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Is Anxiety Genetic? What Research Says & How to Cope

Published: January 24, 2022 Updated: June 22, 2022
Published: 01/24/2022 Updated: 06/22/2022
Headshot of Shirley Porter, RP, CCC
Written by:

Shirley Porter

RP, RSW, CCC
Headshot of Kristen Fuller MD
Reviewed by:

Kristen Fuller

MD
  • What Does It Mean for Something to Be Genetic or Hereditary?Genetics
  • Is Anxiety Hereditary?Is Anxiety Genetic?
  • Other Factors That Influence AnxietyOther Factors
  • The Relationship Between Anxiety & StressStress
  • How Is Anxiety Treated?Treatment
  • What’s the Outlook for People With Anxiety?Outlook
  • Additional ResourcesResources
Headshot of Shirley Porter, RP, CCC
Written by:

Shirley Porter

RP, RSW, CCC
Headshot of Kristen Fuller MD
Reviewed by:

Kristen Fuller

MD

There is evidence that anxiety can be passed from parent to child through genetics. However, just because a parent has anxiety, does not necessarily mean their child will as well. Environmental and social factors also play a role. Regardless of the cause contributing to the anxiety disorder, therapy and sometimes medication can help manage anxiety symptoms.

BetterHelp has over 20,000 licensed therapists who provide convenient and affordable online therapy. BetterHelp starts at $60 per week. Complete a brief questionnaire and get matched with the right therapist for you.

Choosing Therapy partners with leading mental health companies and is compensated for referrals by BetterHelp

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What Does It Mean for Something to Be Genetic or Hereditary?

Genes are biochemical codes that control how the body functions and appears.1 When we refer to a trait as being genetic, we are referring to the fact that it exists as a result of these biochemical codes instead of environmental influences. When we talk about a trait being hereditary, we are referring to the fact that it is passed on, through genes, from parent to offspring.

Is Anxiety Hereditary?

Research shows that genetics play a significant role in the development of anxiety disorders—the parents, siblings, and children of an individual who has been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder are up to six times more likely to develop an anxiety disorder themselves.1

Sudhakar Selvaraj, MD, PhD, associate professor in the Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston“Anxiety disorders are a common condition and affect as many as one in five people during their lifetime. Similar to common mental health conditions like depression, Anxiety disorders are thought to be due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors and not either alone. Anxiety symptoms reflect differences in temperament, personality, stress-related coping behaviors, physiological responses (fight or flight response), early life experiences, and others. Due to several factors, anxiety disorders are not directly caused by a single gene or genetic condition. Therefore, no single genetic test can tell if you have anxiety disorders or not.” – Sudhakar Selvaraj, MD, PhD, associate professor in the Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

What Does the Research Say About Genetics & Anxiety?

Research demonstrates that genetic factors appear to be partly responsible for the hereditary nature of anxiety disorders, although the specific genes or combination of genes have yet to be clearly identified.3,4,5,6 Some believe that genetic factors are also responsible for the fact that most people who experience anxiety tend to experience more than one type.2,7 For instance, someone with panic disorder is 12 times more likely to also experience generalized anxiety disorder, and 11 times more likely to experience agoraphobia.2

In addition to the risk of developing anxiety disorders, children of parents with anxiety disorders are also at risk for developing mood disorders, like depression, bipolar disorder, or seasonal affective disorder.8,9,10 In fact, the risk of developing a depressive disorder is almost three times higher among children of parents who suffer from anxiety or depression.10

Other factors that seem to increase the odds of developing an anxiety and/or mood disorder are:9

  • Having a parent who experienced the onset of anxiety or a mood disorder prior to 20 years of age
  • Both parents having experienced anxiety and/or mood disorders

Will Everyone in My Family Develop Anxiety?

If you have an anxiety disorder, that doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone in your family will develop one. Realistically, your first degree relatives (i.e. parents, siblings, and children) are up to six times more likely to develop an anxiety disorder.1

Do Family Members Develop the Same Type of Anxiety?

There appears to be evidence that first-degree relatives are more likely to develop specific types of anxiety disorders. If you experience a panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, phobias, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, your first-degree relatives are four to six times more likely to develop the same disorder.1

Additional links have been identified between parents and children related to specific types of anxiety disorders:14

  • Children with social anxiety are 3.7 times more likely to have a mother with social anxiety disorder
  • Children with generalized anxiety disorder are 3.5 times more likely to have a mother with generalized anxiety disorder
  • Children with social anxiety disorder are almost 3 times more likely to have a father with anxiety disorder

Other Factors That Influence Anxiety

Selvaraj notes, “Individual human life experiences are shaped by many important factors right from our brain development. For example, what happens during pregnancy when the fetus is inside the uterus (womb) is critical. Children born to mothers who are very stressed due to medical or psychological reasons during pregnancy are at increased risk of anxiety or stress-related problems. Also, your home, school, neighborhood, and people around you influence how you deal with stress and the risk of anxiety disorders. Adverse family relationships, bullying, early experience of abuse, severe medical conditions during childhood are significant factors associated with anxiety disorders at a later age. But not all of those who experienced adversities develop later anxiety. Some develop anxiety, and others become resilient and cope well to stress and adverse life experiences, which is not fully known. But this is where the influence of epigenetics is thought to play.”

There are also certain individual, environmental, and socio-demographic factors that appear to influence the risk of developing anxiety:2

  • Gender: Women have a higher prevalence of anxiety disorders
  • Marital status: Being married is considered a protective factor
  • Occupation: Being unemployed is a risk factor
  • Education: A lower level of education is a risk factor
  • Financial situation: Lower income is a risk factor
  • Reacting to change with avoidance, withdrawal, or crying: Emotional lability is a risk factor
  • Negative, violent, or stressful life events: Risk factor
  • Parental rejection or overprotection: Linked to the development of social phobias

The Relationship Between Anxiety & Stress

Stress and anxiety share overlapping nervous system responses and consequently, the boundaries between the two are still being determined.15 However, while stress reactions have protective and adaptive survival functions, anxiety disorders trigger reactions that end up hindering your ability to adapt and function.

Anxiety might occur in response to a specific type of perceived threat (e.g., being in a social situation or leaving one’s home), or it might be a more general and pervasive fear with no clear trigger (like with generalized anxiety disorder). It has been proposed that genes and stress, either alone or in combination, can increase the likelihood of developing an anxiety disorder.6

How Is Anxiety Treated?

Anxiety disorders are typically treated through therapy and/or medication. Evidence suggests that therapy and medication, either separately or in combination, can provide effective relief. Anyone who believes they are experiencing anxiety should consult with their physician and/or a mental health professional to be properly assessed.

Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been hailed as the most effective therapy for anxiety disorders.16,17 Simply put, it addresses negative thoughts and fears through a process of identification. Then, the therapist works with you to find ways to challenge and replace unhelpful and distressing thoughts and behaviors with more calming and adaptive ones.

Medication

Medication, on its own or in combination with CBT, is another effective treatment for a variety of anxiety disorders.17,18 The decision to use medication should be made by you and your physician or psychiatrist, taking into account individual preferences, potential side effects and interactions, and any other areas of concern.18

Lifestyle

Selvaraj encourages, “One central aspect of our understanding of the gene and environmental interplay is that many anxiety disorders’ risks are modifiable and preventable. For instance, regular exercise can reduce the impact of stress-related fight or flight reactions and modify how our body handles stress. In addition, despite the risks of anxiety disorder, people can reduce the risk of anxiety disorder by learning emotional coping strategies and be resilient during adversities.”

In addition to therapy and medication, here are some lifestyle changes you can make to manage symptoms of anxiety:

  • Ask for and accept support from loved ones
  • Engage in physical activity
  • Practice meditation or prayer
  • Self-soothe with:
    • Touch—pet an animal, wear comfortable clothes, take a hot shower/bath
    • Taste—have a hot drink or eat a favorite food
    • Smell—light a scented candle, breathe in fresh air
    • Sight—look at a picture of a loved one, notice nature around you
    • Sound—listen to music or the sounds of nature, talk to a loved one
  • Adjust your self-talk to be respectful and compassionate

What’s the Outlook for People With Anxiety?

For people with anxiety who have access to appropriate treatment, the outlook is hopeful. There is growing evidence that those who are treated with therapy and/or medication will see significant improvements in their symptoms.17,18,19,20,21

Anxiety disorder that saw high measures of success with treatment include:

  • Generalized anxiety disorder: Almost 50% of people improve within three weeks of starting treatment, and 77% improve within nine months of beginning treatment19
  • Panic disorder: 46% of people saw significant improvement in symptoms at three months, and 63% at 12 months17

Although anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness experienced by Americans, it is estimated that fewer than 40% of people who suffer from anxiety will access professional help.22 Without professional help, those with anxiety, and their families, are likely to experience unnecessary and prolonged suffering.

As far as the future of anxiety treatments, Selvaraj notes, “Current research focuses on ‘epigenetic’ influences, i.e., how your environment and behavior shape how your genes work. New research is trying to identify specific mechanisms that cause anxiety disorders and therefore develop treatments tailored to individual conditions.”

Additional Resources

Education is just the first step on our path to improved mental health and emotional wellness. To help our readers take the next step in their journey, Choosing Therapy has partnered with leaders in mental health and wellness. Choosing Therapy may be compensated for referrals by the companies mentioned below.

BetterHelp (Online Therapy) – BetterHelp has over 20,000 licensed therapists who provide convenient and affordable online therapy. BetterHelp starts at $60 per week. Complete a brief questionnaire and get matched with the right therapist for you. Get Started

Online-Therapy.com – Receive help for anxiety. The Online-Therapy.com standard plan includes a weekly 45 minute video session, unlimited text messaging between sessions, and self-guided activities like journaling. Recently, they added Yoga videos. Get Started

Brightside Health (Online Psychiatry) – If you’re struggling with anxiety, finding the right medication can make a difference. Brightside Health treatment plans start at $95 per month. Following a free online evaluation and receiving a prescription, you can get FDA approved medications delivered to your door. Free Assessment

Headspace (Meditation App) – Headspace is the leading mindfulness and meditation app with over 70 million members. Headspace offers guidance and exercises for all skill levels, including beginners. Free Trial

Choosing Therapy’s Directory – Find an experienced therapist specialising in anxiety. You can search for a therapist by specialty, availability, insurance, and affordability. Therapist profiles and introductory videos provide insight into the therapist’s personality so you find the right fit. Find a therapist today.

Choosing Therapy partners with leading mental health companies and is compensated for referrals by BetterHelp, Online-Therapy.com, Brightside, and Headspace

For Further Reading

  • National Institute of Mental Health – Anxiety Disorders
  • American Counseling Association – Anxiety Resources
  • Anxiety & Depression Association of America – Understanding Anxiety
  • National Alliance on Mental Health
  • MentalHealth.gov
22 sources

Choosing Therapy strives to provide our readers with mental health content that is accurate and actionable. We have high standards for what can be cited within our articles. Acceptable sources include government agencies, universities and colleges, scholarly journals, industry and professional associations, and other high-integrity sources of mental health journalism. Learn more by reviewing our full editorial policy.

  • Hettema, J. M., Neale, M. C., & Kendler, K. S. (2001). A review and meta-analysis of the genetic epidemiology of anxiety disorders. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 158(10), 1568-1578. Retrieved January 30, 2021 from: https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.ajp.158.10.1568

  • Michael, T., Zetsche, U., & Margraf, J. (2007). Epidemiology of anxiety disorders. Psychiatry, 6(4), 136-142. Retrieved, January 30, 2021 from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1476179307000237

  • Hettema, J. M., Prescott, C. A., & Kendler, K. S. (2001). A population-based twin study of generalized anxiety disorder in men and women. The Journal of nervous and mental disease, 189(7), 413-420.

  • Hettema, J. M., Prescott, C. A., Myers, J. M., Neale, M. C., & Kendler, K. S. (2005). The structure of genetic and environmental risk factors for anxiety disorders in men and women.Archives of general psychiatry, 62(2), 182-189. Retrieved January 30, 2021 from: https://jamanetwork-com.proxy1.lib.uwo.ca/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/208269

  • Smoller, J. (2016). The Genetics of Stress-Related Disorders: PTSD, Depression, and Anxiety Disorders. Neuropsychopharmacology (New York, N.Y.), 41(1), 297–319. https://doi.org/10.1038/npp.2015.266

  • Smoller, J. W., Gardner‐Schuster, E., & Covino, J. (2008, May). The genetic basis of panic and phobic anxiety disorders. In American Journal of Medical Genetics Part C: Seminars in Medical Genetics(Vol. 148, No. 2, pp. 118-126). Hoboken: Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company.  Retrieved January 30, 2021 from: https://acnp.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/CH61_867-882.pdf

  • Goldenberg, I. M., White, K., Yonkers, K., & Reich, J. (1996). The infrequency of” pure culture” diagnoses among the anxiety disorders. The Journal of clinical psychiatry.

  • Cerdá, M., Sagdeo, A., Johnson, J., & Galea, S. (2010). Genetic and environmental influences on psychiatric comorbidity: a systematic review. Journal of affective disorders, 126(1-2), 14-38.  Retrieved February 6, 2021 from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032709004996

  • Havinga, B. (2017). Doomed for Disorder? High Incidence of Mood and Anxiety Disorders in Offspring of Depressed and Anxious Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 78(1), E8–E17. https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.15m09936

  • Micco, J. A., Henin, A., Mick, E., Kim, S., Hopkins, C. A., Biederman, J., & Hirshfeld-Becker, D. R. (2009). Anxiety and depressive disorders in offspring at high risk for anxiety: A meta-analysis. Journal of anxiety disorders, 23(8), 1158-1164. Retrieved February 5, 2021 from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0887618509001522

  • Merck Manual:  Consumer Version (February, 2020) Quick Facts: Genes and Chromosomes.  Retrieved February 6, 2021 from: https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/quick-facts-children-s-health-issues/chromosomal-and-genetic-abnormalities/genes-and-chromosomes

  • Harvard Medical School, 2007. National Comorbidity Survey (NCS). (2017, August 21). Retrieved from: https://www.hcp.med.harvard.edu/ncs/index.php. Data Table 2: 12-month prevalence DSM-IV/WMH-CIDI disorders by sex and cohort.

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2013), Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Arlington, VA: APA.

  • Telman, L. G., van Steensel, F. J., Maric, M., & Bögels, S. M. (2018). What are the odds of anxiety disorders running in families? A family study of anxiety disorders in mothers, fathers, and siblings of children with anxiety disorders.European child & adolescent psychiatr, 27(5), 615-624. Retrieved February 7, 2021 from:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5945734/

  • Daviu, N., Bruchas, M. R., Moghaddam, B., Sandi, C., & Beyeler, A. (2019). Neurobiological links between stress and anxiety.Neurobiology of stress, 11, 100191.  Retrieved February 7, 2021 from:  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352289519300438

  • Otte C. (2011). Cognitive behavioral therapy in anxiety disorders: current state of the evidence. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience, 13(4), 413–421.  Retrieved on February 7, 2021 from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3263389/pdf/DialoguesClinNeurosci-13-413.pdf

  • Roy-Byrne, P. P., Craske, M. G., Stein, M. B., Sullivan, G., Bystritsky, A., Katon, W., … & Sherbourne, C. D. (2005). A randomized effectiveness trial of cognitive-behavioral therapy and medication for primary care panic disorder. Archives of General Psychiatry, 62(3), 290-298.  Retrieved February 7, 2021 from:  https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/208417

  • Bandelow, B., Reitt, M., Röver, C., Michaelis, S., Görlich, Y., & Wedekind, D. (2015). Efficacy of treatments for anxiety disorders: a meta-analysis.International Clinical Psychopharmacology, 30(4), 183-192.  Retrieved on February 7, 2021 from: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5dab51c52920995e635d4295/t/5e14a4bf690a73640486b425/1578411200325/Bandelow2015IntClinPsychopharmacol.pdf

  • Harvard Medical School.  (December, 2018). What is anxiety?  Harvard Health Publishing.  Retrieved on February 13, 2021 from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/generalized-anxiety-disorder-a-to-z

  • Hunot, V., Churchill, R., Teixeira, V., & de Lima, M. S. (2007). Psychological therapies for generalised anxiety disorder. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (1). Retrieved February 13, 2021 from:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7025441/

  • Swales, P. J., Cassidy, E. L., & Sheikh, J. I. (2002). Prognosis of Anxiety Disorders. In Principles and Practice of Geriatric Psychiatry (pp. 555–557). Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1002/0470846410.ch101

  • Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Facts and Statistics. Retrieved February 13, 2021 from:  https://adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics

update history

We regularly update the articles on ChoosingTherapy.com to ensure we continue to reflect scientific consensus on the topics we cover, to incorporate new research into our articles, and to better answer our audience’s questions. When our content undergoes a significant revision, we summarize the changes that were made and the date on which they occurred. We also record the authors and medical reviewers who contributed to previous versions of the article. Read more about our editorial policies here.

  • Originally Published: February 25, 2021
    Original Author: Shirley Porter, RP, RSW, CCC
    Original Reviewer: Kristen Fuller, MD

  • Updated: January 24, 2022
    Author: No Change
    Reviewer: No Change
    Primary Changes: Updated for readability and clarity. Reviewed and added relevant resources. Added information from Sudhakar Selvaraj, MD, PhD.

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