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View Poll Results: who thinks SA is inherited?
yes, heredity does play a part in SA 14 32.56%
no- it's due to our individual experiences. 11 25.58%
partially,, or in some cases. 18 41.86%
Voters: 43. You may not vote on this poll

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  #1  
Old 27th January 2012, 18:42
mhealer3 mhealer3 is offline
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Red face does anyone else think their SA is inherited?

bad family dynamics or parents with mental problems/alcohol abuse??

i strongly believe problems get 'passed down' to us,
--whether knowingly or not.

only since i'm older have i been able to see the 'whole-life' patterns that
trace from unmet needs, & fears from childhood.

my own parents had terrible childhoods, so i guess
they were doing the best they could for me, but it was still terrible.

i think there was improvement though, over how they were raised.
& even more improvement in each passing generation....

but it would have helped me a lot-- as a kid-- to be told that
mom/dad were struggling to overcome their own 'junk',

it would have helped 2 know that the way we lived
was not because they hated me,

but because they were flawed people still in their own pain.

i wish they would have gotten help though, seen a professional.
(preferably before us kids came along),
but even whole-family counseling would have
spared me a lot of the confusion & shame i grew up into.

hurting people hurt people.
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  #2  
Old 27th January 2012, 19:51
Mr. Spaceman Mr. Spaceman is offline
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Default Re: does anyone else think their SA is inherited?

Looking back I can see that both of my parents had anxiety issues. My mum being a generally very anxious person though not neccessarily SA, my dad definitely SA and OCD. My mum has told me how my dad would hide in the bedroom when she had friends round and also that he would cry in the morning because he couldn't face going into work. This is my own amateur diagnosis of them, neither of them has ever acknowledged their problems or sought help, though this was the 70s and 80s and I guess mental health issues weren't as well understood back then.

There was no understanding of each other either. Growing up there was it seemed constant arguing and fighting and I cannot remember ever seeing them being nice or affectionate to each other and I'm sure this has given me a warped view of male/female relationships and made me fearful of them (Never even been in a relationship myself). They divorced when I was 13 and have not spoken to each other since.

So I never really stood a chance did I? I should say that they have both mellowed a lot as they've got older (they are both in their 60s now and I still see them both).
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  #3  
Old 27th January 2012, 20:02
vjplum vjplum is offline
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Default Re: does anyone else think their SA is inherited?

In my case its not hereditary so I voted no.
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  #4  
Old 27th January 2012, 20:06
TommyGun TommyGun is offline
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Default Re: does anyone else think their SA is inherited?

My mum is a very anxious person,plus I've had a tough time so bit of nature and nurture for me.

I voted yes.
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  #5  
Old 27th January 2012, 21:28
Duke of Prunes Duke of Prunes is offline
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Default Re: does anyone else think their SA is inherited?

Not SA in particular, but the dopaminergic defects behind it could very well be.
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  #6  
Old 27th January 2012, 22:11
Ben1981 Ben1981 is offline
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Default Re: does anyone else think their SA is inherited?

I voted no. Neither of my parents are social people and prefer their own company most of the time. But I wouldnt call either of them SA so cant blame them for the way I am. I think its mainly down to problems in my childhood that resulted in me being like this.
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  #7  
Old 27th January 2012, 23:03
waine waine is offline
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Default Re: does anyone else think their SA is inherited?

ive had it since age 8, just came on all of a sudden after my grandfather died the trigger though apparently i didnt know him well. but had image of seeing him in his grave.
my mam and dad let me come home at primary school for lunchtimes. and if anything is to go by how they behave to me now, they are overprotective, quite strict but caring.
i dont know though i mean some people never even went to school and were taught at home but dont develop social anxiety so im not sure.
my mam had trouble on the phone, my dad hated every job and was unemployed for years. my mam is dominant at home but quiet in groups. my dad never worked with the public. my mam did.
i think on my behalf i just have no confidence, never believed i could do anything.
i used to think it was a dopamine thing.
now im not so sure. i dont blame my parents. they have always looked after me im grateful to them but interestingly my brother doesnt like socialising like my parents so the characteristic traits are all there too.

but i think most crucially i dont like myself
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  #8  
Old 28th January 2012, 00:21
wjfox wjfox is offline
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Default Re: does anyone else think their SA is inherited?

There is undoubtedly a genetic aspect to it.
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  #9  
Old 28th January 2012, 00:57
schneebeli schneebeli is offline
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Default Re: does anyone else think their SA is inherited?

Quote:
Originally Posted by mhealer3
bad family dynamics or parents with mental problems/alcohol abuse??

i strongly believe problems get 'passed down' to us,
--whether knowingly or not.

only since i'm older have i been able to see the 'whole-life' patterns that
trace from unmet needs, & fears from childhood.

my own parents had terrible childhoods, so i guess
they were doing the best they could for me, but it was still terrible.

i think there was improvement though, over how they were raised.
& even more improvement in each passing generation....

but it would have helped me a lot-- as a kid-- to be told that
mom/dad were struggling to overcome their own 'junk',

it would have helped 2 know that the way we lived
was not because they hated me,

but because they were flawed people still in their own pain.

i wish they would have gotten help though, seen a professional.
(preferably before us kids came along),
but even whole-family counseling would have
spared me a lot of the confusion & shame i grew up into.

hurting people hurt people.
Good post mhealer, kind of poetic. That's definitely part of the problem that as a child you don't know what 'normal' is, so grow up thinking whatever your parents do is normal. It's only later you have the perspective to see things as they were.

My mother has issues. Her mother was abusive to her and it came as no surprise to learn her grandfather had psychologically abused her mother. At least that little family tradition will stop here (neither me nor my sister will have kids). Whether that abusive pattern was genetic or not is hard to say. I think she definitely has Paranoid Personality Disorder and also fits the profiles for 'abusive/controlling personality' (wifebeater syndrome) but I've never been sure where that stands as a clinical condition.

My Dad's family were pretty much all quiet, humble, passive people, though no mental problems I'm aware of. He does have some slightly autistic spectrum traits perhaps. I've no doubt there is a genetic component to SA, and perhaps the coming together of a bad combination of genes. But your experiences as a young child are a bigger contribution I suspect.
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  #10  
Old 28th January 2012, 02:37
Golz Golz is offline
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Default Re: does anyone else think their SA is inherited?

I'd say no, dad is social, mum isn't really that social naturally but doesn't have a problem being so, looking beyond that most of the family is fairly social. Well and upto about 10-11, I was talkative and stuff, I know that school was the ultimate influence on it for me. I'd say there's probably not one cause that all can relate too, some it can be the life they live, some it could probably be genetic, however does this lead to some differences in how easy it is to deal with and improve perhaps?
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  #11  
Old 28th January 2012, 16:40
RTAP RTAP is offline
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Default Re: does anyone else think their SA is inherited?

I think the potential might be, but not necessarily SA itself - my maternal grandfarther is very private and hard to contact, but my mother is sociable if sometimes very anxious. However I also had issues at school which I think might have had an effect and perhaps beought that genetic potential into actual reality.
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  #12  
Old 28th January 2012, 16:47
Saponara_Immobile Saponara_Immobile is offline
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Default Re: does anyone else think their SA is inherited?

My Mum has always been very shy and timid, my Dad is more on the anti-social/borderline/sociopathic (or something) side.
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  #13  
Old 28th January 2012, 19:08
sammmy sammmy is offline
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Default Re: does anyone else think their SA is inherited?

not in my case. my mum is a proper lairy woman and my dad is a matey man with loads of pals, and everyone loves my brother!
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  #14  
Old 28th January 2012, 23:14
Between The Bars Between The Bars is offline
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Default Re: does anyone else think their SA is inherited?

no- it's due to our individual experiences.

interesting thread and poll! keep it alive!
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  #15  
Old 29th January 2012, 00:49
failquail failquail is offline
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Default Re: does anyone else think their SA is inherited?

I'm either: 'no' or 'possibly some effect'

me and my brother were brought up exactly the same, he's quite confident, i'm a shy mess that is only approaching normal after over a decade after realizing i had something like SA at ~12yo ...

My parents show no sign of SA, neither did my grandparents as far as i know...

I have quite a large family and i've seen no evidence of SA in any other relative so far.

It might be also genetically transferred, but in my case at least it seems it can come 'out of the blue' as it were.
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  #16  
Old 29th January 2012, 15:42
Mr Ploppy Mr Ploppy is offline
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Default Re: does anyone else think their SA is inherited?

Both my parents were shy and socially awkward people, they did their best while struggling with their own troubles.
Remember there really wasn't the understanding of social problems back then or the means to get the help message out there.

I blame school, social work and the acceptances of abuse by society for turning me into this, not my parents, they were victims too.
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