Is Bipolar Disorder genetic?

Question

I was just told by my sons father that he is bipolar and i was wondering if it is genetic at all.

Answer 1

As a retired mental health practitioner of 20+ years experience, let me give you a few tips here. First: Make sure of the diagnosis of your child's father. Misdiagnosis, particularly of Bi-Polar disorders or other affective disorders, is rampant, and damaging. Get the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, which ever version they're using now, (e.g., IV, IV-R, V, or whatever) and read the specifics of that diagnosis. You may have trouble due to some of the technical jargon, but I think it's pretty readable by anyone who can read. Secondly, I have seen abhorrent diagnoses in the affective disorder realm, as well as in other areas, so learning something about the diagnostician is equally as important. I can promise you that many organizations hire people who are totally incompetent in diagnosing, and let them do evaluations and diagnoses anyway in order to process patients and collect Social Security Disability payments for their doctors and hospitals, etc., and are just about good for a malpractice suit for the quality of the diagnosticians. The psychiatrists themselves are not alway "on-the-ball", even though they can't imagine such, so, do what you can to be as sure as you can about the accuracy of the diagnosis. Thirdly, make sure you know how much alcohol or other drugs the "patient" is taking, regardless of what you think you already know. You'd be surprised what you find out, and many clinicians don't want to delve into that area and so they don't really do a good evaluation, and then diagnose anyway, and the area of subtance abuse or addiction is extremely important in mental health diagnoses. Finally, I cannot remember, in all my years of practice, of having any "hand-me-down" cases of bipolar diagnoses. That's not to say they don't exist, but it is to say that I've had lot's of clients with affective disorders and not one of them had any significant family history of same. I can say that my experience doesn't preclude such, and I do believe that, to some extent, that is possible, but I'd not let that possibility keep me up at night. Just attend to your family's overall "functionality" or "dysfunctionality", and you'll do fine. And keep alcohol and other drugs well under control. God Bless you.

Answer 2

Genetics play an important role in most mental health problems, but so does environmental conditions, brain abnormalities and the way chemicals are manufactured and used in the brain. Bipolar is one with a rather strong genetic relationship. A child with a bipolar parent stands a good chance of developing the disorder, but there is no guarantee of it. It can also be passed from earlier relatives (ie. grandparent, great-grandparent, and so on). Studies of identical twins has shown that if one has the disorder the odds are very good the the other will also. Again not 100%

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Sincerely,
Terry

Answer 3

That's a TOUGH one. My Mom is, and it is held, that SHE became bipolar after her miscarriage. Dad said she was perfectly normal before it all happened. There's a lot of good info on the internet about it. ry Googling it if you would like to know for certain.

Answer 4

Yes, my best friends brother had it, she has 3 boys, all have bipolar. You have some great resources here.

Answer 5

Absolutely! My son's doc told me so. You see, my son has been diagnosed with Adhd, but the doc also believes he is bi-polar, and he continues to ask if anyone in the family at all has been diagnosed with it. But no one in mine or my hubby's family has ever went to be tested, so we are unsure.

Answer 6

Yup its genetic.....yes indeed. I am bipolar - so was my father.

Answer 7

Yes, there is definitely a genetic piece to it.

Answer 8

yes it can be . I'm bi polar and both of my girls are bi polar and two of their sons are bi polar you have a greater chance of being bi polar if any of your close relatives have it and the chances go up with the more relatives you have that have it good luck

Answer 9

yes it is, my daughter is bi polar her mother is, it usually affects the female gender, but in rare cases the male gender.

Answer 10

yes