How many of you have a relative who's experienced severe depression? My Dad's mom had bipolar and was hospitalized for severe depression numerous times. I remind myself of this when I start to wonder if I'm someone who just can't get it together, that there's a hereditary, biological component to my depression.

[gayleggg]

My dad showed signs of depression and his mother showed signs of bipolar disorder but neither were ever diagnosed. I believe that it is a result of heredity that I am bipolar.

[skyxblue]

My mom was diagnosed with depression before any of my problems were diagnosed. Some family members arent dignosed but I see some signs. I really think heredity plays a big part of me being borderline. Not all but a big part.

[TheOriginalMe]

My maternal grandmother showed signs of depression and was agoraphobic and suffered panic attacks, none of which was ever diagnosed. My paternal aunt was hospitalised for depression. My T thinks my depression is situational, I can see why she would think that as I didn't have a great time when I was a kid, but I don't know why she is so dismissive of the family history of depression.

I know the scientists are working on genetic testing for mental illnesses (I think they are pretty close for developing a test for bipolar). I can't decide whether I would want to know if I have a genetic predispostion or not. To me it seems like a lose - lose situation. Either I'm depressed because of my genes and there is nothing much that can be done to get me better or I've got no excuse for my illness and I should just pull my socks up. Maybe it is that frame of mind that my T wants to avoid by concentrating on the situational rather than the inherited aspects.

[Bernard54]

My mother was treated for severe depression. She also had some sort of anxiety disorder. Her father, my grandfather, definitely showed signs of depression. Her aunt was hospitalized numerous times for schizophrenia.

Depression is in my family. My grandfather was suicidal and sought treatment on multiple occasions when he was younger and then married. I know there's more relatives on that side of the family with depression too. Now, all family on the 1 side are treated for depression - my mom and her siblings. Myself and my siblings all have depression. We all have young kids (2-6 yrs) and I worry for my son's future. And if he's like me, it started early and went years without being notice. It makes me sad if he's inherited this from me.

[shabur]

There is a hereditary component. All the women on my mother's side of the family have/had different forms of depression, although none will admit to it. I had never shared with my mother what was going on with me until 8 years after I was diagnosed. It wasn't that I was denying it, I just didn't have any relationship with my mother.
My psychiatrist talked me into telling her and when I did, with my psychiatrist, I mentioned it was hereditary. My mother's response was classic mom... "you didn't get that from me. My mother and sister are bipolar, but I'm fine." Yeah, right.

[Fuzzybear]