13 Things That Can Cause Anxiety—And What You Can Do About Them

Knowing what can start or worsen your anxiety can be extraordinarily helpful in managing it.了解什么会引发或加重您的焦虑，这对管理它非常有帮助。

Nervousness, panic, fear, sweating, rapid heartbeat: all can be symptoms of anxiety. And in times of true danger, anxiety and its symptoms are totally normal and healthy. But sometimes those feelings go into overdrive at the wrong time, and anxiety winds up interfering with daily life.紧张、恐慌、恐惧、出汗、心跳加快：所有这些都可能是焦虑的症状。 在真正危险的时候，焦虑及其症状是完全正常和健康的。 但有时这些感觉会在错误的时间变得过度，焦虑最终会干扰日常生活。

"If an inpidual gets to the point where healthy worries and being careful crosses a line into what would be considered a disorder, then that person's ability to function in daily life…is impaired," Una McCann, MD, professor of psychiatry and director of the Anxiety Disorders Program at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, tells Health. "It can really detrimentally affect someone's life."“如果一个人的健康担忧和谨慎越界，就会被认为是一种疾病，那么这个人在日常生活中的运作能力……就会受到损害，”医学博士、精神病学教授兼主任 约翰霍普金斯医学院的焦虑症项目告诉健康。 “它真的会对某人的生活产生不利影响。”

Eventually, anxiety may escalate to the point that a person is unable to do their job, perform household duties, or care for themselves or loved ones as they normally would, Dr. McCann explains. Knowing what may be causing or worsening the anxiety may help to prevent it from getting to this level.McCann 博士解释说，最终，焦虑可能会升级到一个人无法正常工作、履行家务或照顾自己或亲人的程度。 了解可能导致或加剧焦虑的原因可能有助于防止其达到这种程度。

The triggers of anxiety are different for everyone, but here are some of the more common ones.每个人的焦虑触发因素都不同，但这里有一些更常见的触发因素。

Thinking there’s something physically wrong with you认为你身体有问题

Is this pain in my chest a sign that I'm having a heart attack? Does my skin rash mean I have cancer? Anxiety can often stem from worry that there is something wrong with your body. Everyone has concerns about their health from time to time, but depending on someone's history and personality, Dr. McCann says that physical symptoms can trigger a full-on anxiety disorder if the worrying interferes with daily functioning.我胸口的这种疼痛是我心脏病发作的迹象吗？ 我的皮疹是否意味着我患有癌症？ 焦虑通常源于担心你的身体有问题。 每个人都会时不时地担心自己的健康，但根据某人的病史和个性，麦肯博士说，如果担心干扰了日常功能，身体症状可能会引发全面的焦虑症。

The physical symptoms that first made you start feeling anxious about your health can also be very similar to some of the symptoms of anxiety itself—increased heart rate, hyperventilation, sweating, feeling weak—which can lead to a cycle of anxiety.最初让您开始对自己的健康感到焦虑的身体症状也可能与焦虑本身的一些症状非常相似——心率加快、换气过度、出汗、感觉虚弱——这会导致焦虑循环。

Worries about your loved ones担心你所爱的人

For some, anxiety does not come from worry about themselves, but rather what can happen to their loved ones. Dr. McCann says that people might fret not only about something happening to their children, close family members, or friends, but also about how they can possibly cope if something bad actually does happen.对一些人来说，焦虑不是来自对自己的担忧，而是来自他们所爱的人可能发生的事情。 McCann 博士说，人们可能不仅会担心他们的孩子、亲密的家人或朋友发生了什么事，还会担心如果真的发生了不好的事情，他们可能如何应对。

According to the Mayo Clinic, caregivers are more likely to experience symptoms of anxiety. Caregiving in the U.S. 2020, a research report from AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving, shows that 61% of the estimated 53 million caregivers in the US are women. And studies have shown that, among caregivers, women report higher levels of anxiety than men.根据梅奥诊所的说法，护理人员更有可能出现焦虑症状。 美国退休人员协会 (AARP) 和全国护理联盟 (National Alliance for Caregiving) 的一份研究报告《2020 年美国护理》显示，美国估计有 5300 万护理人员，其中 61% 是女性。 研究表明，在护理人员中，女性报告的焦虑程度高于男性。

How much money you have (or don't have)你有多少钱（或没有）

One reason why finances might trigger anxiety is because, in our minds, money is linked to survival. "Money is really a resource that can provide people with a sense of safety and security," Chloe Carmichael, PhD, a psychologist in New York City previously told Health. "When we feel that resource is scarce, it can actually make people feel like their survival is in jeopardy on a very primal level."财务可能引发焦虑的一个原因是，在我们看来，金钱与生存有关。 “金钱确实是一种资源，可以为人们提供安全感，”纽约市的心理学家克洛伊卡迈克尔博士此前告诉《健康》杂志。 “当我们觉得资源稀缺时，它实际上会让人们觉得他们的生存在一个非常原始的层面上处于危险之中。”

Some of the common financial stressors have to do with concerns about savings, job security, salary, lack of financial savvy, debt, identity theft, and wealth comparison.一些常见的财务压力因素与对储蓄、工作保障、薪水、财务知识缺乏、债务、身份盗窃和财富比较的担忧有关。

Not getting enough sleep睡眠不足

According to the CDC, adults should get at least 7 hours of a good quality sleep per day. Not getting enough of that recommended sleep time is another factor that can worsen anxiety. Over the years, Dr. McCann has done studies on the link between sleep deprivation and anxiety. Through this work, she has found that regardless of whether or not someone has an anxiety disorder, anxiety levels go up following a night of sleep deprivation.根据疾病预防控制中心的说法，成年人每天应至少获得 7 小时的优质睡眠。 没有获得足够的推荐睡眠时间是另一个可能加剧焦虑的因素。 多年来，麦肯博士一直在研究睡眠不足和焦虑之间的联系。 通过这项工作，她发现无论某人是否患有焦虑症，一夜睡眠剥夺后焦虑水平都会上升。

This link can be a vicious cycle: while sleep deprivation can cause anxiety, anxiety can cause sleeping problems, as the Anxiety and Depression Association of America points out.这种联系可能是一个恶性循环：正如美国焦虑和抑郁协会指出的那样，虽然睡眠不足会导致焦虑，但焦虑会导致睡眠问题。

Dr. McCann also notes that when people are sleep-deprived, they become much more sensitive to the effects of anxiety-inducing substances, such as caffeine and other stimulants.McCann 博士还指出，当人们睡眠不足时，他们对引起焦虑的物质（如咖啡因和其他兴奋剂）的影响变得更加敏感。

Stimulants—including coffee兴奋剂——包括咖啡

Yes, coffee can make anxiety worse. Susan Bowling, PsyD, a psychologist at the Women's Health Center at the Wooster Branch of Cleveland Clinic, previously told Health that some studies show that consuming more than 200 milligrams of caffeine (about the amount in just two cups of coffee) can increase the likelihood of anxiety and panic attacks in people sensitive to it.是的，咖啡会使焦虑加剧。 克利夫兰诊所伍斯特分部妇女健康中心的心理学家 Susan Bowling 此前告诉《健康》杂志，一些研究表明，摄入超过 200 毫克的咖啡因（大约是两杯咖啡的量）会增加患病的可能性 对它敏感的人的焦虑和恐慌发作。

"The natural effects of caffeine stimulate a host of sensations, such as your heart beating faster, your body heating up, your breathing rate increasing—all things that mimic anxiety," Bowling told Health. "Psychologically, it's difficult for your mind to recognize that this is not anxiety because it feels the same."“咖啡因的自然作用会刺激许多感觉，比如你的心跳加快、身体升温、呼吸频率加快——所有这些都模仿焦虑，”鲍林告诉《健康》杂志。 “从心理上来说，你的大脑很难意识到这不是焦虑，因为感觉是一样的。”

Other stimulants can trigger anxiety too. While some with anxiety might use marijuana as a way to relax, Dr. McCann says that marijuana actually has stimulating compounds that can worsen anxiety. "Unfortunately, many people attempt to self-medicate when they become anxious, and that can really backfire," Dr. McCann tells Health.其他兴奋剂也会引发焦虑。 虽然有些焦虑症患者可能会使用大麻作为放松的一种方式，但麦肯博士说，大麻实际上含有会加剧焦虑的刺激性化合物。 “不幸的是，许多人在焦虑时试图自我治疗，这真的会适得其反，”麦肯博士告诉 Health。

She reminds her patients who attempt to self-medicate this: just because something says it's herbal and natural—like marijuana—doesn't mean it's safe. And when you're buying food, such as herbs, online or in the store, and the label says it can be relaxing, she says to be "very, very careful. Don't do it unless you have really expert guidance."她提醒那些试图自我治疗的患者：仅仅因为有些东西说它是草药和天然的——比如大麻——并不意味着它是安全的。 当你在网上或在商店购买草药等食物时，如果标签上写着可以放松，她说要“非常、非常小心。除非你有真正的专家指导，否则不要这样做。”

Taking certain medications服用某些药物

Some medications themselves are stimulants and so can trigger anxiety in certain patients; these include amphetamines and methylphenidate, both of which are used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy. Dr. McCann also says that some antidepressants, such as bupropion and venlafaxine, and some anti-asthma medications can be stimulating for some people.一些药物本身是兴奋剂，因此会引发某些患者的焦虑； 这些包括安非他明和哌醋甲酯，这两种药物都用于治疗注意力缺陷多动障碍和发作性睡病。 McCann 博士还说，一些抗抑郁药，如安非他酮和文拉法辛，以及一些抗哮喘药物可能对某些人有刺激作用。

Having a diet that’s not too healthy饮食不太健康

It's no secret that if you haven't been eating well you might not physically feel your best. But a poor diet can impact your mental health as well. According to Lily Brown, PhD, director of the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the University of Pennsylvania, a poor diet and the way it makes you feel can make you more sensitive to the impact of anxiety.众所周知，如果你吃得不好，你的身体可能不会感觉最好。 但不良的饮食习惯也会影响您的心理健康。 宾夕法尼亚大学焦虑症治疗与研究中心主任 Lily Brown 博士表示，不良的饮食习惯及其让你感觉的方式会让你对焦虑的影响更加敏感。

Recent research shows that eating a lot of processed carbohydrates can increase the risk of anxiety. The researchers think this might be because of the repeated and rapid changes in blood glucose levels. Recurrent low blood sugar is also associated with mood disorders.最近的研究表明，食用大量加工过的碳水化合物会增加焦虑的风险。 研究人员认为这可能是由于血糖水平的反复和快速变化。 反复出现的低血糖也与情绪障碍有关。

Feeling that everything needs to be done just so感觉一切都需要这样去做

Perfectionism can be a major driver of anxiety. And for many, it's an unexpected trigger from an underlying perfectionism trait—they might not even have seen themselves as perfectionistic.完美主义可能是焦虑的主要驱动因素。 对于许多人来说，这是潜在的完美主义特征的意外触发——他们甚至可能不认为自己是完美主义者。

Brown tells Health that you might be able to anticipate such a trigger if you see yourself saying things like, "I can start on that task when all of these things come together. That will make it easier for me to do it; I can start on that task and have the time to really pe into it the right way—or the resources to pe into it the right way."布朗告诉健康，如果你看到自己说这样的话，你可能能够预料到这样的触发因素，“当所有这些事情汇集在一起​​时，我可以开始这项任务。这会让我更容易做；我可以开始 并有时间真正以正确的方式深入研究它——或者以正确的方式深入研究它的资源。”

How an argument can affect a relationship争论如何影响关系

ome people will do anything to avoid confrontation. But sometimes, arguments or disagreements within your different relationships are inevitable. On top of causing feelings of sadness or depression, conflict within your social network can cause anxiety, Brown says.有些人会不惜一切代价避免对抗。 但有时，不同关系中的争论或分歧是不可避免的。 布朗说，除了造成悲伤或抑郁的感觉之外，社交网络中的冲突还会导致焦虑。

In particular, she says, social conflict can lead people to worry about what the future consequences will be from conflict in close relationships.她说，特别是社会冲突会导致人们担心亲密关系中的冲突会在未来产生什么后果。

Information overload信息超载

Your social media diet can also be a trigger for anxiety. Using four or more social media platforms, being on social media for an hour or more per day, visiting social media sites 30 or more times per week, feeling an intense emotional connection to social media, and/or feeling as though you are addicted to using social media are all associated with an increased risk of anxiety, according to another recent study.您的社交媒体饮食也可能引发焦虑。 使用四个或更多社交媒体平台，每天使用社交媒体一小时或更长时间，每周访问社交媒体网站 30 次或更多，对社交媒体有强烈的情感联系，和/或感觉好像你沉迷于社交媒体 根据最近的另一项研究，使用社交媒体都与焦虑风险增加有关。

You don't have to go cold turkey. "You just want to limit the time you engage with it so that you're not constantly checking in to see what the latest most outrageous news is or the latest social media battle is about," Brown says. "Some amount of engaging with that material is fine, but for many people it can be a tremendously triggering experience to look at social media or to read the news." If that's the case, Brown says, "You need to be really thoughtful of whether it would make sense for you to limit your exposure."你不必去获取冷火鸡。 “你只是想限制你参与的时间，这样你就不会经常查看最新最离谱的新闻是什么，或者最新的社交媒体大战是关于什么的，”布朗说。 “对这些材料进行一定程度的参与是好的，但对许多人来说，查看社交媒体或阅读新闻可能是一种非常激动人心的体验。” 如果是这种情况，布朗说，“你需要认真考虑限制暴露对你来说是否有意义。”

And if you find yourself feeling so anxious that you avoid social media altogether, Brown says that spending time on social media might actually be helpful for you, so you can practice learning about your ability to tolerate anxiety: "It's all about finding that perfect balance."如果你发现自己太焦虑以至于完全避免使用社交媒体，布朗说，花时间在社交媒体上实际上可能对你有帮助，所以你可以练习学习你忍受焦虑的能力：“这一切都是为了找到完美的平衡 .”

Fear of being separated from a loved one害怕与亲人分离

Separation from a caregiver is a common trigger of anxiety for children and adolescents, but it can be an anxiety trigger for adults as well. "They often worry that some sort of harm or something untoward will happen to their attachment figures while they are separated," according to the National Institute of Mental Health. "This fear leads them to avoid being separated from their attachment figures and to avoid being alone."与照顾者分离是儿童和青少年焦虑的常见诱因，但它也可能是成年人的焦虑诱因。 “他们经常担心，当他们分开时，他们的依恋对象会发生某种伤害或不愉快的事情，”根据美国国家心理健康研究所的说法。 “这种恐惧使他们避免与依恋对象分离，避免独处。”

People whose anxiety is triggered by the thought of being separated from someone may have nightmares about the separation or experience physical symptoms when the separation occurs or is anticipated.因想到与某人分离而引发焦虑的人可能会做关于分离的噩梦，或者在分离发生或预期分离时会出现身体症状。

Concerns over large-scale disasters对大规模灾害的担忧

Extreme weather events are happening more frequently, and scientists are increasingly linking them to climate change. This can be a two-fold stressor: the natural disasters themselves and the climate change that causes them.极端天气事件发生得越来越频繁，科学家们越来越多地将它们与气候变化联系起来。 这可能是双重压力源：自然灾害本身和导致它们的气候变化。

"We're going to continue to see climate catastrophes and tipping points," Thomas Doherty, PsyD, an Oregon-based psychologist, previously told Health. "People have become more used to them, but these really super destructive [events] cause a lot of stress and anxiety."“我们将继续看到气候灾难和临界点，”俄勒冈州心理学家托马斯·多尔蒂 (Thomas Doherty) 此前告诉《健康》杂志。 “人们已经越来越习惯它们，但这些真正具有破坏性的 [事件] 会造成很大的压力和焦虑。”

The environmental changes that may lead to many of these events can be an anxiety trigger itself, as well. It is known as eco-anxiety, a relatively new term. "This used to be a special interest issue; now it's much more common because of climate-related events," Doherty said. "This is not something far away anymore."可能导致许多这些事件的环境变化本身也可能是焦虑的诱因。 它被称为生态焦虑，一个相对较新的术语。 “这曾经是一个特殊的利益问题；现在由于与气候相关的事件，它变得更加普遍，”多尔蒂说。 “这已经不是遥远的事情了。”

The COVID-19 pandemic has also led to the coining of a new term: coronaphobia. During the pandemic, researchers have seen that COVID-19-related worries have led to greater levels of anxiety. This anxiety can stem from being uncertain about what's to come next in the pandemic, adopting new practices and avoidance behavior, and hearing about world leaders and famous celebrities who have contracted the virus.COVID-19 大流行还导致了一个新术语的出现：冠状病毒恐惧症。 在大流行期间，研究人员发现与 COVID-19 相关的担忧导致了更大程度的焦虑。 这种焦虑可能源于对大流行接下来会发生什么的不确定、采取新的做法和回避行为，以及听说世界领导人和名人感染了病毒。

Not having control over a situation无法控制局面

Because of the pandemic, this anxiety trigger is one that a lot of people have especially experienced within the past year. Many people have loved ones who have an increased risk of contracting COVID-19 or of dying if they do contract it, yet they can't see these at-risk loved ones because of the virus.由于大流行，这种焦虑触发是很多人在过去一年中特别经历过的。 许多人的亲人感染 COVID-19 或感染 COVID-19 的风险会增加，但由于病毒，他们无法见到这些处于危险中的亲人。

"The loss of control associated with COVID makes [the concerns about a loved one's health] even more difficult to deal with," Dr. McCann tells Health. "When we have a sense of control and can see things and interact with things, it's calming in a way. But the absolute inability to see or reach out to or help people who you love and care for from afar can be very anxiety provoking."“与 COVID 相关的失控使 [对亲人健康的担忧] 更加难以处理，”麦肯博士告诉 Health。 “当我们有控制感并且可以看到事物并与事物互动时，它在某种程度上是平静的。但是绝对无法看到或接触或帮助远方您所爱和关心的人可能会非常令人焦虑。 ”

Figuring out what your triggers are弄清楚你的触发点是什么

Being able to predict what can start or worsen your anxiety can be extraordinarily helpful in managing anxiety. But identifying that trigger—or, triggers, if you have multiple ones—can be hard.能够预测什么会引发或加剧您的焦虑对于控制焦虑非常有帮助。 但是识别那个触发点——或者，触发点，如果​​你有多个触发点——可能很困难。

One way to figure out what your anxiety triggers are is to keep a thought journal. Brown will sometimes have her patients name three times in the past week they felt high-intensity emotion. For each of those situations, she'll have them write down what was going through their mind, what was going on in their body, what they were tempted to do, where they were when it happened, and what was going on. By reflecting on times when your anxiety has gone through the roof, you may start to see certain patterns emerge that suggest what may be triggering you, Brown explains.找出你的焦虑触发因素的一种方法是记录思想日记。 在过去的一周里，布朗有时会让她的病人说出三遍他们感受到的高强度情绪。 对于这些情况中的每一种，她都会让他们写下他们的想法，他们的身体发生了什么，他们想要做什么，发生时他们在哪里，以及正在发生的事情。 布朗解释说，通过反思你的焦虑已经达到顶峰的时候，你可能会开始看到某些模式出现，表明可能触发你的原因。

Preparing for and managing your trigger准备和管理您的触发点

Try to take care of your important self-care activities before any chaos happens, Brown says. "The idea here is, for all of us, at some point, something chaotic is going to happen. And so an important goal is to think about how can you prepare for the eventual chaos by taking care of yourself now so that when the chaos does happen, you feel more resilient at the base of it."布朗说，在任何混乱发生之前，尽量做好重要的自我保健活动。 “这里的想法是，对我们所有人来说，在某个时候，混乱的事情会发生。因此，一个重要的目标是思考如何通过现在照顾好自己来为最终的混乱做好准备，以便当混乱发生时 确实发生了，你在它的基础上感觉更有弹性。”

When something has triggered your anxiety and you're experiencing high emotions because of it, self-care activities alone are unlikely enough to reduce your anxiety, Brown explains. Once that anxiousness kicks in, that's when coping mechanisms like distraction and mindfulness practice come into play, she says. Opening up to others about what you are experiencing can also validate your emotions and help get you through the anxiety that the trigger has initiated.布朗解释说，当某事引发了您的焦虑并且您因此而情绪高涨时，仅靠自我保健活动不太可能足以减轻您的焦虑。 她说，一旦出现这种焦虑，分心和正念练习等应对机制就会发挥作用。 向他人敞开心扉谈论你正在经历的事情也可以验证你的情绪，并帮助你度过触发因素引发的焦虑。

Identifying and dealing with these triggers sooner rather than later could be helpful in managing the anxiety. But if your anxiety is to a point where you feel it is already out of control, Dr. McCann says a medical professional can help: "The really good news is there are treatments—both medication and behavioral treatments—for all of the anxiety disorders as well as stressors that might make people anxious."尽早识别和处理这些触发因素可能有助于控制焦虑。 但是，如果您的焦虑已经到了您觉得已经失控的地步，McCann 博士说，医学专家可以提供帮助：“真正的好消息是，所有焦虑症都有治疗方法——药物和行为治疗。 以及可能使人们焦虑的压力源。”