Is Anxiety Genetic?
Apr 06, 2023
One thing I wondered about for a long time is this...
Is anxiety caused by our DNA?
In other words, are you born with a specific gene that causes you to have anxiety?
IF the answer to that is "yes", then what is the treatment? It stands to reason that IF anxiety is a genetic disorder, medication might be the only effective treatment. And you'll need it for life.
But I was asking the wrong question. Mainly because when I was in training, I didn't yet know about the field of epigenetics.
Epigenetics is an absolutely FASCINATING topic. (Well, to me it is!) It's emerging and there is still a TON of work and research to do.
BUT, here's how it applies to anxiety. It's really important to understand this because it helps us understand HOW we can actually treat anxiety, effectively.
There is NOT a specific gene that causes anxiety. This is good news in the sense that if it were genetic, it would not be preventable or even reversible.
Epigenetics is really the science of understanding how our environment can affect the expression of genes. With anxiety in particular, various factors in our environment can change what's called DNA methylation. The important thing to know here is that lower methylation related to our HPA axis (stress regulation occurs here) means a lower stress/anxiety response. Higher methylation = higher stress/anxiety responses.
For those of us who like a good analogy...
Remember those science project volcanoes?
What makes the volcano explode? It's the reaction of baking soda and vinegar. If you never add the vinegar, there's no reaction. If you add a tiny bit, you get a small reaction. If you add ALOT, you get a bigger reaction.
This is (KINDA) what's happening with our genes. The external environment (stress, parental attachment, learned behaviors, trauma, etc) can affect HOW the gene is operating.
BUT...we can change how the gene is operating by changing the environment.
This means that having anxiety, even if you come from a LONG line of Nervous Nellies, is not the same as having blue eyes, brown hair, and freckles...Thank GOODNESS!
Through practice, changing our environment (like diet, exercise, sleep, screen time, etc) and trauma treatment...we can actually change the expression of the gene that regulates our brain's response to stress.
I can't help but think of what the good witch said to Dorothy, "you've had the power all along."
This doesn't mean it's easy. I just want you to know that it's POSSIBLE to change your brain and body's response so that YOU can finally be free from anxiety!
One last thing...epigenetics are passed down to our children. If you change this for yourself, your future children can reap those benefits too!
You deserve a life of peace and joy! I'm rooting for you!