Is clinical depression inherited?

Answer 1

Partly yes, but it can be triggered by environmental factors as well. If you feel you are depressed, even if there isn't a history in your family, then you should get help as this isn't the only way to get it.

Answer 2

Yes, it can be.
For most people, the risk of developing depression is about 5 per cent. But certain people are probably more at risk because of their genes: if one identical twin suffers from depression there is a 60 per cent chance that the other will, too. Since identical twins share identical genes, this shows that while genes have an important influence in depression, other non-genetic (environmental) factors are involved, too. Manic depression follows a similar pattern and may have an even greater genetic component.

Answer 3

There is a genetic vulnerability to clinical depression, yes. But according to the diathesis-stress model, one needs the vulnerability and a stressful situation to develop a disorder.

Example: Identical twins both have a vulnerability for clinical depression, but say only one lives in stressful conditions. The diathesis-stree model says that the stress situated twin with develop clinical depression while the other does not.

Answer 4

Yes, depression is definitely something that can be inherited from parents/grandparents/etc. I think also that growing up with a depressed family member can lead to depression in people that are prone to it through genetics.

Answer 5

There are several people in my extended family who are or were clinically depressed so I would tend to think it can be inherited.

Answer 6

There is a probable genetic component to depression. Check webmd.com for risk factors and descriptions

Answer 7

confident. My maternal grandmother had scientific melancholy and he or she self-medicated with alcohol abuse; My aunt, mom and cousin all be stricken by scientific melancholy besides. My paternal grandparents suffered from tension/melancholy and that they self-medicated with tricky drugs. My father and his brothers all have some style of panic illness. psychological well being characteristics can truthfully be exceeded down in the process the generations.

Answer 8

It can be. there are environmental factors, like drug and alcohol use that facilitate the manifestations of general mental illnesses, but there is a large hereditary factor invloved.

Answer 9

there is a slightly greater chance of you bieng clinically depresed if your have parents who are ... especially if you live with them.

sorry part joke but part serious ;)

Answer 10

I believe it is. It is some kind of chemical imbalance. It runs deep in my family.