Anxiety: Hereditary?

 

How prone you are to develop depression or anxiety may be influenced by your genetics. However, they do not tell the complete story. You're more likely to get either or both of these conditions if someone in your family has them. However, this does not guarantee that you will. Even if no one else in your family suffers from depression or anxiety, you can suffer from it.

From twin investigations, doctors have discovered evidence that anxiety and sadness are partly inherited. Fraternal twins share only half of their DNA, whereas identical twins have the same set of genes. When compared to fraternal twins, they're more prone to develop anxiety or despair. This shows that these disorders may be related to specific genes, making them heritable.

However, no single gene has been identified as being responsible for sadness or anxiety. As a result, it's difficult to describe how any of these diseases is passed down the generations. You may be more likely to develop anxiety or depression if you inherit a combination of genes from your parents. Doctors, on the other hand, are unsure which gene groupings are responsible for these diseases.

If a close relative suffers anxiety or depression, you're more likely to inherit it than if it comes from a distant ancestor. If you have a twin, parent, or sibling who suffers from anxiety or depression, you're more likely to have it as well.