<p>Predisposition to anxiety <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anxiety#Biological_vulnerabilities" rel="nofollow noreferrer">can be inherited</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Genetics and family history (e.g., parental anxiety) may predispose an
individual for an increased risk of an anxiety disorder, but generally
external stimuli will trigger its onset or exacerbation. Genetics
accounts for about 43% variance in panic disorder and 28% in
generalized anxiety disorder.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anxiety_disorder#Treatment" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Treatment for anxiety disorders</a> is not generally modified for genetic component, so therapies such as conditioning or CBT may be used regardless.  All anxiety disorders are assumed to involve an environment (non-genetic) trigger that can be addressed through therapy.</p>
<p>Research by <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.3594" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Dias &amp; Ressler (2014)</a> suggests that this is not necessarily the case in mice, where epigenetics alone (with no environmental trigger) can cause a purely genetic anxiety.  (<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/10486479/Phobias-may-be-memories-passed-down-in-genes-from-ancestors.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Layperson version</a>)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2016-03-19T21:29:26.063Z
2022-03-03T04:50:35.380Z
2022-03-03T04:50:35.380Z
Arnon Weinberg
<p>We inherit a lot from our ancestors, but how much of the term <strong>genetic anxiety</strong> is real?</p>
<p>And if it is real, can it be cured similarly to how anxiety is treated (CBT, Exposure Therapy) or it requires medication? Put differently, can only medication cure genetic anxiety?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-18T03:51:59.120Z
Are you sure it wasn't Generalized Anxiety Disorder? Google search doesn't seem to know your term.
user3169
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-18T04:59:52.967Z
@user3169 that's why we ask questions on here; they're questions that Google simply cannot answer, and people on here are supposed to submit the research they've gone through to get to this problem.
White Fang
<cognitive-psychology><genetics><anxiety>
Is there anything called genetic anxiety?
Arslan Ali
# Is there anything called genetic anxiety?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-03-17)

We inherit a lot from our ancestors, but how much of the term **genetic anxiety** is real?

And if it is real, can it be cured similarly to how anxiety is treated (CBT, Exposure Therapy) or it requires medication? Put differently, can only medication cure genetic anxiety?

**Tags:** cognitive-psychology, genetics, anxiety

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Are you sure it wasn't Generalized Anxiety Disorder? Google search doesn't seem to know your term.  
> **username_2**: @username_1 that's why we ask questions on here; they're questions that Google simply cannot answer, and people on here are supposed to submit the research they've gone through to get to this problem.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2016-03-19. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

Predisposition to anxiety [can be inherited](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anxiety#Biological_vulnerabilities):

> Genetics and family history (e.g., parental anxiety) may predispose an
> individual for an increased risk of an anxiety disorder, but generally
> external stimuli will trigger its onset or exacerbation. Genetics
> accounts for about 43% variance in panic disorder and 28% in
> generalized anxiety disorder.

[Treatment for anxiety disorders](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anxiety_disorder#Treatment) is not generally modified for genetic component, so therapies such as conditioning or CBT may be used regardless. All anxiety disorders are assumed to involve an environment (non-genetic) trigger that can be addressed through therapy.

Research by [Dias & Ressler (2014)](https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.3594) suggests that this is not necessarily the case in mice, where epigenetics alone (with no environmental trigger) can cause a purely genetic anxiety. ([Layperson version](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/10486479/Phobias-may-be-memories-passed-down-in-genes-from-ancestors.html))


---

