What, me worry?
Dollars to donuts says that yours truly carries at least a maternal copy of this allele (subscription only, sorry) but is more likely homozygous for it:
Researchers at Yale have identified a gene mutation for “rumination” — the kind of chronic worry in which people obsess over negative thoughts. It’s a variation of a gene known as BDNF that’s active in the hippocampus, an area of the brain involved in thinking and memory.
Again, I’m not a genetic determinist, but sometimes the shoe seems to fit:
…Other people use worry as a kind of magical shield — if they worry that the plane will crash, it won’t. It doesn’t, ergo, they have to worry on every flight.
Fortunately there’s an over-the-counter treatment for us BDNFers:
Practice saying or writing whatever you fear most, such as, “the plane is going to crash” or “I’m going to lose my job.” “Repeat it over and over again slowly, like a zombie, and the fear will begin to subside,” [Dr. Leahy] says. Eventually, “you’ll just get bored with it.”
Unless, of course, you have a long list of fears…
I work as an Assistant Professor in the Duke University Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy (although this site and its content are my own).
In 2007 I became the fourth subject in Harvard geneticist George Church's Personal Genome Project. As the PGP moves forward, I am chronicling the dawn of personal genomics, that is, people obtaining their genomic information for whatever reason(s) and figuring out what to do with it. I am interested in the relevant technologies and especially the attendant privacy and other ethical/legal/social issues.
This blog may also discuss some of my non-genome interests or, to paraphrase Dwight Yoakam, "Guitars, Cadillacs, hillbilly music, etc etc."
The header image comes from the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange's multimedia performance piece, "Ferocious Beauty: Genome."
January 21st, 2008 at 1:35 am
This “it’s all in your head” approach to worry has its limits. Worry can be part of recognizing reality and dealing with it. We have global warming, disinformation, huge deficits, militarization, job and economic insecurity going on as well as personal issues. The solution above is a variety of feel-good psychology aimed at numbing oneself. Another approach is facile vagaries ala Wayne Dyer. Another popular solution is putting massive numbers of people on tranquilizers. We are a Soma nation.
You are talking about compulsive worry. Constructive worry has to start with a real problem and end either with some step toward solution or a conscious decision to put aside that battle for now. Not all worry is bad.
January 21st, 2008 at 2:11 am
Oftentimes, One’s worries are purely legit and thus cannot be considered true mental or emotional issues. I have the need to entertain life’s problems, both my own and other’s who may or may not be close to me.
I tend to solve problems for others and stress over my own situations that seem to keep me riding a “rocket sled to Hell”.
January 21st, 2008 at 2:20 am
i am the same way. i think i just read a big article about myself. although i agree with most of it. it won’t help this ponder. “everbody has to die sometime, no one lives forever.” repeat that, and you might end up being really afraid.
January 21st, 2008 at 2:21 am
Hey,
It seems interesting to find our GE Wiz-Kids found the error in our genetric programme. The Woory gene. It is good that we know that we have the parental asset with us. Now It is also true that we can break this programme from working and playing havoc with our life.
I do have been worrying a lot, but few years back I learnt to deal with the worry factor. Just meditate over ur thoughts allow it come and go in mind and later you find there are no thoughts- for that to be sustained for as shor as 20 minutes a day should be possible for every one who wants to have worries controlled.
]Worry is necessary in life other wise it make a person “just there” without achievements- mean positive, but too much of every thing is bad including worry-success-growth and ultimately u find when we are at the end of life the worry continues– as to what next to do—- is it worth stretching ur worries in to the end of ur life to the grave yard? Not at all- Keep worry as a fator for postive solution and not negative problem.
The better we know about the nature/cause of worry, better it is, but we do rearey find time to brood over the cause of the worry. It is just not worth. Ask urself when worried - what will happen nest? You can find the solution- you will find an answer and the more we indulge in asking What next or So what? when presented with a worry or stress I think it will make things practical in life.
Spend some time alone, you will find u dont have things to worry.
January 21st, 2008 at 3:57 am
Geez, I am so glad to find out that my “worry” problem is genetic. I obsess over problems, situations, etc. When I’m talking to someone else about whatever it is that’s bothering me at the time I say “I need to quit harping over it.” At other times I think it’s because I have an overactive conscience, have always felt a great sense of responsability. Now that I know there’s a possible genetic connection, I just need to concentrate on minimizing the problem.
It’s been a real problem since I had a wreck in June. I can’t seem to get over the medical problems that came up after the wreck, have had many financial problems, my grown children have had problems that I have felt like I had to help with, even though financially I couldn’t afford to help, I felt a responsability to help and have put myself in debt when if I hadn’t felt like “mom should make it better” I would have just said I couldn’t afford to help. Maybe I’ll look for a “worriers anonymous” group in my area. Is there such a thing? cause I need it.