Is it possible for some of your dad’s bipolar mania to rub off on you?

Question

I'm starting to get some of the symptoms my dad had every time he went into a manic episode.

- Extreme anger
- Lack of remorse
- Apathy
- Intensity
- Plotting to kill people
- Doing stuff in public like turning around and putting my finger out to drivers who would piss me off who wouldn't let my though
- Extreme charisma
- Shouting at people in public for no reason etc...

Ever since I was born my dad has had manic episodes at differenced years throughout my life. He would be a normal guy for the next year or two, and the episodes would only occur in the summer, when my family would go on holiday to some other country and once the episode kicked off the only thing we would think about would be trying to get out of there and get away. So every couple of summers, the episode would kick off, my dad would turn into the Jack Nicholson character from the shinning for 3 months. A lot of doors were smashed down. I think I'm turning into my dad. For some reason the stupid doctors haven’t diagnosed me with anything – What disorder do I have. What do I do?

Answer 1

There are strong indications that some kinds of bi-polar symptomology can be genetic. You may well have the same condition. You should probably see a trained professional to find out the cause - sometimes, I believe, it can actually be caused by situational issues. There is a genetic component to it, however, in virtually all cases, and where that's the case, there is effective medication for quelling the symptoms to a more tolerable level without turning you into a zombie or stifling the creative impulses associated with the manic phase (most bi-polars tend to value the creativity and exuberance associated with the ups, it's the downs that turn killer).

Even so, everyone has issues - we all have problems carried over from life, often childhood, and we all could stand a bit of assistance resolving them. For a bi-polar person, the emotional strain of even the mildest issue can be magnified dozens of times. So even if you don't have any issues that seem so "serious" on the surface, you should probably seek counselling of a sort just for that, at least if you actually do end up being bi-polar to any degree.

Good luck. :-)

Answer 2

Psychological disporders can be genetic. You need to be "aggressive", insist on seeing a psychologist, take a list of what you are experiencing and document what you experienced from your dad. In the mean time you can self enroll yourself in an anger managment class and see if you can help control the symptoms on your own. If your doc won't get you a referral speak with the patient advocate for your clinic or hospital and your insurance company. They can probably help you with a self referral for evaluation. Good luck, I hope everything works out for you. I'm not a doc so I can't diagnose you but it sounds like you might be manic or bipolar.

Answer 3

Assuming you're incorporating hypomanic and mixed-manic episodes into your definition of mania, the answer is: to a degree, yes. A family history of mania/bipolar disorder and depressive episodes occurring under the age of 25, acutely, that are characterized by psychotic features, psychomotor retardation, hyperphagia, and hypersomnia make bipolar disorder far more likely.

Answer 4

It can be inheritable, or "nature vs. nurture" and you get it by environment as well as genes. I hope he has proper medication and keeps it under control. If you are worried, you could be evaluated for it too, or you could stay aware to keep your emotions in check. Try different doctors if yours aren't listening to you.

Answer 5

Rubbing off?.....it's more than rubbed in..it's in your genes! You bipolar as the day is long.

Answer 6

possibly.......my aunt is a psycho-maniac....well, she will be nice and sweet one minute and then the next she just turns into a "Medusa" kinda lady....