Meet the Ancestral Dragons that Haunt Generations
By Daniel G. Amen, MD
Content updated from previous publish date.
Do you have fears or anxiousness that you can’t explain? It’s one thing to experience some form of trauma and then have anxiety related to that incident. But why do some worries seem to exist for no apparent reason? Irrational fears, anxiety, and worries are often due to Ancestral Dragons, the inner “mental dragons” that are inherited from your parents or other relatives.
With these dragons, the issues you have are in fact not your own, but rather passed down to you from your ancestors. They’re some of the sneakiest dragons of the 13 Dragons from the Past that can continue to haunt you. Unless you recognize and tame these dragons, they can run wild in your brain and ruin your life.
Irrational fears, anxiety, and worries are often due to Ancestral Dragons, the inner “mental dragons” that are inherited from your parents or other relatives.
SIGNS YOU MAY HAVE ANCESTRAL DRAGONS
Issues that can be passed down to you through your ancestors’ genes, behaviors, or cultural expectations include:- Anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Unexplainable fears
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Feeling guilty
- Feeling as though you’re a disappointment
- Prejudices
- Reluctant compliance
- Rebelliousness
HOW COMMON ARE ANCESTRAL DRAGONS AND GENERATIONAL TRAUMA?
Ancestral Dragons are far too common in our society. Through a process called epigenetics, you can inherit your ancestor’s fears, worries, or even prejudices without ever being aware of it. The anxiety or trauma is written in your genetic code. For example, children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors have a higher risk of anxiety disorders and PTSD. In a similar way, 9/11 survivors; children of the Cambodian and Rwanda genocide survivors; children of those who survived abandonment; people who have had a loved one die by suicide; anyone who has lived in a war zone; children of refugees; or those who have experienced the early death of a child, parent, or sibling often have their nervous system so deeply affected that it changes the nature of their genes to impact their offspring for generations. Research confirms the impact of generational trauma. Children of a parent struggling with PTSD are three times more likely to have PTSD themselves. Thirty percent of kids with a parent who served in Iraq or Afghanistan and developed PTSD had similar symptoms. Native American teens on reservations have the highest suicide rate in the Western Hemisphere. In some places, it is 10 to 19 times higher than other American teens and young adults, according to a 2015 article. It is as if the endless massacres against Native Americans continue. Some scholars believe generational grief is fueling the epidemic.WHAT TRIGGERS ANCESTRAL DRAGONS?
It’s often unknown what triggers the Ancestral Dragons. It can be any unconscious reminders of stressful times stored in our genes. It can be when you were the same age as a parent or grandparent when they had the original trauma. Take a look at this Amen Clinics patient, who is a prime example. She stayed in an abusive marriage for 20 years because she could never sleep alone after the age of 22. During therapy, while searching for her Ancestral Dragons, she revealed that her mother had been raped at age 22 causing terrible anxiety and insomnia. Knowing the origin of her fear of sleeping alone helped her heal and move on from the toxic relationship. Sometimes your anxiety is just not your own.ANCESTRAL DRAGONS AND GENERATIONAL TRAUMA IN THE BRAIN
Generational trauma can cause changes in the brain. In a large study in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, children of depressed parents had smaller volume in the pleasure centers of the brain, making the children more vulnerable to depression themselves. And the societal traumas keep coming. A 2020 paper in JAMA Internal Medicine suggested that the aftermath of physical distancing and COVID-19 will bring a rise in anxiety, depression, substance abuse, loneliness, and domestic violence. It is likely that global trauma will impact future generations.6 WAYS TO TAME THE ANCESTRAL DRAGONS AND GENERATIONAL TRAUMA
Ancestral trauma can affect generations, but it can be stopped with the right strategies. To tame the Ancestral Dragons:- Know your family history. Get as much detail as possible, so you will be aware of past traumas experienced by your ancestors.
- Talk to your parents, grandparents, or family historian. It can help you understand some of your own automatic reactions.
- Work to separate your ancestors’ issues from your own issues. This can help you to live in the present rather than the past. This may require professional help. If you sense Ancestral Dragons breathing fire on your emotional brain, read It Didn’t Start with You by Mark Wolynn.
- Reduce exposure to triggers. This doesn’t mean avoiding your family’s past or pretending it didn’t exist. Rather, it means you don’t have to subject yourself to painful reminders that cause you to relive the trauma over and over.
- Design a new future. Focus on creating a future for yourself that is no longer stuck in the pain of ancestral trauma. Imagine yourself living in a way that you are not weighed down by the chains of your ancestors. When you can envision this, you may break the cycle of generational trauma.
- Try somatic experiencing. This type of trauma psychotherapy involves paying close attention to your inner body sensations as a way to regulate emotions. It is similar to mindfulness practices that help you tune in to your body to achieve a desired emotional state. A mental health professional can guide you through the process more effectively.
