Causes of anxiety

[Robyn]

Something that is never checked out by our GPs when we suffer from anxiety (well mine didnt!) was potential physiological causes, there are several that cause anxiety, hypoglycemia, thyroid problems, food intolerances to name but a few. Who goes to the doctor with panic attacks and anxiety and has a medical check up to rule these things out? I was given a prescription for meds and when I went back was sent for CBT

I say this because my cousin battled a lifetime with panic and anxiety and it has only just been discovered that she had a thyroid problem and since medication has been established, her anxiety has vanished!

I work with children with emotional and behavioural problems - many children who are agitated and unable to sit still and get labelled ADHD. No one ever in the assessment process looks at the kids diet, whereby their interpretation of a vegetable is a tin of mushy peas! and they have a daily diet of burgers, chicken nuggets, chips and sweets. Careful controlled studies have gone on recently with supplements, ruling out additives and processed foods and increasing protein in their diet via fish, nuts, chicken or eggs, more green leafy vegetables and fruit with omega 3 supplements and all improved, some cases of ADHD had been erradicated. I just think the brain is an organ like any other and is certainly affected by what we are putting into our bodies just as sure as our heart or stomach is!

Its a crying shame that many of us spend years and years battling debilitating anxiety when there is actually a physical cause, if not a physical condition then our diet or a food intolerance/allergy. We may spend years seeing therapists or taking drugs when it isnt psychological at all!

I too suffer from periodic depression and occasional anxiety, but am currently undergoing tests for blood sugar instability (a common cause of anxiety) and seeing a nutritionist who does food intolerance testing and advises on the best diet and supplements for an individual (which may be different to other peoples') At least then I can find a cause or a contributor or rule it out of the equation .. but it should always be checked out if people suffer from recurring anxiety or depression.

I think anxiety and depression being misdiagnosed as emotional alone is alarmingly common and something we should take into account and at least rule out when looking for causes

[LeeBee]

Thanks for this thread, Robyn. I do agree with you that the brain is affected by environment, general health, diet, fitness etc. I think that it can often make a significant difference to those suffering with anxiety and depression to make changes in their lifestyle and diet. It's something I'm working on myself at the moment, having cut out caffeine, alcohol (mostly), minimizing sugar, salt and processed foods. And generally attempting to improve my diet and exercise. I'd like to get through this without too much recourse to medication. I know medication helps many people, and it has helped me on occasion, but I think medication without any other treatment or therapy just masks the symptoms of anxiety without dealing with the source or helping the body and brain to heal themselves.

I think in my case there is a psychological element to my anxiety and depression, and various events and relationships that have caused emotional upheaval in recent years. In addition, both of my parents are anxious people in their own ways, and through nature or nurture they have passed this on to all of their children to some degree. These are trickier things to deal with, but self-awareness helps, and I'm getting there.

But, I do agree, you cannot separate brain and body. They are both part of the same system.

[BNCfan]

Couldn't agree more Robyn. Once the medical profession decide you are an anxiety/depression sufferer every symptom you present with is treated as one or the other. For example I went to my local A & E last year because I had flashing lights in my right eye, a sensation like a grey net curtain in front of my right eye and when I looked at anything bright was aware of thousands of minute falling dots. At first I thought it was a strange migraine aura - something I hadn't had for years - but it went on for hours and I didn't develop a headache. When I went to A & E I was examined and sent home with a migraine. Fortunately I didn't believe the doctor and took myself to another A & E where the correct diagnosis was made - a badly torn retina. I later discovered that the symptoms I presented with were classic symptoms of a torn or detached retina. How did the doctor miss it?

[Bill]

This is why I find anxiety so fascinating because there can be so many different causes. This also shows why it is so important to "talk" about feelings to determine where they originate from whether psychological or biological.

I think deep down we all know if we are living in fear of something and that actual fear will be an obvious cause to our anxiety. However, it's when after all questions have been asked and no obvious explanation surfaces, that anxiety could be caused by past experiences or our diet, thyroid etc.

What complicates matters further is with what I think they call the placebo effect where because someone is given a pill they immediately feel better because of their faith in the pill, even if it doesn't have any medicinal quality. I'm sure this can also work in reverse where people become afraid to stop pills and if they do, their anxiety shoots up simply because of their fear of coping without the support a pill provides. However, of course actual medicinal ad's can help to ease symptoms.

I think every sufferer is different. Every book has a new story to tell. Once you start reading it's pages, just like books, our lives are created by so many chapters and turning back the pages can be fascinating until you find the seed that created the troubled present day plant!

What was it Sherlock Holmes said? "When all probabilities have been explored and you're left with the improbable then the improbable must be probable".............or something like that! I'm sure someone will know! In other words, no stone should be left unturned until the actual cause is found because onl then can the right treatment be prescribed. It can be long and complicated though so patience is always required.