Anxiety in most people is considered to be a normal state of emotion, but there are times when being anxious can turn our lives into a nightmare. This occurs when normal anxiety becomes an anxiety disorder. Here, there are a number of things that can trigger off such a reaction although the causes of anxiety are as of yet, not fully understood or defined.

Some speculated that the underlying factor which causes anxiety attacks may be due to the inherent genetic strings in the body and is unavoidable in this case. Still others went on to hypothesized the learning ability of the human mind making this trait a learned behavior thus causing a subconscious tendency to have constant bouts of anxiety resulting in what we know as anxiety disorder.

Chances of a person having anxiety disorders or anxiety attacks is greatest when his or her mental condition is weak. The effects of prescription drugs as well the misuse of it may also be a leading factor in one suffering from the constant attacks from anxiety. However, it must be clarified that the above causes may not have contributed to the surge singularly but a combinations of it may have been the primary reasons for it.

Other reasons can include coffee and caffeine based beverages, amphetamines like speed, an overactive thyroid muscle, abnormal heart rhythms and other types of heart problems. An example of such a heart problem is mitral valve prolepses.

Apart from these causes of anxiety you may experience anxiety because of medication that you might be taking. These medications may be prescription drugs to treat other illnesses or they may even be illegal drugs like cocaine. Another consideration to take into account is that the side effects from certain drugs may also be part of the causes of anxiety as well.Workplace induced stress, school problems, relationship stress such as marriage, or trauma such as death of loved ones, stress from illness, financial difficulty are further contributing factors in causing anxiety attacks.

Some of the resulting effects of anxiety are palpitations, giddiness, and breathing difficulty, as a result of certain mental conditions as well as weak physical conditions giving rise to anxiety disorders. Still others may feel heavy pounding of heart, weakness physically, numb hands, chest pains, smothering sensations and a sense of unreality which will lead to one believing in him or her having heart attacks or stroke or even having the feeling that one is dying.

Anxiety attacks can and will occur at irregular intervals for the sufferer which can last from anywhere between a few minutes to an hour. Some very rare cases had seen sufferer having bouts of anxiety attacks for as long as a few hours.

As we may never really know the exact reasons why anxiety develops the exact causes of anxiety are still a mystery. Hopefully one day we will understand this complaint and be able to treat it before it becomes a serious problem.