[crissy]

My grandfather, mother, and brother all have the disease. Should I have children?

[Rhapsody]

Hmm -

That is indeed a tough question..... but it is a question that none of us here at PC can really answer for you.

Just ask yourself.... am I ready to deal with the stress and the needs of possibly having a child with this disorder? - And, will it effect my llife and my love?

LoVe,
Rhapsody - ((( hugs )))

[Sarah116]

People with MH illness now a days we have so many good treatments people can have jobs good lives and everything and have kids , wives and husbands. So sure good luck! Just because you have a family history of MH illness should not mean the family will not go on.

[crissy]

Your right, it is a very personal decision that I have to make. I was just wondering what the chances of passing it along have been documented as. My mother has a huge family and no body else is has been diagnosed besides her, her dad and her son. Does anyone know the percentages? I don't have it, and neither does my other sibling.

[Rhapsody]

Please check out this website that answers similar questions to the ones you are asking.

LINK: http://www.schizophrenia.com/family/...ng.htm#inherit
Home Page: http://www.schizophrenia.com/

Good Luck.......

LoVe,
Rhapsody -

[Eleora]

It's a hard decision. However, just keep in mind that schizophrenics can lead very good lives, you know? If you have a child just be very observant and watchful for symptoms.

Best of luck in your decision?

[Rapunzel]

I don't know the statistics either. Remember that even if there is a strong genetic component, there are many other things that influence whether an individual will develop schizophrenia. The envronment and parenting received are important, as is each child's own resilience.

In my family, one brother is schizophrenic, and so was one of my mother's cousins (who had a daughter who is bipolar). We suspect that my father is on the autistic spectrum somewhere (possible mild asperger's). Anxiety and depression run rampant.

I have three children, and I think they are generally okay. I had children before my family was admitting to all of the mental health issues we have, so I didn't know the extent of it. In retrospect, I question whether I should have had children, but I question that as much because of what I have put them through as a parent (not that I haven't tried, but they have seen my self-destructive side, and I haven't been very emotionally available, and lately I've been a workaholic), as because of the genes that I have passed along.

It's a personal decision. I hope that you will consider all that you have to offer as a parent, and the kind of environment that you will be able to provide for your children, as well as family genetics. You might be a wonderful parent, and even if you have children with mental illness, maybe it will be okay if you are there for them in all the ways that they need you.

If you had identical twins (that have exactly the same genes) and one of them had schizophrenia there would be slightly less than a 50% chance that the other would have schizophrenia.

Yeah, it is heritable to a certain extent... But not 100%. You would be more likely to have a kid who didn't have schizophrenia than a kid who did have schizophrenia.

It must suck to have schizophrenia at times :-(
I don't mean to discount that at all...
But it isn't the end of the world.
I'm glad you are here.

I guess it is about having your illness under control with meds. And it is about having some good social supports or people who can help you look after your kid if you have a bit of a hard time of it.

It must be a hard decision. But yeah... If you really want to have a kid then being wanted... Will provide a good foundation for that kid that some people weren't blessed with (but still they turned out okay).