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Summary
Summary
Why are we the way we are? Why do some of us find it impossible to calm a quick temper or to shake anxiety? The debate has always been divided between nature and nurture, but as psychology professor Daniel P. Keating demonstrates in Born Anxious, new DNA science points to a third factor that allows us to inherit both the nature and the nurture of previous generations--with significant consequences.
Born Anxious introduces a new word into our lexicon: "methylated." It's short for "epigenetic methylation," and it offers insight into behaviors we have all observed but never understood--the boss who goes ballistic at the slightest error; the infant who can't be calmed; the husband who can't fall asleep at night. In each case, because of an exposure to environmental adversity in utero or during the first year of life, a key stress system has been welded into the "on" position by the methylation process, predisposing the child's body to excessive levels of the stress hormone cortisol. The effect: lifelong, unrelenting stress and its consequences-from school failure to nerve-wracking relationships to early death.
Early adversity happens in all levels of society but as income gaps widen, social inequality and fear of the future have become the new predators; in Born Anxious , Daniel P. Keating demonstrates how we can finally break the cycle.
Author Notes
DANIEL P. KEATING is a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan, and received his Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins. Keating has conducted research at leading North American universities; at Berlin's Max Planck Institute; and with the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, where he was a fellow for two decades and led the program in human development. He focuses on developmental differences: cognitive, social, emotional, and in physical and mental health. He resides in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Reviews (1)
Kirkus Review
New scientific evidence shows that anxiety can become embedded in a person's biology as early as in utero. As a longtime psychology professor shows, this discovery provides unprecedented insight into why some people are locked into a perpetual anxious state and how social practices can break the cycle.As a result of environmental stress very early in life, a baby's internal stress regulation system can become deregulated, resulting in a lifelong heightened state of anxiety. Relying on the results of studies in developmental psychology, neurology, epigenetics, and other fields, Keating (Psychology/Univ. of Michigan; editor: Nature and Nurture in Early Child Development, 2010, etc.) explores the causes of this biological typo, which he argues are directly linked to rising social inequality, especially in the United States. The author also posits that the consequences of a growing "stress epidemic" are myriad and profound, affecting everything from a person's ability to form meaningful relationships to their predilection for heart disease and other medical conditions. Even more alarming is evidence that suggests epigenetic changes related to stress deregulation can be passed down to subsequent generations, exacerbating its effects on society as a whole. Despite all this, Keating is not grim. Without weighing down his narrative with medical jargon, he outlines evidence-based practices to help prevent or alleviate chronic anxiety at every stage of life. He also details the stark connection between socio-economic status and overall psychological and physical healtheven if a country is considered wealthy and developedand he offers insight regarding how government policies can enact powerful change in a population's health and development. His cogent arguments add new heft to current political debates regarding social programs. Much more than just an overview of how new DNA research has enlightened our understanding of anxiety, this is an empowering guide to combating the stress epidemic. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Table of Contents
| Prologue | p. xi |
| Introduction | p. 1 |
| 1 Early Life Stress: The Biological Impact of Rising Inequality | p. 19 |
| 2 Destined to Thrive, Destined to Struggle: The Critical Period of Baby's First Year | p. 38 |
| 3 Into the Arena: The World of Peers and Schools | p. 73 |
| 4 Onto the Stage: Stress and Coping in Adolescence | p. 98 |
| 5 The Stress Tests of Adulthood: Managing Family, Work, and Relationships | p. 119 |
| 6 The Stress Epidemic: The Hidden Costs of Inequality | p. 147 |
| 7 Inequality is Not Destiny: How We Can Break the Cycle | p. 170 |
| Epilogue | p. 194 |
| Research Background: A Primer | p. 197 |
| Bibliography | p. 215 |
| Acknowledgments | p. 225 |
| Index | p. 227 |
