Does anxiety run in the family?

Are your parents to blame for your anxiety disorder? Afterall, they pass on genes that lead to you inheriting a certain hair and eye color among many other genetic factors.

However, the exact cause of a person developing an anxiety disorder is not yet fully understood. It’s thought that people may be more likely to become diagnosed with anxiety due to different factors, such as family history, genetics, environment, a traumatic event and the inability to cope with stress. A person may have one or multiple factors that can make them more likely to have anxiety.

Researchers have concluded that a genetic predisposition for anxiety can increase the chances of suffering from the mental health disorder by two to six times.

Although having immediate family members with an anxiety disorder increases your chances of having the condition, not everyone that has a genetic predisposition will be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. This also means that you can still suffer from the disorder even if you don’t have a family history of anxiety.

It’s important to know that some anxiety is normal and it’s a common feeling that most people have experienced or will experience in their lifetime.

However, it’s considered an anxiety disorder when anxiety becomes intense, excessive, persistent and impacts your ability to function.

There are several different types of anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, phobia disorder, separation anxiety disorder and panic disorders. Just because you have a panic attack doesn’t mean you have a panic disorder.

If you are struggling with anxiety, reach out to your primary care provider for an assessment and resources.

Jaimie Shea is a behavioral health registered nurse at Aurora Health Care.

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