How Your DNA Shapes Your Risk of Worry and Anxiety
BioCertica Content TeamLife is stressful, and the times we live in are not easy. We all get stressed. We worry about things that may make us anxious. However, it has been shown that your genes may make you more likely to feel worried or anxious.
Worry is what we experience in our thoughts. We think “worried thoughts” about things we are stressed about. Anxiety is when worry or fear manifests in our bodies and can affect our physical and mental health.
Anxiety may present with the following symptoms:
- Feeling stressed
- Overthinking and being unable to control all the “what-ifs” in your thoughts
- Feeling like something terrible is going to happen
- Struggling to focus and be in the moment
- Increased heart rate
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Sweating
- Tremoring
Some people are genetically predisposed to tend to worry more and feel anxious more easily. Others are naturally able to live more carefree. Being aware of how easily you naturally tend to feel worried or anxious may significantly help you to deal with stress.
Suppose you know that you are genetically predisposed to worry or anxiety; you may find it easier to “brush” off the inner feeling of impending doom instead of getting more stressed. You can kindly accept yourself as you are and grant yourself to do more for yourself to relieve your daily stress.
On the other hand, if you are experiencing debilitating or high and frequent feelings of worry or anxiety without a genetic predisposition, this may indicate that something in your environment or circumstances is causing a lot of stress and needs to be addressed. Anxiety may also be linked to post-traumatic stress disorder, meaning past traumatic experiences may cause it. When this is the case, professional help is advised.
Anxiety may be transient, and we may all experience bouts of it occasionally under stressful or fearful circumstances. However, long-term and somewhat permanent anxiety, which is not very situational-dependent, may need treatment. It dramatically increases your risk for other psychiatric illnesses or disorders like depression.
Anxiety steals from your ability to enjoy life. Untreated long-term anxiety can majorly impact all areas of an individual’s life. Their mental and physical well-being suffers, their relationships may suffer, and they may struggle to perform at their full potential at work.
With anxiety being so common and out of our control, professionals are there to help. Many therapies exist to help manage the symptoms and causes of anxiety. Become aware of your genetic predisposition of worry and anxiety and get the aid you need to live a full life.
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