Mood
Mood variation is normal. Sustained mood episodes are not - see a doctor.
D
o you feel anxious and on edge? Do you shy away from meeting new people? Are these feelings of avoidance causing you to hide from the world? You're not alone. Over 40 million Americans report feelings of anxiety; that's over 18% of the adult population.
The immediate aftermath of an anxiety attack is suffocating, but even more disturbing are the long-term risks that anxiety attacks pose to your health, as revealed in a 2015 study in the British Journal of Psychiatry.1 According to the study, anxiety disorders can cause damage to your DNA strands, which accelerates the aging process and weakens your immune system. Researchers conclude that the extent of DNA damage caused by anxiety disorders can accelerate aging and potentially shorten lifespan by up to 8 years.
We have all heard of stress giving you gray hair. Now science has proven this to be the literal truth. But what causes anxiety in the first place, and what can we do to stop it? Recent studies have reached some surprising conclusions.
Previously, there had been a great debate over nature vs. nurture. Is it the bills piling up and the overbearing boss, or are you just a naturally "high-strung" person? Everyone is born with a natural hard-wired response to stress and anxiety. But like any other mechanism, it has its flaws. If one moving part goes wrong, the entire system can spin out of control.
In prehistoric times, we needed this heightened level of awareness and caution with danger lurking around every corner. But in modern times, this same survival mechanism that is meant to protect you can make you feel nervous and anxious for no reason. How many times have you said to yourself, "There is nothing to be nervous about," but the anxiety is still there and you can't help feeling this way?
New England researchers agree that it is not your fault. These researchers have pinpointed the cause of anxiety as a shortage of GABA and serotonin compounds in your body. GABA and serotonin are your body's natural anxiety and stress relievers.
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