experiences
Significant or stressful events in your life, either now or in the past, can trigger anxiety. These might include excessive stress at work, financial worries, experiencing a bereavement or going through a relationship break-up.
World events beyond our control are also common causes of anxiety in everyday life. In addition, you may go through less frequent life experiences that seriously boost your anxiety levels. Potential examples of these experiences include major health issues and the death of a loved one.
Overall, anxiety traits are correlated with neuroticism and introversion but have a greater association with neuroticism. People with high neuroticism and introversion scores are more likely to feel anxious.
Anxiety disorders are the most common of mental disorders. They affect nearly 30% of adults at some point in their lives. However, anxiety disorders are treatable with a number of psychotherapeutic treatments.
Studies suggest that people with low testosterone (low T) may experience depression, anxiety, and fatigue, which can negatively impact their quality of life. Testosterone may promote higher levels of serotonin, which has a role in boosting mood and decreasing depression.
Benzodiazepines that are used to treat anxiety include alprazolam (sold under the brand name Xanax®), diazepam (Valium®), clonazepam (Klonopin®) and lorazepam (Ativan®). with a panic disorder, for example, often use benzodiazepines to provide relief from their symptoms in situations that may cause them to panic.
Hormone imbalances don't just affect your physical body – they can also have a strong impact on your mental health and happiness as well. Men dealing with hormonal imbalances may experience increased irritability, mood swings, decreased motivation, depression, and/or anxiety.
According to one report, the male stress response can be characterized as “fight-or-flight.” When men are faced with a stressful situation, their bodies release hormones that prompt them to either stay and confront the problem, or to run away and avoid it.
Society's expectations and traditional gender roles play a role in why men are less likely to discuss or seek help for their mental health problems. We know that gender stereotypes about women – the idea they should behave or look a certain way, for example – can be damaging to them.
Anxiety happens when a part of the brain, the amygdala, senses trouble. When it senses threat, real or imagined, it surges the body with hormones (including cortisol, the stress hormone) and adrenaline to make the body strong, fast and powerful.
But researchers don't know exactly what causes anxiety disorders. They suspect a combination of factors plays a role: Chemical imbalance: Severe or long-lasting stress can change the chemical balance that controls your mood. Experiencing a lot of stress over a long period can lead to an anxiety disorder.
Though anxiety doesn't have a cure, there are many good options for treatment that can get your symptoms under control. Anxiety is most often treated with medications, therapy, or both. But natural remedies and lifestyle choices can be helpful for some people, too.
No, overthinking isn't a recognized mental health condition, but it can be a symptom of depression or anxiety. Overthinking is commonly associated with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), says Duke. GAD is characterized by the tendency to worry excessively about several things.
Recognize the Signs
Extreme feelings of fear or anxiety that are out of proportion to the actual threat. Irrational fear or worry about different objects or situations. Avoiding the source of your fear or only enduring it with great anxiety. Withdrawing from social situations or isolating yourself from friends and ...
INFP and INFJ: The Overthinkers
When it comes to these types, their anxiety can stem from an inclination to overthinking. Psychology Today defines overthinking as “an excessive tendency to monitor, evaluate, and attempt to control all types of thought,” something this INFJ knows all too well.
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in mental health. They can treat anxiety with a variety of treatment modalities, including numerous types of medication and psychotherapy. Choosing the best treatment for the patient will depend on their specific needs.