Anxiety, can it be passed forward? For example, from parents to children? Can anxiety be learned or is it rather something biological? An anxiety disorder is a response to an unrealistic anxiety, in which case the person is often aware that his anxiety is unrealistic. Despite the anxiety response not being needed, it is still difficult to say where the anxiety comes from, why you respond in such a way and, most of all, how you can break out of the vicious circle of an anxiety disorder.

Anxiety disorder? Passing forward an anxiety disorder?

An anxiety disorder can really be "passed forward". This doesn't mean that, because your friend is scared of spiders, you will also develop such a fear. In many cases we consider a major response of an influential person early on in your life. For example, if your mother has a severe and scared response to loud noises, it might be that this is part of what lies at the basis of a later anxiety disorder when it comes to loud noises in the child's case. We can thus learn anxiety. The responses of "models" or influential people can early on be saved in the brain, so that the brain can respond anxiously even years later if you find yourself in the same situation as you did that one time. Do note! This of course does not mean that there are no other factors at play or that the parents are to blame for the anxiety disorder of their child. An anxiety disorder is often caused by a combination of many factors. These factors can both be biological and caused by surroundings. It can be useful to know the causes of your anxiety disorder, in order to deal with it. You can namely use these causes in order to understand your anxiety disorder more thoroughly, which can help you to gain control over your anxiety and prevent relapse.

Anxiety disorder? How do you treat an anxiety disorder?

From research it is shown that one of the most effective ways to treat an anxiety disorder is therapy, especially cognitive behavioral therapy. In this type of therapy you learn to challenge your fear and to break through unrealistic anxiety schemes, in order to reduce the psychological and physical responses to fear bit by bit. 15 Minutes 4 Me is an online self-help program, developed by doctors and psychologists, which is based on these therapeutic techniques in order to support you from your home, on a daily basis, in treating your anxiety disorder. The program contains informational videos regarding anxiety disorders, relaxation exercises and personal support in the treatment of your anxiety disorder. Would you like to know to what extent anxiety/your anxiety disorder affects your daily life? Then take the free online anxiety test here!