Your Cart is Empty
Take our quiz and find which supplements your body is craving.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), over 40 million people in the United States struggle with some form of anxiety.[1]Therefore, it is safe to say that you’re not alone in this battle. However, anxiety can become so overwhelming that it can almost feel like an inherent part of you.
Suppressed trauma, unresolved issues, the fast pace of life, and a lack of self-care can certainly trigger or deepen the feeling of anxiety, but the connection between anxiety disorder and genetics remains an intriguing topic.
Is anxiety disorder hereditary? In this guide, l we’ll define anxiety and identify its symptoms and manifestations. The main focus will center on susceptibility and the undeniable bond between genetics and mental health.
The occasional feelings of anxiety are a part of modern, everyday life. Feeling anxious or restless about the future or your problems does not qualify as a disorder but is rather a typical response to several different life situations.
For it to be perceived as a disorder, anxiety must be:
The four recognized categories include generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and phobia-related disorders.[2]
The most common form of anxiety disorder, GAD, is characterized by often irrational yet persistent feelings of worry, whether it be about health, financial status, future, or a mixture of different issues.
Unlike the worry and stress people experience daily, GAD is difficult or even impossible to control in more severe cases. In addition, mental symptoms are often accompanied by a range of physical manifestations such as headache, racing heart, and nausea.
To be recognized as a disorder, anxiety must be excessive and persistent for at least six months. In this case, the person has difficulty controlling the feelings of worry and despair. The overwhelming feeling of dread typically must be accompanied by at least three of the following issues for six consecutive months[3] to receive a GAD diagnosis:
Moreover, GAD seriously affects all areas of a person’s life, including their career, social life, and personal relationships.
This form of anxiety disorder includes the majority of symptoms experienced in GAD. However, the feelings of dread, worry, and overthinking often escalate into panic attacks. These attacks can be abrupt, frequent, and extremely overwhelming. People who experience panic attacks struggle with the sense of losing control, even in situations that entail no actual harm or danger.[4]
Unfortunately, repeated panic attacks also manifest physically, causing tachycardia or an increased heart rate. During a panic attack, you may experience shaking, tingling, chest pain, fatigue, excessive sweating, digestive discomfort, and nausea.
What makes panic disorder even more complex is the fact that, after each panic attack, you’re even more concerned with the next episode, which may lead to avoidance of places and “triggering” situations.[4]
Often, the physical symptoms resembling those of a panic attack may trigger an actual panic attack. For instance, if you feel your heart beating faster (for a reason unrelated to panic disorder), you may convince your mind and body that another panic attack is coming.
Social anxiety in some people may seriously disrupt their daily routine, professional life, and social relationships. It’s much more than shyness or discomfort when around others; social anxiety is intense, often overwhelming, and disruptive to everyday life.[2]
Common symptoms include self-consciousness, heart pounding, blushing, excessive sweating, trembling, and fear of negative portrayal and judgment, especially in public performances.[2]
With phobias, fear becomes excessive and unbearable for some people. Even though many phobias are based on irrational concepts, it is impossible for people who experience phobia-related disorders to manage them. Phobias related to legitimate fears, on the other hand, are characterized by an extreme feeling of helplessness that isn’t proportionate to the actual danger.[2]
People struggling with phobias hyper-fixate on certain situations, events, circumstances, or objects. They tend to avoid any scenarios that may include feared concepts, and if faced with them, they react intensely.[2]
The most common phobias include[5]:
The genesis of anxiety disorders is a rather complex matter. While some people can connect the development of their anxiety to a traumatic event, others can’t pinpoint the exact moment the problem started. The most prevalent risk factors, however, include[2]:
Upbringing, social conditions, and life events will certainly have an immense impact on every person’s life and development. That being said, the genetic factor is one of the pillars of anxiety disorder development. Therefore, even if anxiety can be tied to a particular trigger, such as past trauma, it is likely that the person was already predisposed to be susceptible to this turn of events.
GAD, the most common form of anxiety disorder, has been recognized as a heritable condition—heritability being around 30%.[6] In addition, experts also recognize the significance of early developmental trauma and stressful events in combination with genetics.
A study on the genetics of generalized anxiety disorder[6] confirms that epigenetics can offer valuable insights when treating anxiety through neuropsychiatry. Also, knowing more about the genetic history, in addition to personal history, can allow experts to act preventively and create a more individual approach.[6]
There isn’t necessarily an “anxious gene.” There are, however, genetic activities associated with anxiety disorders. For instance, the largest indicator of genetic predisposition to phobic and panic disorders is a duplicated part of chromosome 15.[7] If identified, this duplication can be a major factor in understanding and treatment of anxiety.
Fortunately, the future holds big promises in the field of genetic susceptibility. Studies suggest that specific techniques will be developed, allowing experts to control gene expression. In addition to genetic genome analysis, we could potentially set the timing of the expression of a certain gene and limit the development of disorders.[7]
Recent studies on common psychiatric disorders, such as Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), have highlighted the complexities of understanding how genetic variants contribute to these conditions. Traditional methods, like Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS), have struggled to pinpoint the main genetic factors involved. This has led researchers to explore gene-environment (G×E) interactions as a promising avenue for uncovering the underlying mechanisms of these disorders.[8]
G×E studies focus on how specific genes, particularly those related to the serotonin system and stress response, interact with environmental factors, such as childhood trauma or daily stressors, to influence the development of anxiety and depression.
Although initial findings suggest that certain gene variants can significantly modify an individual's sensitivity to environmental stressors, research in this area remains limited. Most G×E studies have centered on a few candidate genes, like the serotonin transporter (SLC6A4) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and have primarily examined their effects in specific contexts.[8]
To fully understand the role of G×E interactions in psychiatric disorders, future research needs to employ larger sample sizes and more comprehensive assessments of environmental factors. This will help clarify the impact of various life experiences and stressors on mental health, paving the way for more effective prevention and treatment strategies.[8]
There is no doubt that genetic susceptibility plays a major role in the grand scheme of anxiety disorders. With future research, especially in epigenetics, it will be much easier to detect, understand, and manipulate gene expression and perhaps change the outcome. That being said, is there something we can do now to decipher the psyche and access mental health issues adequately?
Cognitive behavioral therapy, in addition to positive lifestyle changes that exclude as many stressors as possible, remains the staple in anxiety management. Speaking to a professional to find an approach that works for you is the best decision you can make when managing your anxiety.
In addition, genetic testing available today can answer many burning questions and offer detailed insights into important health markers. Many people struggle with anxiety management because of the generalization that comes with popular forms of treatment. A personalized genetic report can give you information as unique as your DNA, allowing you to create a tailored approach.
Gain valuable insights into your genetics and get tailored recommendations for your mental health journey.Find out more here.
