Hereditary HA, anyone?

[blueangel]

Hi all

I've been wondering about this one for a while and I'd be really interested to know if any of you think that there might be a hereditary component to your HA.

I didn't know my dad that well, as he was diagnosed with MS when I was 2, and died when I was 7, but I remember being told by my mother (who, admittedly, didn't get on with him very well!) that he was a "hypochondriac". Obviously, at that age I didn't know what it meant and didn't really take any notice.

With that comment in mind, and one or two others that she made about him always thinking the worst when there was anything wrong with him = he had HA (I reckon)

Now, I obviously didn't get the opportunity to "learn" this from my dad, as he simply wasn't around enough to transfer any of this behaviour to me. I suspect also that my mother was pretty anxious as a personality type, but I think she had learnt to cover it up well and didn't really talk about it at all.

But, from somewhere or other, I have horrendous HA and have had it for most of my life, and I'm convinced that in my case at least, it's some sort of hereditary tendency that I've had very little control of.

Does HA run in anybody else's family? I'd love to know other people's views. Are you the only one in your family? Do you think you "learnt" it from a parent/relative? or do you think it's hardwired into your DNA?

[randomworry]

hi blueangel i will have to disagree it cant be hardwired it is just being pessimistic really altough it seems like we cant stop it. I mean other people worry about health too but they dont get as pessimistic insisting that it is definitely cancer for example!

they are more like it might be cancer but its unlikely so i wont stress until they say it is!
if you get what i mean

so what i am saying is you can change

[randomworry]

wots your worry anyway blueangel??

[lollypopgirl1981]

hi blueangel, funny you asked that because, i wondered that as well and found out my nan was when she was in her twentys a hypochondriac but not my mum and dad so i think there could be.....so ill blame her lol..

[LaurenMay]

hi Blueangel,

My mum suffers with HA, its a lot lot better now than 15-20 years ago. This is where i believe my behaviour came from. My brothers also suffer but not quite as bad as me.

I went to hypnotherapy and had to remember the last time i felt as scared as when i have a panic attack and i went back to being 5 and seeing my mum on couch screaming that she was going to die.

Now at 5 years old i didnt understand why she felt like that still did up to the age of 21 - she looked fine, wasnt in pain or anything. But as soon as my HA grew i understood. I believe my behaviour stems from my mum (she is apologetic!!). So have accepted this is the case and its helped me move on. Just blame your folks LOL!

Just to let you know that my mum, unless severly stressed, does not have a panic attack and hasnt for 10 years. It is about acceptance and learning to live with this awful mental block!

Hope my post helps.xx

[Brunette]

I think a large component of most anxiety disorders is hereditary.

My nan had agoraphobia, my aunt has agoraphobia and after my dad retired he suffered from several months from what I now realise was globus hystericus.

But because a certain set of preconditions have been "punched in" by default it doesn't mean they can't be changed. I am the lucky one in my family - because I found that out and know it to be true!

[heather xx]

My Gran had HA but doesnt like to talk about it she is ashamed of it and from what i've heard from my dad she was very bad with it but shes 93 now and still going strong. She doesnt have HA anymore and the sad thing is she wants to go. When i told her about me she said it does get better when you get older she never in a million years wanted to die but she says shes ready and just waiting for the big guy (her words) to take her.

[blueangel]

hi blueangel i will have to disagree it cant be hardwired it is just being pessimistic really altough it seems like we cant stop it. I mean other people worry about health too but they dont get as pessimistic insisting that it is definitely cancer for example!

they are more like it might be cancer but its unlikely so i wont stress until they say it is!
if you get what i mean

so what i am saying is you can change

Hi there

I'm sure pessimism is a huge part of it; by the looks of things, a lot of us on here worry about our health either because we feel that we can't trust ourselves or the medical profession not to miss a vital symptom, or because in some perverse way we feel that we don't "deserve" to be happy.

I know I'm a lot better than I used to be; in my 20s particularly it was with me almost constantly. I had some counselling sessions in my mid-30s with a lady who was absolutely excellent and really insightful, and this made me a lot better. Sadly, she's not practising any more or I'd go back to her. I did try again with another counsellor about 2 1/2 years ago, but we just seemed to go round in circles and I didn't feel that I was getting enough direction, so I stopped going. Since then I've tried to manage it myself - which is OK for some of the time, but I have relapses!

[marley]

Maybe heriditary is the wrong word, as it suggests something genetic or inherited through DNA? I think a lot of anxiety can come from learned behaviours, and it's natural that it can come from within the family.

It's taught in much the same way that other types of behaviours can be garnered from one's family; how to shave, how to ride a bike. A reaction can be mimicked and copied from a parent of relative and then become ingrained.

Although I'm now recovered, my worst bout of health anxiety was triggered by living with someone who liked to point out that anything wrong with me could be deadly. Hearing the words enough can have you believe them after a while!