{"id":7268,"date":"2015-06-26T07:00:57","date_gmt":"2015-06-26T11:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/?p=7268"},"modified":"2015-06-20T11:45:29","modified_gmt":"2015-06-20T15:45:29","slug":"are-you-genetically-predisposed-to-worry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/2015\/06\/are-you-genetically-predisposed-to-worry.html","title":{"rendered":"Are You Genetically Predisposed to Worry?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"anxiety\"<\/a>Susan feels she can\u2019t stop worrying no matter how hard she tries. She\u2019s beginning to wonder if she is a born worry. She is asking, “Can worry be genetic?”<\/p>\n

In 2007, Yale researchers found a gene variation associated with chronic worrying and what they call \u201coverthinking.\u201d The discovered \u201cworry gene\u201d is the result of a genetic mutation that predicts a tendency to ruminate (obsess over negative thoughts).[i]<\/a> In fact, parts of the brain associated with planning, reason and impulse control show increased activity in worriers. [ii]<\/a><\/p>\n

Areas of the brain are linked along a circuit. The way the brain is wired regulates our response to danger and threatening events. For some people, that circuitry is more activated and causes more anxiety and frustration. This is the case with people who are diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).<\/p>\n

Swedish and German scientists also believe that two genes account for the development of fears that are not easily overcome in some people.[iii]<\/a> Without overwhelming you with science, the point is that our genetic make-up interacts with the environment, causing some of us to be more susceptible to fear and anxiety.<\/p>\n

Knowing this should help you worry less about why you worry! Having said that, I do not want you to worry about your susceptibility to worry! For those of you who do possess those now discovered anxiety genes, it still takes stressful life events to bring worry to the forefront. Having a tendency towards worry does not mean you will automatically become Chicken Little! But you may need to be more intentional when it comes to sending worry packing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Excepted and adapted from Letting Go of Worry<\/a> by Dr. Linda Mintle (Harvest House, 2011)<\/p>\n

[i]<\/a>[i] Melinda Beck, \u201cWhen Fretting is in your DNA: Overcoming the worry gene,\u201d<\/em> Wall Street Journal, <\/em>January 15, 2008, <\/em>Health section, Online edition. http:\/\/online.wsj.com\/article\/SB120035992325490045.html<\/a> (accessed March 10, 2010).<\/p>\n

[ii]<\/a> Stefan Hofmann et al., \u201cThe Worried Mind: Autonomic and Prefrontal Activation During Worrying,\u201dEmotion<\/em> 5, no. 4 (2005): 464.<\/p>\n

[iii]<\/a> Tina Lonsdorf et al. \u201cGenetic Gating of Human Fear Learning and Extinction: Possible Implications for Gene-Environment Interaction in Anxiety Disorder<\/strong>,\u201d Psychological Science<\/em>, 20, no. 2, (2009), http:\/\/pss.sagepub.com\/content\/20\/2\/198.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Susan feels she can\u2019t stop worrying no matter how hard she tries. She\u2019s beginning to wonder if she is a born worry. She is asking, “Can worry be genetic?” In 2007, Yale researchers found a gene variation associated with chronic worrying and what they call \u201coverthinking.\u201d The discovered \u201cworry gene\u201d is the result of a…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":419,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[925],"tags":[135,2559,3312,3311,134],"class_list":["post-7268","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mintle-mentions","tag-anxiety","tag-obsessing","tag-obsessive-compulsive","tag-ocd-rumination","tag-worry"],"yoast_head":"\nAre You Genetically Predisposed to Worry?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/2015\/06\/are-you-genetically-predisposed-to-worry.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Are You Genetically Predisposed to Worry?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Susan feels she can\u2019t stop worrying no matter how hard she tries. 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Her media experience includes seven years as the resident expert for ABC Family\u2019s Living the Life television show and regular appearances on network television and radio. It is often said that being with Dr. Linda is like having coffee with a friend. She makes the complicated issues of relationships and mental health easy to understand and applicable to everyday living. The ease she has with people, coupled with her clinical training and experience makes her a sought-after speaker on college campuses, conferences and special events. Whether she is doing a TV skit with Tim Conway or discussing teen violence with Queen Latifa, Dr. Linda will entertain, educate and integrate faith and mental health in everyday living. 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