Genetic or environmental or something else

As I am only recently dx with BP1 forgive my ignorance.

Wondering if Bipolar/Schz/MDD is genetic, environmental or something else or both.

I feel that mine is definitely genetic it's there all 3 of the above, in all generations of my family on both sides . Its also passed down to the next generation. I feel the reason environmental comes into it is because of the illness in the first place. Family members unable to cope with illness hence environmental factors.

I am hoping to educate myself as much as possible, my dx came late I am 45yrs.

Thanks

Annmaria

I think it's both. My family exasperated my symptoms but they were already there. Now I have to learn proper ways to handle BP.

I'm of the belief it is a combination of both. I think one may have the propensity by genetics to have a mental illness but that it takes something environmental to trigger it.

My mother was definitely ill. I suspect my daughter might be BP and my son is most definitely OCD/Anxiety.

I've always heard it's a combo of both. I've heard you can have the genetic predisposition for bipolar disorder but never actually get it unless it's triggered by environmental influences. I don't know, that's just what I've heard. I think the environmental piece was big for me as I had trauma and a screwed up childhood, but I also have family history of MI, so I believe for me it's probably both.

No one in my family has a history of bipolar disorder or depression... but I'm also missing 1/4 of my family history because my mom's dad abandoned her when she was 2 or 3. We don't know much about him, except that he left to fight in the Vietnam War, got a purple heart, then disappeared after that. But, my mom neither has depression nor BP.

Even those of you who have a family history of BP, you can trace your family tree back and you'll eventually find someone who doesn't have BP. At that point, you'll be able to identify the person who "started" BP in your family tree.

In my case, I'm probably the person who starts BP in my family tree. Someone has to start it.

I certainly think there is a genetic component, but BP isn't necessarily "inherited" (which is what I think you were getting at?). BP is probably a genetic mutation, and that genetic mutation can be passed down... but that genetic mutation can also happen to anyone during gestation.

So, no matter the way you interpret it, BP by very nature is "genetic" (i.e., it's not a disorder like PTSD which is caused by a traumatic event). There will always be a genetic component.

And yes, there are definitely environmental factors involved as well, but I think those environmental factors should be interpreted as "triggers". There are plenty of people who carry recessive genes for some pretty nasty diseases and disorders, but they never actually get those diseases/disorders because nothing triggers those genetic mutations.

If BP didn't have any environmental factors and it was 100% genetic, then we would show symptoms of BP at birth. It'd be something like Down's Syndrome. But, since BP can start at any age, there is obviously a trigger involved somewhere.

hope that answers your question

No offense to anyone who has posited this, but I wonder how you can be sure of a family history of BP if they haven't been officially diagnosed?

And I wonder if pdocs do note down a family history if the person in question hasn't been officially diagnosed but the pt feels sure they have it? What do you think?

I only know for sure that my cousin has BP 1 because he was found in rags in a city claiming he was Jesus Christ, hospitalized and then diagnosed. As for the rest of my immediate family, I haven't noticed signs or symptoms, but more distant relatives I just don't know of their diagnoses, despite 'off' behaviors. So how can I, or anyone, be fully sure without an official diagnosis?

A lot of us are really aware enough to notice signs and symptoms, I know, but how can you be sure without a pdoc (a professional) having actually diagnosed BP?

My Mother BP1, her brother Schizophrenia, sister BP1, her nephew schizophrenia, other nephews autism and downs. My father schizophrenia, his sister MDD, niece downs, niece BP1 & eating disorder. My father uncle committed suicide. My mother nephews also committed suicide 2 brothers

My sister Schizoaffective, her son BP, other sister BP, her son BP, her daughter BP. Brother not dx but prob should be, his son Depression querying BP. My brother committed suicide 17yrs was know to mental health service. My 3rd sister MDD, no children officially dx????

My Son ADHD, Autism, my daughter ADD, GAD

This is the history I know.

Annmaria

I don't really know whether my family members were formally diagnosed. All I know is that there is MI generally in my background based on their behaviors. My maternal grandma was in and out of the psych hospital back in the 60s and 70s and eventually died from alcoholism. My dad was often very paranoid, anxious, and depressed, and he died from alcoholism too. My maternal uncle died from alcoholism. My mom has been on Xanax for anxiety. So I don't know a lot of the details, but it's clear to me that there are issues. My mom describes my grandma as having been happy and affectionate at times and brutally abusive at others. My dad alternated between high success in his career and total isolation. Bipolar makes sense based on what I know of them, but you're right that I don't know for sure whether there was a formal diagnosis.

I believe it's both environmental, and genetic predisposition. My dad's mom was schizophrenic, my dad's sister schizo-effective. My mom's mom postpartum depression and bipolar, and later dementia. My sister depression, my cousin bipolar 1. Another cousin bipolar. I'm bipolar 1, agoraphobic, ocd, and gad.

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I'm an identical twin and she is perfectly "normal".... I'm the only one in the family with a major depression/bipolar. Yes my parents have had short bursts of depression like everyone else does. I'm unsure tbh how you get bipolar. For me personally I think it's a chemical imbalance within me

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