Genetic,

You are exactly right - the illness is a combination of genetic and upbringing factors. Often the genetic factors create a vulnerability that later can be exploited by abusive upbringing to produce a florid disease. But some people get the disease through genetics in pure form. For instance, my older daughter exhibits some signs of bipolar and who knows, might go on to develop the disease (with manic prevalence, not depression), and she has never been abused but rather enjoyed a wonderful childhood (see my post about her father above). It is not just her father who contributed - when they were little, I was a good mom, before my disease really reared its ugly head, and she was, for instance, breastfed until she stopped herself - she was not forcefully weaned. So no abuse whatsoever, yet she might by symptomatic.

PS I said I would not respond to your posts, but since I am agreeing with you, I decided to make an exception.