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Are Anxiety And Depression Heritable?
Question: Today I took a genetic test to try to find out of there might be a genetic predisposition that causes me not to respond to drugs to treat anxiety and depression. What is the liklihood of this? What treatment would work if this is the case?
Brief Answer:
The key lies in developing coping mechanisms
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
I have gone through your query and understand your concerns. I do not think that genetic testing is going to help. Although anxiety and depression do have genetic predisposition, it is multifactorial and multigenic. It should not be hard for you to detect whether you are prone to anxiety and depression. If you are, you are the best person to deal with it.
Adversaries are there around all of us. We need to understand that things would never go our way. The key is in acceptance of the fact. There are some who embrace the fact and fight back hard. Others, who cannot embrace the fact, go into anxiety and depression.
You are are asking about the likelihood for this. The answer lies with you. Think of it as the likelihood of failure. Failures come but are never final and permanent. The one who does not give up, ultimately wins, no matter how many failures come in the way. If you tend to give up easily, and cannot embrace failure, anxiety and depression is for you. If you are not fond of anxiety and depression, learn to fight back. If you are having problems but have the urge, psychotherapy can help.
I hope that I have been able to clarify.
Feel free to write back in case of further queries.
Regards
The key lies in developing coping mechanisms
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
I have gone through your query and understand your concerns. I do not think that genetic testing is going to help. Although anxiety and depression do have genetic predisposition, it is multifactorial and multigenic. It should not be hard for you to detect whether you are prone to anxiety and depression. If you are, you are the best person to deal with it.
Adversaries are there around all of us. We need to understand that things would never go our way. The key is in acceptance of the fact. There are some who embrace the fact and fight back hard. Others, who cannot embrace the fact, go into anxiety and depression.
You are are asking about the likelihood for this. The answer lies with you. Think of it as the likelihood of failure. Failures come but are never final and permanent. The one who does not give up, ultimately wins, no matter how many failures come in the way. If you tend to give up easily, and cannot embrace failure, anxiety and depression is for you. If you are not fond of anxiety and depression, learn to fight back. If you are having problems but have the urge, psychotherapy can help.
I hope that I have been able to clarify.
Feel free to write back in case of further queries.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Nagamani Ng
Very good advice! However, I think I may have been unclear in my question. I have suffered from anxiety and depression most of my life. Thus far I have tried 9 different medications to no avail. My psychiatrist recommended genetic testing to see if perhaps I don't or can't produce serotonin among other possible genetic conditions that might render anti depressants ineffective for me. I was wondering if you knew how common this is and if it is the case for me, what treatments might help.
thanks so much for your help!
thanks so much for your help!
Brief Answer:
Genetic testing is not frequently done, hence prevalence data lacking
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for clarifying. Indeed problems of serotonin synthesis, dopamine synthesis or deficiency of serotonin transporter are the most significant cause behind anxiety and depression. Genetic predisposition is not unlikely. I do not have exact statistical data about how common it is but it is not quite uncommon. It might be a good idea to get yourself genetically tested but the issue is that whenever we do some investigation, we do it for the sake of modification of intervention and not merely for the sake of knowing. The issue is that even if you are found to be genetically predisposed, there are no special interventions available.
The following links could be useful for you:
XXXX
XXXX
XXXX
Regards
Genetic testing is not frequently done, hence prevalence data lacking
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for clarifying. Indeed problems of serotonin synthesis, dopamine synthesis or deficiency of serotonin transporter are the most significant cause behind anxiety and depression. Genetic predisposition is not unlikely. I do not have exact statistical data about how common it is but it is not quite uncommon. It might be a good idea to get yourself genetically tested but the issue is that whenever we do some investigation, we do it for the sake of modification of intervention and not merely for the sake of knowing. The issue is that even if you are found to be genetically predisposed, there are no special interventions available.
The following links could be useful for you:
XXXX
XXXX
XXXX
Regards
Note: For detailed guidance on genetic screening consult a genetics specialist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Nagamani Ng
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