Anxiety Support Group
Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...
There has been a lot of talk about whether anxiety and panic is learned or genetic. Everyone of course has an opinion. But whether or not the opinion is correct or not???
I have had panic an anxiety for as long as I can remember. and now for the last year and a half it has been pretty constant of being severe. It slowed down only slightly on certain meds, but not completely. The pdoc I had decided it was time for me to see a new pdoc who has trained in anxiety disorders and runs an anxiety clinic. Now with medication changes I am back to severe anxiety and barely functioning.
I wanted to post some info that is on his website about results that have been found by studies done.
Causes of GAD
Biological Factors
Neurotransmitters Some studies suggest that neurotransmitters (i.e., chemical messengers that pass information from one nerve cell in the brain to the next) may be important in the experience of generalized anxiety. Specifically, studies have found that anxiety is increased if receptors in the brain for the neurotransmitter gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) are blocked. So GABA may be important in the chronic anxiety and worry experienced by people with GAD. The neurotransmitter serotonin may also play a role. However, researchers believe that the role of neurotransmitters in the experience of anxiety is complex, and just one of many factors that affect the development and course of GAD.
Nervous System Activity Studies have found that worry is often associated with a less flexible parasympathetic nervous system, the system that is involved in calming down or reducing the anxiety or fear response. This inflexibility means that people with GAD experience elevated and chronic signs of anxiety (e.g., an elevated and stable heart rate) whereas other people experience high levels of anxiety in response to stress, then reduced levels of anxiety once the source of stress is gone. This tendency for more stable physical symptoms is reinforcing in the short term because people with GAD do not experience the ups and downs of the anxiety reaction, but it is not helpful in the long run because it does not allow people to respond in a flexible way to their surroundings and to fully experience the physical aspects of fear and anxiety. The ability to experience more variation in heart rate and physical arousal is thought to be associated over time with the ability to distinguish situations that are truly threatening from those that are not.
Genetics There is some evidence that GAD runs in families. When identical and fraternal twins are studied, results suggest that there is a genetic contribution to GAD. However, it seems that what is inherited through genes is the tendency to experience anxiety or depression, in general. In other words, genes only pass on a general tendency for anxiety or depression they do not pass on GAD specifically.
Psychological Factors
Biases in Thinking and Reasoning People with GAD tend to pay more attention to signs of potential threat than others do. For example, people with GAD notice unhappy or critical facial expressions on other people more than they notice neutral facial expressions. By noticing these critical expressions, they may overestimate the degree of threat (e.g., rejection by another person), making it seem is though there is much more to worry about than there is in reality. People with GAD also have a tendency to interpret ambiguous situations as dangerous, even when there is not enough information to support such a judgement. In other words, if they received a phone call late at night, they would be more likely to think this was a phone call with bad news than would people without GAD. People with GAD also rate the possibility of a negative outcome as more likely than others. For example, people with GAD would estimate the likelihood of a car accident involving their loved ones as much more likely that people without GAD. All of these biases in thinking are thought to contribute to the worry seen in GAD.
Worry as avoidance An interesting and perhaps surprising finding regarding excessive worry is that worry may actually reduce peoples physical signs of arousal (e.g., heart rate). Researchers have wondered whether this occurs because worrying often takes the form of thoughts (e.g., what if questions), rather than unpleasant images (e.g., the image of your loved one in an accident). It appears to be much less arousing to wonder whether something bad has happened than to actually picture the unwanted event. Scientists believe that one of the functions of worry is to distract the individual from frightening images, thereby actually decreasing symptoms of arousal. Although worry can be an effective way of managing fear in the short term, it can make the problem worse over time. By avoiding the frightening images, worriers never get to fully deal with their fears and realize that the bad things they are worrying about probably will not happen.
Beliefs about Worry Worry may persist because some people believe that worry is helpful to them in some way. For example, some people believe that worry helps them to prepare for things (e.g., worrying about a test will make me more likely to study) or to prevent bad things from happening (e.g., if I worry about my loved ones, they may be less likely to get into trouble). However, worry does not prevent bad things from happening or increase preparedness. In fact, worry may interfere with a persons ability to solve problems. Another factor that is associated with worry is the intolerance of uncertainty. People with GAD report being unable to tolerate not knowing what will happen in the future. As a result of this, they may worry in an attempt to predict the future and gain some control. Of course, worry does not actually help people to control the future. Finally, some people with GAD will worry not only about things in their life, but also about the worry itself. For example, some people fear that they are going crazy or will lose control when they are worrying excessively about things. As a result of these concerns, people may try and control or suppress their worry. However, trying to suppress or push away worry may actually make worry more likely to return.Effective Treatments for GAD
Causes of Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia
Biological Factors
Brain Activity brain imaging studies using a technique called positron emission tomography (PET) have shown that people with panic disorder have different amounts of activity in particular areas of the brain (especially an area known as the hippocampus), compared to people without panic disorder. The precise nature of these differences is not completely understood, and studies tend to have inconsistent results.
Neurotransmitters A number of neurotransmitters (i.e., chemical messengers that pass information from one nerve cell in the brain to the next) are thought to play a role in the development and maintenance of panic attacks and panic disorder. The neurotransmitter for which the evidence is strongest is norepinephrine. For example, substances that increase norepinephrine in the brain (e.g., inhaling carbon dioxide enriched air) have been shown to trigger panic attacks in people with panic disorder. Also, medications that act on the norepinephrine system have been found to block panic attacks. In addition to norepinephrine, other neurotransmitters that may contribute to panic disorder include serotonin and cholecystokinin.
Genetics Evidence is quite strong that panic disorder runs in families. In fact, if an individual has panic disorder, his or her immediate relatives are about three times as likely to develop panic disorder than relatives of an individual who doesnt have panic disorder. In addition, studies on identical and fraternal twins suggest that part of the reason that panic disorder is transmitted from generation to generation has to do with our genetic make up. Environmental factors, such as learning, may also contribute to the tendency for panic disorder to occur across multiple family members.
Psychological Factors
Misinterpretating Panic Symptoms People with panic disorder tend to misinterpret their physical symptoms as a sign of danger. For example, a racing heart may be misinterpreted as a signal that one is having a heart attack; dizziness may be misinterpreted as a sign that one is about to faint; feelings of unreality may be misinterpreted as a sign that one is going to lose control or go crazy. Anxiety-provoking beliefs about ones panic-related symptoms can trigger a full blown panic attack in response to symptoms that might otherwise be ignored.
Attention and Memory People with panic disorder tend to pay special attention to the physical symptoms that frighten them. For example, they may scan their bodies for unusual symptoms (e.g., dizziness, racing heart), and in so doing, they are more likely to notice these feelings than other people. Individuals with panic disorder are also more likely to remember information that is consistent with their panic-related beliefs than are people without panic disorder. For example, they may recall stories about young athletes who experienced a heart attack while exercising and use this information as evidence that exercise is dangerous.
Life Experiences Life stress puts people at risk for developing panic attacks and panic disorder. During stressful periods (e.g., work stress, marital problems, health problems, exams at school), people with panic disorder often report more frequent and intense panic attacks. In addition, many people with panic disorder report that their panic attacks began following a period of life stress (e.g., divorce, unemployment, graduation, etc.).
I have had panic an anxiety for as long as I can remember. and now for the last year and a half it has been pretty constant of being severe. It slowed down only slightly on certain meds, but not completely. The pdoc I had decided it was time for me to see a new pdoc who has trained in anxiety disorders and runs an anxiety clinic. Now with medication changes I am back to severe anxiety and barely functioning.
I wanted to post some info that is on his website about results that have been found by studies done.
Causes of GAD
Biological Factors
Neurotransmitters Some studies suggest that neurotransmitters (i.e., chemical messengers that pass information from one nerve cell in the brain to the next) may be important in the experience of generalized anxiety. Specifically, studies have found that anxiety is increased if receptors in the brain for the neurotransmitter gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) are blocked. So GABA may be important in the chronic anxiety and worry experienced by people with GAD. The neurotransmitter serotonin may also play a role. However, researchers believe that the role of neurotransmitters in the experience of anxiety is complex, and just one of many factors that affect the development and course of GAD.
Nervous System Activity Studies have found that worry is often associated with a less flexible parasympathetic nervous system, the system that is involved in calming down or reducing the anxiety or fear response. This inflexibility means that people with GAD experience elevated and chronic signs of anxiety (e.g., an elevated and stable heart rate) whereas other people experience high levels of anxiety in response to stress, then reduced levels of anxiety once the source of stress is gone. This tendency for more stable physical symptoms is reinforcing in the short term because people with GAD do not experience the ups and downs of the anxiety reaction, but it is not helpful in the long run because it does not allow people to respond in a flexible way to their surroundings and to fully experience the physical aspects of fear and anxiety. The ability to experience more variation in heart rate and physical arousal is thought to be associated over time with the ability to distinguish situations that are truly threatening from those that are not.
Genetics There is some evidence that GAD runs in families. When identical and fraternal twins are studied, results suggest that there is a genetic contribution to GAD. However, it seems that what is inherited through genes is the tendency to experience anxiety or depression, in general. In other words, genes only pass on a general tendency for anxiety or depression they do not pass on GAD specifically.
Psychological Factors
Biases in Thinking and Reasoning People with GAD tend to pay more attention to signs of potential threat than others do. For example, people with GAD notice unhappy or critical facial expressions on other people more than they notice neutral facial expressions. By noticing these critical expressions, they may overestimate the degree of threat (e.g., rejection by another person), making it seem is though there is much more to worry about than there is in reality. People with GAD also have a tendency to interpret ambiguous situations as dangerous, even when there is not enough information to support such a judgement. In other words, if they received a phone call late at night, they would be more likely to think this was a phone call with bad news than would people without GAD. People with GAD also rate the possibility of a negative outcome as more likely than others. For example, people with GAD would estimate the likelihood of a car accident involving their loved ones as much more likely that people without GAD. All of these biases in thinking are thought to contribute to the worry seen in GAD.
Worry as avoidance An interesting and perhaps surprising finding regarding excessive worry is that worry may actually reduce peoples physical signs of arousal (e.g., heart rate). Researchers have wondered whether this occurs because worrying often takes the form of thoughts (e.g., what if questions), rather than unpleasant images (e.g., the image of your loved one in an accident). It appears to be much less arousing to wonder whether something bad has happened than to actually picture the unwanted event. Scientists believe that one of the functions of worry is to distract the individual from frightening images, thereby actually decreasing symptoms of arousal. Although worry can be an effective way of managing fear in the short term, it can make the problem worse over time. By avoiding the frightening images, worriers never get to fully deal with their fears and realize that the bad things they are worrying about probably will not happen.
Beliefs about Worry Worry may persist because some people believe that worry is helpful to them in some way. For example, some people believe that worry helps them to prepare for things (e.g., worrying about a test will make me more likely to study) or to prevent bad things from happening (e.g., if I worry about my loved ones, they may be less likely to get into trouble). However, worry does not prevent bad things from happening or increase preparedness. In fact, worry may interfere with a persons ability to solve problems. Another factor that is associated with worry is the intolerance of uncertainty. People with GAD report being unable to tolerate not knowing what will happen in the future. As a result of this, they may worry in an attempt to predict the future and gain some control. Of course, worry does not actually help people to control the future. Finally, some people with GAD will worry not only about things in their life, but also about the worry itself. For example, some people fear that they are going crazy or will lose control when they are worrying excessively about things. As a result of these concerns, people may try and control or suppress their worry. However, trying to suppress or push away worry may actually make worry more likely to return.Effective Treatments for GAD
Causes of Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia
Biological Factors
Brain Activity brain imaging studies using a technique called positron emission tomography (PET) have shown that people with panic disorder have different amounts of activity in particular areas of the brain (especially an area known as the hippocampus), compared to people without panic disorder. The precise nature of these differences is not completely understood, and studies tend to have inconsistent results.
Neurotransmitters A number of neurotransmitters (i.e., chemical messengers that pass information from one nerve cell in the brain to the next) are thought to play a role in the development and maintenance of panic attacks and panic disorder. The neurotransmitter for which the evidence is strongest is norepinephrine. For example, substances that increase norepinephrine in the brain (e.g., inhaling carbon dioxide enriched air) have been shown to trigger panic attacks in people with panic disorder. Also, medications that act on the norepinephrine system have been found to block panic attacks. In addition to norepinephrine, other neurotransmitters that may contribute to panic disorder include serotonin and cholecystokinin.
Genetics Evidence is quite strong that panic disorder runs in families. In fact, if an individual has panic disorder, his or her immediate relatives are about three times as likely to develop panic disorder than relatives of an individual who doesnt have panic disorder. In addition, studies on identical and fraternal twins suggest that part of the reason that panic disorder is transmitted from generation to generation has to do with our genetic make up. Environmental factors, such as learning, may also contribute to the tendency for panic disorder to occur across multiple family members.
Psychological Factors
Misinterpretating Panic Symptoms People with panic disorder tend to misinterpret their physical symptoms as a sign of danger. For example, a racing heart may be misinterpreted as a signal that one is having a heart attack; dizziness may be misinterpreted as a sign that one is about to faint; feelings of unreality may be misinterpreted as a sign that one is going to lose control or go crazy. Anxiety-provoking beliefs about ones panic-related symptoms can trigger a full blown panic attack in response to symptoms that might otherwise be ignored.
Attention and Memory People with panic disorder tend to pay special attention to the physical symptoms that frighten them. For example, they may scan their bodies for unusual symptoms (e.g., dizziness, racing heart), and in so doing, they are more likely to notice these feelings than other people. Individuals with panic disorder are also more likely to remember information that is consistent with their panic-related beliefs than are people without panic disorder. For example, they may recall stories about young athletes who experienced a heart attack while exercising and use this information as evidence that exercise is dangerous.
Life Experiences Life stress puts people at risk for developing panic attacks and panic disorder. During stressful periods (e.g., work stress, marital problems, health problems, exams at school), people with panic disorder often report more frequent and intense panic attacks. In addition, many people with panic disorder report that their panic attacks began following a period of life stress (e.g., divorce, unemployment, graduation, etc.).
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