Anxiety, that debilitating feeling that you just can’t relax, is far from just an emotional problem. When feelings of anxiety and worry consume you, it causes physical changes and is even linked to chronic disease such as heart disease, chronic respiratory disorders and gastrointestinal conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).[i]

Anxiety is also closely linked with pain, and if you’re already suffering from chronic pain you should know that anxiety will intensify it, adding to your emotional distress and even increasing related disabilities.

You’re probably all-too-familiar with some of the common causes of anxiety – money, work, kids, relationship troubles, and the like – but what follows are some powerful but largely overlooked causes that could be quietly wreaking havoc on your emotional, and physical, health.

6 Little-Discussed Causes of Anxiety

6. Positive Life Events — Promotion, New Baby, Vacation …

You’ve been waiting years for a promotion and now that you got it you’re filled with apprehension. You’re about to welcome a new baby into your family, but you’re suddenly anxious. That much-deserved vacation is just around the corner, and all you can do is worry …

You may wonder what’s going on when positive life events cause you anxiety attacks, but it’s very common. Any type of change can be stressful, including the good kind. The planning, the implementation, the expectations … it can be a lot to handle without becoming a bundle of nerves.

5. Background Noise

The sound of a jackhammer outside your window at 5 am is obviously stressful, but low-level noise is just as stressful, and far more insidious. We’re talking about the buzz of overhead lights, cell phones ringing in the distance, the whir of traffic, dogs barking … the symphony of background noise that surrounds us nearly every waking hour.

Think about it. There are very few truly silent places left on earth. And even if you don’t realize it, all of that noise takes a toll, with research linking low-level noise exposure to bad moods, lack of concentration, aggression and increased symptoms of anxiety and nervousness.[ii]

4. Light Pollution

Have you ever noticed that when you turn off the light in your bedroom, after waiting a few seconds for your eyes to adjust, the room suddenly doesn’t seem so dark? Unless you’ve invested in room-darkening drapes, or you live in a very rural or remote area, there’s bound to be light seeping in through the window. And there’s probably a glowing alarm clock or two, and maybe even a TV set left on …

As with noise, you’d have to go to great lengths (and probably travel great distances) to find a truly dark area at night. This is the precise reason why stars have “disappeared” for many who live near large cities (did you know the glow from Los Angeles can be seen from an airplane 200 miles away?[iii]).

Light pollution isn’t just an annoyance … it can disrupt your sleep/wake cycle (your circadian rhythm), which is involved in hormone production, cell regulation, brain wave patterns and more. Aside from being directly linked to depression, heart disease and cancer, a disrupted circadian rhythm can lead to insomnia, which significantly heightens feelings of anxiety.[iv]

3. Low-Level Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs)

Thanks to cell phones, WiFi, power lines and more, varying levels of EMFs are literally all around us. The Earth even has its own low-level magnetic and electric fields that exist naturally. It’s estimated that up to 15 percent of the population is predisposed to adverse health due to these natural “geomagnetic” variations,[v] and a growing number of people appear to be impacted by the man-made variety as well.

Among the symptoms thought to be related to EMFs are mood and behavior problems, including irritability and anxiety. One study even linked patterns in ambient EMF activity with suicide rates, and suggests that other sources of EMFs may also impact mental health.[vi]

2. Energy Vampires

Vampires feed on blood in order to gain strength, right?

Energy vampires feed on you emotionally, draining you of mental energy and strength. You know the type – they’re the “Debbie downer” who’s always quick to point out the dark side of any situation (even the ones you’re happy and excited about … they’re the “friend” who always needs another boost and a shoulder to cry on, but is never available to return the favor … the co-worker or boss who belittles you or takes credit for your work … the neighbor who is nice to your face but gossips behind your back the second you leave.

According to Albert J. Bernstein, PhD, who wrote the book “Emotional Vampires: Dealing with People Who Drain You Dry:”[vii]

“As normal people grow, they come to appreciate more and more their similarity to others. Empathy is what maturity is all about. Vampires just don’t get this concept. To them, other people are there to supply their needs.

… Social systems are based on reciprocity … Adults develop a sense of fairness and use it as a yardstick for measuring their behavior. Vampires don’t; their idea of fair is that they get what they want when they want it.

… Adults understand that the more you give, the more you get. Vampires take.

… Human relationships depend on a clear perception of the psychological line between what’s mine and what’s yours … Vampires have a hard time seeing this all-important boundary. They believe that whatever they want should be given to them immediately, regardless of how anyone else might feel about it.”

If there’s anyone in your life who always seems to leave you feeling emotionally spent, drained and unhappy, this is an energy vampire alert.

1. Poison Valves

Poison valves are things in your home and places you visit that impact you negatively, sometimes on a subconscious level, because they are associated with bad experiences in your life. This could be a wedding ring from a previous marriage, a restaurant where you received a phone call with bad news, a chair you sat in a great deal while recovering from illness … the truth is, the list is limitless, and only you know the poison valves in your life.

It can be tricky because, as mentioned, some of their effects can be subconscious. But even if you don’t feel outwardly stressed or anxious upon visiting a poison valve location, etc., you will assuredly pick up on an uneasiness, a sense of unrest or a slight shift in mood. These are signs that the poison valve is doing what it does best … slowly “poisoning” your mental well-being.