Do you worry that you worry too much? Well, it turns out this is something else you can blame on your parents. Researchers suggest that biology plays a role in “rumination,” the kind of worry in which people obsess over negative thoughts and go over the event in their mind repeatedly. A variation of the BDNF gene that is active in the hippocampus has been linked to this extreme kind of worrying. Yale scientists Lori Hilt and colleagues looked at 200 mothers and daughters and found that those who have this particular variation of BDNF were more likely to be depressed and be ruminators. In addition, being a ruminator mediated the relationship between having this gene variation and being depressed. In other words, rumination may be a pathway to depression for people with this gene variation.

But don’t worry…just because your mom is a big worrier doesn’t mean there is nothing you can do. There are ways to stop these negative thoughts and healthier ways to reflect. For example, when you find yourself ruminating, doing something distracting for a few minutes can break the cycle. Or even postponing or setting aside time during your day specifically to think about a worrisome event can help from letting it take over your life.

Relationships are a particularly difficult event to get over, especially for the ruminators. However, finding meaning in the relationship can make reflecting on the past less worrisome. What did you learn from the relationship and how can you take these lessons into future relationships? I know this might be hard but keep trying…I’m sure there is something that you learned…

Further Reading:

Hilt, L.M., Sander, L.C., Nolen-Hoeksema, S., & Simen, A.A. (2007). The BDNF Vall66Met polymorphism predicts rumination and depression differently in young adolescent girls and their mothers. Neuroscience Letters, 429, 12-16.

Saffrey, C., & Ehrenberg, M. (2007). When thinking hurts: Attachment, rumination, and post-relationship adjustment. Personal Relationships, 14, 351-368.