Both can occur in anyone living with anxiety, and in some cases a combination of both may be responsible for anxiety symptoms. It's often impossible to distinguish between poor neurotransmitter balance as a result of life experience, or poor neurotransmitter balance as a result of genetics. When it comes to neurotransmitter production, the truth is that cause and effect are rarely known. If your brain doesn't have enough serotonin, for example, it may cause you to experience anxiety symptoms. Interestingly, too much or too little of any hormone may also effect anxiety in different ways. Many neurotransmitters have been linked to anxiety, including:Įven dopamine may play a role in anxiety, or at least have a calming effect on those already living with anxiety symptoms. Your brain responds directly to neurotransmitters – little chemicals inside your body that send messages to your brain about how you should feel, think, act, and more. What's amazing about the brain, however, is that even if your anxiety is in your DNA, you can still control it with the right anxiety treatments. But in some cases, you may have been born with trouble creating some of the neurotransmitters that control mood, indicating that you were predisposed for developing anxiety. Don't Sweat the BiologyĪnxiety may be forged by years of experiences. In this article, we'll examine the complex relationship between anxiety and the brain.
Anxiety can cause physical symptoms even when you don't feel anxious, genuinely change the way you respond to life events, and reinforce itself based on the behaviors that you change as a result of your anxiety. Not only does anxiety manifest itself in thoughts – it also affects your brain chemistry in a way that can alter future thoughts and affect the way your entire body operates.Īnxiety may be a troubling disorder, but it is also a fascinating one.
It should come as little surprise that your brain is the source of your anxiety.