Page 44 - Healthy (March - April 2020)

theCLINIC

CASE STUDY
Parental responses ‘If a parent is anxious, a child may
model this,’ says Dr Arroll. ‘There’s also a phenomenon “My parents’ experiences
known as information transfer, where parents communicate
lessons on safety, harm and wellbeing that can contribute to led to my social phobia”
a child’s fears and anxieties – for example, telling them not Jo*, 44, explains how she’s certain that her parents’
to talk to strangers may unknowingly reinforce a child’s traumatic backgrounds influenced her own anxieties
anxious responses and behaviours. Modelling can also be
“bottom-up”, where parents begin to model their child’s ‘My parents both have troubled histories as their families were
anxiety, and this can in turn create a loop, whereby anxious persecuted in Uganda in the 1970s, under the dictator Idi
behaviours become common within the family unit.’
Amin. Growing up in England, although we were secure and
had a good life, I remember them being on edge. They taught
EVOLUTION OF WORRY me the world was not a safe place. I was anxious even as a
The latest thinking, however, points to the idea that phobias child, and had sleep problems – I’d have terrible nightmares.
run far deeper. For evolutionary psychologist Professor Lance In my teens, the real problems started. I was bullied at school
Workman, there’s no doubt our ancestral heritage plays a role, and came to fear being in groups. I dropped out of uni after
building certain fears into us. ‘Think about animal phobias,’ he three weeks and my world grew smaller – I lived with my
says. ‘When you consider that most of our evolutionary history parents and couldn’t work as I hated meeting new people.
occurred in equatorial Africa, where you can encounter I thought it was just the way I was, until I read about social
poisonous snakes and spiders, it made sense for our ancestors phobia and realised I ticked the boxes. That was the first step.
to fear and avoid such creatures. It’s often said phobias are I started having CBT, and improved to the point of being able
learned, but such learning is channelled. That is, we’re more to take a college course and start work in an accountancy
likely to learn some things rather than others. For example, firm. I’m not completely cured – I still struggle in groups and
today it would make more sense for us to learn to fear electrical get fearful in unfamiliar situations – but I can overcome it, up
appliances than spiders, but we don’t. We simply don’t have to a point. Although my parents don’t have a social phobia like
an evolutionary history of dealing with electrical appliances.’ me, I think their understandable fears set me up to develop it.’
Further evidence that our phobias are built-in comes
from the ages at
which they tend to “SOME PHOBIAS DEVELOP
develop, adds Prof
Workman. ‘For AT CERTAIN STAGES.
example, toddlers, ANIMAL FEARS COMMONLY there is research to suggest that these epigenetic changes
who are dependent may have an efect on the psyche. Emory University School
on their parents APPEAR AT AGES THREE TO of Medicine in Atlanta, USA, found trauma can be embedded
to protect them SIX. SOCIAL PHOBIAS OFTEN in DNA. This suggests that if your ancestor had an
from predators, experience involving crowds of people, say, that fear could
tend not to develop DEVELOP DURING THE become encoded in their genes.
animal phobias, TEENAGE YEARS” But the research is in its infancy and critics point out
but they do become that most of it has been carried out in animals and can’t be
especially anxious when they are away from their parents. assumed true for humans. While there’s no doubt about the
‘Between the ages of three and six, however, animal fears genetic and evolutionary role in phobias and anxiety, Prof
most commonly appear. This makes sense as, at this age, Workman is unconvinced about the epigenetic factor. ‘We
a child will become more mobile, so more likely to be further are more likely to have fears passed on by our parents, by
away from their parents and to encounter dangerous observing their reactions to stimuli,’ he says.
animals. When they reach their teenage years, they’re more
likely to develop social phobias about their behaviour around TREATING YOUR FEARS
peers. Again this makes sense, as being ostracised from the Given their complex roots, it’s no wonder phobias can be
group could have severe consequences.’ Most of us grow out hard to treat. Dr Arroll stresses the importance of seeking
of such fears – or at least they lose intensity. ‘But if you had help. ‘You’re unlikely to be able to manage a true phobia
particularly frightening experiences during these stages, you on your own, and may develop more avoidance strategies,
may develop a phobia and retain that into adult life.’ which can make it worse.’ But there is treatment available. *Name has been changed. Words Charlotte Haigh. Photographs Stocksy
Emerging research suggests an ‘epigenetic’ factor – in ‘There is clear evidence that CBT – cognitive behavioural
other words, if your parents or other ancestors went through therapy – can reduce the severity of a speciic phobia,’ says
a traumatic experience, it could have left a sort of chemical Prof Workman. ‘CBT is a form of talking therapy which
watermark on their genes, which is passed down through the considers our thoughts, beliefs and behaviours and can
generations. The genes don’t mutate, but the way they’re teach us new coping skills which alter these over a number
expressed changes. One study looked at the records of sons of sessions. A phobia may not be completely cured, but over
of prisoners of war abused in the American Civil War and 50 per cent show a noticeable improvement. That may be
found they were likely to die earlier than their peers. And enough to change the way you live your life.’

44 healthy-magazine.co.uk