These days there is a plethora of treatment options available for anxiety-sufferers, ranging from medication to counselling. In anxiety therapy, the therapists teach clients who are struggling with anxiety techniques and skills needed to help better manage those feelings. However, the sheer number of treatments available these days, combined with the vast archives of information (both true and false) available on the internet can make seeking out what treatment is best for oneself seem intimidating. After all, with so many options and answers to choose from, how can we be sure which is right for us? Moreover, what if one treatment alone isn’t enough to manage our anxiety? Does this mean there’s no help? The short answer to this question is “no.” In fact, many anxiety sufferers greatly benefit from a combination of treatment methods designed to target the sources of the anxiety as well as the symptoms.
Finding the Anxiety Treatment that Works Best for You
Unfortunately, there is no one intervention method that works as a catch-all for everyone. Because of this, searching for the right methods can be a bit more challenging than anticipated. It’s important not to neglect individual needs in favor of following a popular convention. For example, just because someone with mild anxiety was able to successfully treat their condition by meditation and eliminating caffeine from their diet doesn’t mean that someone with more moderate to severe anxiety symptoms will be affected in the same way by doing the same things. Furthermore, not benefiting from these treatment methods doesn’t mean that the person still struggling with anxiety has somehow failed or cannot be treated. The real question is what treatment method(s) will work best for them!
Genomics: A Gateway to Better Understanding Anxiety
So how can we determine what treatment or combination works best for us? The answer may lie in our genetics. Some healthcare professionals are using off-the-beaten-path means of assessing what interventions work best for certain anxiety patients. Called genomics, this method involves sequencing and analyzing our genome, thereby creating a genetic map by which we might be able to better understand disease. According to the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI): “virtually every human ailment has some basis in our genes. Until recently, doctors were able to take the study of genes, or genetics, into consideration only in cases of birth defects and a limited set of other diseases. These were conditions, such as sickle cell anemia, which have very simple, predictable inheritance patterns because each is caused by a change in a single gene.”
Scientists are now extending their research to examine the effects of the genome on our mental health as well as our physical one. This direction perhaps isn’t surprising considering that DNA is responsible for the development and direction of all activities in nearly every living organism. Mapping these DNA sequences can help generate unique, individualized genetic profiles for patients who are seeking customized treatment for their needs. Rather than following hype and faulty advice, those struggling with anxiety or any other mental health conditions can follow their own genetic makeup to discover what treatment will be most beneficial to them. Clinical psychologist, Dr. Susan Heitler explains the potential of genomics thusly: “The ‘right’ answer starts with your genes, your DNA. Your DNA provides instructions for everything. It instructs your body to optimize nutrients, balance emotional and physical bodies, protect you from foreign invaders and provide vital energy. Sometimes however glitches in the DNA code that writes these instructions creates a faulty switch in a person’s ‘software.’ When these switches are put into an unhealthy environment, the system may falter or crash.”
Finding the Faulty Switches
The truth is that we all have what Dr. Heitler would call “faulty switches.” These are what lead to disease of both the body and mind. Faulty switches are different from inherited diseases, though, as small changes in our DNA known as SNPs are actually fairly common. More than 10 million of these SNPs have been found in the human genome. Left unchecked, SNPs can cause problems in the body’s biochemistry and metabolism. These problems can, in many instances, can either result from or be exacerbated by unhealthy diet and lifestyle choices.
When we recognize our SNPs and get a better understanding of our genome, we can ultimately make more informed decisions based on what our bodies and minds truly need to be healthy. This can include anything from increasing omega-3 fatty acid intake to customizing medicating dosages to suit our unique profiles. Therapy can also help in targeting the underlying causes of our anxiety thereby reducing feelings of stress. Because of genomics, we can better understand what treatment methods will work best for us and in what measure, thereby increasing our likelihood of successful anxiety management and even recovery.
