7 Common Things That Can Cause Anxiety & Depression

Sep 07, 2018

If you are someone who suffers from anxiety and depression, you know that one of the most difficult things is not knowing the cause. People ask why you are anxious or depressed, and you can’t seem to find the answer. You start to think maybe it's your fault. But it's not!

Anxiety and depression are mental illnesses that affect people in similar ways to physical illnesses. It affects your everyday life. Mental illnesses like anxiety and depression can have a variety of causes just like physical illnesses. This includes genetics, life circumstances, loss of a loved one, and much more.

Here are 7 common causes that could be affecting you.

Drugs and alcohol can change the way your brain works, especially if they are overused. The earlier the abusive habit is formed, the more it affects the brain. People who are susceptible to anxiety and depression are more likely to develop a mental illness if they abuse drugs long-term alcohol.

Stress can have severe effects on someone’s mental health. If you have long-term and consistent stress in your life, you are more susceptible to developing anxiety and depression. Stress and working too much can also cause a lack of sleep which can be detrimental to your mental health.

If you witness or are the victim of a violent crime, you can develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD. This chemical response in your brain can also develop into long-term anxiety and depression. In addition, grief can cause anxiety and depression. When you lose someone close to you, it is normal to have a grieving process. It is even healthy.

However, some people have severe grief that can last an extended amount of time. This amount of sadness for so long can trigger anxiety and depression.

If you are diagnosed with an untreatable illness, this can cause a feeling of hopelessness which can in turn cause anxiety and depression. Life altering illnesses such as cancer, an autoimmune disease, and especially age related illnesses are also common causes of anxiety and depression. People feel hopeless and scared.

These prolonged feelings affect the way our brain works and leads to long term mental illnesses.

23,000 suicides were recorded in 1929 when Wall Street crashed. At the time, this was the highest number in a single year. People are affected by major life changes. Stressful and sudden life changes, such as the loss of a lot of money, can very negatively affect a person. These negative and stressful changes can trigger anxiety and depression.

While women are more likely to suffer from low self-esteem, it does affect both genders. Low or poor self-esteem causes very obsessive and negative thoughts on a daily basis. It causes stress not only in appearance but also financially. These continuous and regular negative thoughts can cause long term anxiety and depression.

No one likes to feel isolated or rejected. When you feel like you don’t fit in anywhere, you can become isolated. You feel alone. Whether you isolation is your choice or you were forced into it, it can cause very negative long-term effects.

This is the same with rejection. If you feel rejected by someone, especially someone close to you, you feel hurt and alone. Humans naturally long for acceptance, love, support, and the feeling of being wanted. If you don’t feel like you have that, you can develope anxiety and depression.

Do any of these causes sound familiar to you? Are they things you think may factor into your anxiety and depression? Let us know your thoughts.

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation with your doctor. Your health is important to us!