Question:
Hi, I’m fascinated by what I’ve been reading at http://www.social-anxiety.co.uk/ as it describes me to a tee. But one thing that seems to be lacking from this and other web sites is what CAUSES Social Anxiety Disorder in the first place. Of course that may not matter, but it would be nice to know. I can trace my anxiety back to childhood, but no specific event. I just ‘always felt that way’ as far as I can remember. Is it to do with upbringing perhaps? Or what happens in the first 2.5 years of life when the brain is like a sponge, absorbing anything around us, including the negative things? Thanks in advance. HS
Response:
Sloppy, There’s another source of info, if *Humphrey* is looking for more info about Anxiety Disorders; The Anxiety Disorders Association of Ontario Toll Free number for the Lower 48 States, and all of Canada. 1-877-308-3843 www.anxietyontario.com They also have links to various other associations. Toll free phone always sounds good to me. "Humphrey says… Hi, I’m fascinated by what I’ve been reading at http://www.social-anxiety.co.uk/ as it describes me to a tee. But one thing that seems to be lacking from this and other web sites is what CAUSES Social Anxiety Disorder in the first place. Like most disorders classified as "anxiety disorders" there are only ideas of how/why. There’s no known cause.
Excellent article, but snipped for space since this is followup post. Sorry. 
( Alan B. If you want my real email, remove all the *’s.
Response:
Whatever causes it, I wish they could come up with a sure-fire "cure"… It would sure make my life a heck of a lot easier! lol -Catie
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, I’m fascinated by what I’ve been reading at http://www.social-anxiety.co.uk/ as it describes me to a tee. But one thing that seems to be lacking from this and other web sites is what CAUSES Social Anxiety Disorder in the first place. Of course that may not matter, but it would be nice to know. I can trace my anxiety back to childhood, but no specific event. I just ‘always felt that way’ as far as I can remember. Is it to do with upbringing perhaps? Or what happens in the first 2.5 years of life when the brain is like a sponge, absorbing anything around us, including the negative things? Thanks in advance. HS
I don’t think there is any *one* thing that causes anxiety disorders, though there may be one that’s more important than another for an individual. Some of the things that may be involved are: genetics, your much more likely to develop a psych disorder if your near relatives have one; hormonal factors while still in the womb, there is some evidence that mothers with high stress hormone levels during gestation are more likely to produce easily stressed kids; gender, females are much more likely to develop most, though not all, of the anxiety disorders. That may have something to do with genetics, or it may be hormonal. traumatic events in early childhood, especially abuse (physical, verbal or sexual, or neglect); drug use; infections and auto-immune responses; chemical exposure; and no doubt other factors that haven’t been considered yet. While it would be nice to know, unfortunately, knowing doesn’t seem to help as far as recovery or cure. For example, talk type therapies that rehash the past haven’t proven to be effective anxiety treatments. Ian
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