what is the chance i could pass down a mental disorder?

Question

to my future child? my parents passed down manic depressive disorder and add i have both BAD my boyfreind who DESPARATELY wants to have children and be a daddy also has bipolar disorder bad i dont ever want my child to suffer like i have and personally i dont want kids but my bf really does im not willing to leave him over this but im not willing to pass this mental disorder on to my child what should i do?!

the reason why i dont want to pass it down is beacause medications every day your a slave to it they make you drowsy shake and have really awful side effects its not a miricle pill i told my doctor to shove it when he put me on risperdale and other medications because of medications i lost an entire year of my life to be a "xanie zombie" so to speak medications are emotion blockers i wont have my child on them expetially because most of the medications are so addicting and no i dont believe in marrage we have been togeather years now we both dont believe in marrage...its just a money waist

Answer 1

Manic depressive disorder and bipolar, aren't those the same thing? I would say if you both have the same disorder chances of passing it would definitely be great.

Answer 2

First of all, I'm not sure if you were saying this or not, but manic depression and bipolar disorder are the same thing. Today the term "manic depression" is not longer used as a medical term, and bipolar is the only term that correctly describes this disorder.

So what causes bipolar disorder? Research suggests that there is more than one gene that causes bipolar disorder. Therefore, the odds that your children will inherit the "combination" of genes are less than if it was a single gene. Also, many studies on bipolar have suggested that the environment also plays a role in the development of the disorder. Studies have been done with identical twins (who have identical genes), and there are several cases where one twin becomes bipolar and the other does not. It is thought by some that if the genes are present in the child, certain circumstances in the environment can "turn on" the genes, therefore causing the disorder. Also keep in mind that bipolar disorder is very difficult to diagnose, and can often be confused with other, very similar disorders.

I would suggest talking to professionals about your odds of passing down this disorder. I would recommend a genetic counselor or a psychiatrist, as a family doctor has more of a general knowledge base and my not know a great deal about the specifics of bipolar disorder. You could also speak to a counselor with your boyfriend who can help you sort through your dilemma and find the decision that is best for you. There are also several articles out there that you could read, however they are pretty heavy and use a lot of language that may be confusing if you are not familiar with the terminology of the medical/psychology worlds.

The most important thing to remember is that just because you and your boyfriend are both bipolar DOES NOT mean that your children will be. While there is a chance, there are a lot of factors involved, and it may be a good idea to speak to someone who knows more about this and can help you sort it through. Best of luck, and I hope everything works out well for you!

Answer 3

Some disorders can be genetic. I'm not sure about depression and anxiety, but I think depression can be along with bipolar disorder. I could be wrong though.

Answer 4

The way I see it, you have two things to consider: The effect of pregnancy on you, which can be serious as you may have to go off of your medications for a time, and whether or not you are ready to deal with the mental illness of a child while dealing with yours and your husbands as well. Medication, which is improving by leaps and bounds, and psychotherapy can be VERY helpful in an individual recovering from such an illness. My suggestion would be to go through genetic counseling. Best of luck in your decision.

Answer 5

Have you spoken to him about your reasons? He should be aware of your feelings on the subject and it should be discussed like adults. You shoudl also see your doctors and talk with them about the possibility of passing on the genes. They can give you odds and from there you two can make an educated decision about whether or not this is a risk you are willing ot take. You can always adopt children should you decide you do not want to have to your own.

Good luck!

Answer 6

More than likely, your children will be bi-polar. Just try to remember that now days you can take medication to help with this disorder. If you want children you should still have them, just make sure they get checked out by a doctor for this, and if they need medication have them take it.

Answer 7

Your chances of having a baby with either one of you or your boyfriends disorder is a 50% chance is extremely hard to tell hopefully one of the 46 genes doesnt have the disorder.

Answer 8

if both of you guys hav the traits, then it is possible. but its the not the trait of the same thing. u 2 need to b tested to see what each of you have on each side of ur family. then decide. results dont come out the way u want, ask if hes ever considered adoption. that dont work, wait untill ur married to hav kids neway. yall might break up. just saying.. : )

Answer 9

Genes work in a weird way, this time they may pass along and the next they may skip a generation. So it's hard to tell.

Answer 10

first of all wait till your married.
The Meds you take for your disorder might effect the baby so you would need to talk to you ob/gyn before getting pregnant. All traits has a chance to be passed on. that's something both of you will need to talk to you MD about.