Can there be a physical cause (disease) for anxiety when it is not accompanied by intrusive thoughts?
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All emotions are the result of chemicals in the brain and their amounts in relation to each other. If a physical condition somehow upsets that balance, anxiety could be the net result. A major cause of anxiety is stress or an unrecognized fear, but those are, as you put it, "intrusive thoughts" or mental processes only. Similarly, a psychological disorder such as a phobia could be a cause of anxiety; again, mental processes.
However, the following physical conditions or diseases can cause feelings of anxiety: an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism); hyperventilation syndrome (which results in decreased CO2 in the blood); an adverse reaction or side effect of a drug (prescription or non-prescription); withdrawal from a drug (caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, or a prescription or non-prescription drug such as sleeping pills).
So, while anxiety is a psychological reaction, the cause CAN be a physical one, unrelated to "intrusive thoughts" or a mental illness.
No. Anxiety is an emotional response.
Imagine you are to attend an exam or interview in a few hours. Now imagine if you have diabetic or high blood pressure or skin disease. The concerns or pain from all these can lead to anxiety state-a result of both physical and mental state of intense elevated expectation. None of these are products of intrusive thoughts
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