Trait anxiety is a personality disorder where people perceive situations as more dangerous than they are, leading to excessive fear and a feeling of doom. It can cause panic attacks, phobias, and other mental conditions, and is triggered by a physiological response that causes adrenaline to be released. Genetics and environmental factors can play a role in the disorder, and symptoms include jitteriness, trouble sleeping, and muscle tension.
Trait anxiety describes a personality disorder characterized by a tendency to view a situation as more dangerous than it is. People with trait anxiety may react to stimuli with excessive fear and a feeling of doom, despite the unrealistic likelihood of a catastrophic outcome. This long-term anxiety disorder could lead to panic attacks, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other mental conditions, including depression.
People with trait anxiety interpret everyday events in threatening ways, which keeps them on guard against perceived disaster. This condition often triggers a physiological response, causing adrenaline to be released to enable a person to fight or flee. During this state, blood pressure rises and heart rate increases. Breathing also quickens and blood rushes to the large muscles in preparation for flight. This primitive defense mechanism creates a state of alertness to cope with a dangerous event.
Normally, the nervous system returns to a calm state when the risk disappears. People diagnosed with trait anxiety commonly become hyper-excited as adrenaline levels remain high. Some people become overly sensitive to physical changes, which could produce paranoia and neuroticism related to panic attacks.
When a person showing anxiety becomes fearful, they may believe a heart attack is imminent. He or she may develop health phobias related to the physical reaction to anxiety. Some people with this disorder become convinced that others notice their physical symptoms, leading to social phobia. Studies have found a connection between anxiety sensitivity and several anxiety disorders in patients diagnosed with trait anxiety.
Research has also found that trait anxiety blocks a person’s ability to tolerate uncertainty. He or she may be predisposed to react fearfully to situations others face through problem solving. For example, people with OCD typically believe that something bad will happen if they don’t repeat certain behaviors.
Both genetics and environmental factors could play a role in the condition. A study of twins found a significant connection between childhood abuse and trait anxiety disorders. Genetics may be linked to brain chemistry dysfunction in overly anxious people and the development of certain personality traits, according to the study, but environment also influences the disorder.
People with trait anxiety commonly feel jittery, have trouble sleeping, and experience fatigue. They usually show an elevated startle response to sudden movements and loud noises. Muscle tension and frequent urination define other symptoms associated with this personality disorder.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
