Is your anxiety/depression nurture or nature?

StevenFarrisOhio · Post by **StevenFarrisOhio** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 10:44 am

Well I am into my first psych class and we are talking about nurture vs. nature. What that means is are things inherited (nurture) or a result of your environment (nature). How would you all classify your anxiety or depression?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 11:33 am

I wonder if it can be a bit of both?
I've inherited some traits of anxiety, but it was certainly learned behavior that I also picked up.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:48 pm

I would have to say the same for me! My mother suffered from a lot of anxiety and depression. A mother can produce a considerable amount of cortisone when stressed and that goes into the babies brain.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:49 pm

Wow that was my 1000th post! Where are the bells and whistles?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:51 pm

and correction that is cortisol not cortisone...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 4:05 pm

Mike, I inherited mine after my father, since, my mother is a more "laid back" type of person!!!

I thought I would add my input, since, it sounds like you are doing a study or "survey" on this one!!!

I pray others respond, since, this is a very interesting topic!!!

Have a great night!!! God Bless!!!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 4:07 pm

Mike, do you think that cortisol got into my brain from my father??? I am only joking!!!! Too funny!!! God Bless!!!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 4:23 pm

Whoohoo for your 1,000th post! I passed that mark a while ago. I remember the long debates on this in my psych classes. I think my anxiety was both. I inherited the worry gene from mom and then learned how to fine tune it to perfection. lol I believe though it's possible to unlearn it through CBT, and change a lot of our brain chemistry.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 8:29 pm

Hi Steve:
Very interesting class, I'm sure.

I think that it is both in my family.
A lot of my depression was from circumstances in my life. But that was somewhat due to choices I made which may have been made due to
some depression.

So it is hard to say.

Maybe some day some one will come up with some firm answers.

But I agree with Mary that our attitudes can be changed a lot by 'education'. That is the appliation of CBT and even by spiritual means.
I became aware of ways to change my life (feelings, awareness, etc) in a 12 step program.

One of my greatest assets for getting a handle on the depression and anxiety was sharing with others, listen to others who had been down this road. I felt less isolated then. Less fearful.

This is a good subject
Good to see you back here, Steven.
MJ

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Sep 19, 2009 1:03 am

I'd say nurture more than nature. We all have the propensity and have been created to get stressed, but it's how we react to it that makes the difference and what has driven us to come to the program. Had we been taught to handle the stress when younger we wouldn't be confused and lost about our anxiety.

Everyone on the planet gets stressed, but not everyone knows how to deal with it.

Yet, the cortisol theory is interesting. Out of my three pregnancies, the middle one was the easiest and I have a very laid back middle child.

Ms. T LOL about getting the cortisol from dad.