Is manic depression hereditry?

Question

my partners mother had manic depression for 20 years prior to her death. Is this illness hereditry?

Answer 1

technically no.

Genetically you can be more SUSCEPTABLE to depression, but its having depressing thoughts that get you depressed.

Also it is normal to model some of our behaviours, habits and patterns on our role models from earlier in our lives.

The key here is to change the way of thinking from having depressive thoughts to more positive ones.

I work as a clinical hypnotherapist and have treated many "manic depressives" some of whom were continuing the family pattern of depression. I'm not a miracle worker but but my success is down to the fact that I work on the assumption that anyone can achieve anything if they want to. The key to success was to convey the idea that they were not "suffering" from depression (helpless - victim mentality), but they were depressing themselves with the thoughts they would have.

Take responsability and own the problem. That give the person infinately more control over the situation and opens the door for real transformational change.

P.s. Anti depressants are not the answer either, they take away the capacity to experience extreme happiness which in itself is a "cure" for a depressive state. It numbs the brain effectively by changng the natural neuro-chemical balance to an artifical one.

I hope I have provided some kind of help to you.

Good luck

Answer 2

all my readings have led me to believe that it does run in families but I think, down the road, it will be seen to be so because we learn how to act and react from the behaviors we see modeled around us... we can develop a way of thinking that's disrupted and that results in behaviors that can be disruptive to life flow... I truly think it is more that than heredity...

if that is indeed shown to be the case, then all the children of parents with mental health issues would be affected, you might counter... to answer that, not every child has the same sensitivity... disposition... some have a thicker skin, are not as impressionable as others... some subconsciously fight hard against the negative impact and some just go with the flow and pick up the maladaptive behaviors

learn about the diagnosis and its warning signs, the self-tests... learn about it and you will be able to address any early symptoms, should they arise, before they become debilitating

best of luck with this

WHOA!! after I hit submit, I read the other contributions... I can't be way off track... so many folks touched on the same notions... feels good! Rock on, fellow journeymen! :-D

Answer 3

The gene is there but, perhaps dormant. I have known
families that the whole lot go for the ride. Also others
that only one member was inflicted. This holds true for
both manic depression and bi-polar disorders.

Answer 4

Yes, your partner is more likely than the average person to get the disease, if that is what you are really asking, but it is still unlikely s/he will get it. There is reliable information about this on Wikipedia. If s/he has some suspicious signs of mental disorder, try contacting clinics or high-risk projects that specialise in the early diagnosis of MD.

Answer 5

There is no proof that says it is but I think there is a link. If either parent suffers you often find that one or all of the children are affected. Whether its heridatory or passed through as an effect of the childs upbringing by a depressed parent - who knows ??

Answer 6

good q.
i dont believe we are born depressed but growing up with someone who is depressed can have a major, major impact, especially in your partners case. It may be learned behaviour, subconciously enacted .
If she was happy prior to the 20y b4 her death then the dep. was triggered by another factor and is not heredetary.

Answer 7

Eliminate Social Anxiety Shyness : http://SocialAnxiety.uzaev.com/?TFHY

Answer 8

Yes it can be genetic. In my family my great grandfather had it, my cousin has it, also my second cousin and myself all on the paternal side. To decrease the likelihood of any impending children having it, keep their stress level as low as possible, as this is one thing that can trigger it.

Answer 9

Its not hereditry, but it runs in families.

Answer 10

There is a lot of evidence that bi-polar is hereditary, but also treatacle with medication. Read this article, it's a very sad story of a beautiful girl I used to know. and from it you will see http://www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,,1757728,00.html