Anxiety disorders are caused by a variety of factors among which stress, withdrawal symptoms, thyroid, alcohol dependence, chemical imbalances and heredity are few. Of these the most common factor which causes anxiety attacks these days are stress and addiction & withdrawal. These causes are well known and their mechanism is understood better than the others. This makes the prevention of anxiety disorders easier.

Stress is one of the most common causes of anxiety disorders. Some amount of stress is common in everyone's daily course of work, but excessive stress and incorrect handling of its effects can give rise to anxiety disorders. Excessive stress can force you into depression, rendering your cognitive faculties dulled. A high pressure work environment can cause you to be tentative and worried about missing every little thing in the work-place. This becomes an obsession and can even qualify as an OCD (obsessive compulsion disorder). Even students can become victims of anxiety disorders in the face of stiff competition at school.

Stress cannot be avoided, but the trick lies in handling it. For example, the 'work while you work and play while you play' strategy should be adopted even by corporate executives. Meaning, hard work should be encouraged during the work day as well as encourage taking a break. Regular breaks are necessary to prevent burn-out. If you are constantly facing a large amount of stress as a part of day to day life, you should take anxiety disorder tests with a psychologist to see if they have an anxiety disorder.

In the event of being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, immediate steps towards treatment should be taken. If your work confines you to a desk and does not offer much in the way of physical activity, you should try to keep fit, by regularly exercising. Also, vacations and days off should be taken regularly, so you can recharge your batteries.

Anxiety disorders may be caused by addiction to drugs or by alcohol dependence. Addictive drugs should be avoided, because they can cause irreparable damage to the nervous system, apart from causing anxiety disorders. Caution should be taken in consumption of alcohol, to ensure that you do not become dependent. When quitting an addiction, frequent bouts of anxiety are common.

Tranquilizers and some other pharmaceutical drugs consumed on a long term can have a withdrawal effect when you stop taking them. You should seek your doctor's advice on withdrawal and reduced dosage to reduce anxiety.

If you are recovering from drug or alcohol addiction and stressing out from the withdrawal symptoms, you should periodically take anxiety disorder tests with a psychologist, and if diagnosed with a disorder, take up appropriate treatment.

These are the two primary causes of anxiety attacks which can be prevented and tackled with relative ease in comparison with other causes. In other words you can control the situation and help your self to improve.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. The information in this article is not a substitute for specific medical advice. It is highly recommended you seek a physician for medical advisement.