passing anxiety on to kids

[Meewah]

Fascinating thread. I too have had these worries. I am a 45 year Old male and worry that my sons will become anxious like me. I suppose I treat them differently to someone without anxiety. My eldest son has had shakey hands since been young and he is very aware of it. I was at that age also. I sometimes wonder if it would be better to explain I suffer from chronic anxiety then he would know that my behaviour is not normal for a father and he can stop using me as a role model?

Not sure so have left it.
Mee

[HalfJack]

I think if you're honest and open about it and aim for positivity then no one can ask any more of you

[MyNameIsTerry]

Medical science doesn't yet know why we get anxiety disorders other than the obvious types such as PTSD but the NHS have posted some possible ways that a social anxiety disorder can form based on early life.

Have you thought of checking your parenting against that to ensure you don't enable it?

There is nothing wrong with having that discussion, in fact it might help him...we kids tend to pick up on our parents behaviour but won't say anything so maybe he will be glad for the conversation?

Prevention is definately better than cure in my book for anxiety, we never want our loved ones to suffer what we have.

If it's of any beneift to anyone, I can trace some of my OCD rituals back to my dad because they are what he does. For instance, he does double check windows, doors, light switches, etc so when my OCD developed about 4 years after my GAD, I started doing some of this. Thinking back, I did double check a fair bit which is likely because I saw my dad do it.

[Yossino]

With nature (genetics) a varied family history of mental illness can seem a bit like genetic russian roulette. This isn't only with anxiety but other issues. I have depression, bipolar, anxiety, alcoholism, OCD and even schizophrenia in the history. Lucky me. I'd much prefer my anxiety to schizophrenia.

In terms of nurture (experience) I really think it's mostly about abuse. That's a sure ticket to mental infirmities. In terms of learned things, that's the kicker. That's what I really don't know. I assume it can have an effect, but do I think it really cause it completely on it's own? I'd wager not a high chance.

A sheltered life, without a family history of mental illness, even with a mother who has anxiety. I think the chances would be less considering the alternative conditions. However anxiety is inherent to all humans, and not just us, but any animal with (probably) a multilayered brain. Although I've seen even insects that panic and freeze and/or run away. It's because we all fear death. Depends on how much we dwell on it. Death isn't the only reason we panic but it mostly is. Regardless of what you believe we know death isn't good. It isn't desired.


THEN AGAIN, I like to overthink things. So ya.

[marlowe78]

I am a third-generation anxiety case. My mother and her mother, both of whom I am close to, have experienced panic attacks through most of their adult lives. In a twisted kind of way, I'm fortunate enough to have people close to me who understand what I'm going through. Their symptoms have been exactly the same as mine. I also had a great-grandmother who probably had PTSD from losing her husband and was depressed for years.