mental health ?

[anneasquith]

a mental health q. if both parents are bi-polar. what is the likelihood of the child developing the condition ? TIA

[starone]

He or she might escape altogether. For instance, my father and all his siblings, and his mother, had diabetes. My sister has it and so have several cousins. I have escaped it (thank goodness). It is in the lap of the gods, as the saying goes. However, anne, as I think you must already know, the chances of inheriting a disease or disablement is much greater if it is on both sides of the family.

[anneasquith]

thanks star. the girl in question told me she was told she had an 80% chance of developing bi-polar in the future, i just wondered if that seemed quite high.

[evedawn]

I don't know what the "odds" are but as I
Too have 2 direct family members and one indirect family member with schizophrenia it scares the ****outa me! I feel
Like I'm
A walking time bomb ... It's a horrid illness:( (ps - to date my mental health is 100% and I'm fine)

[starone]

Keep going eve and enjoy your life. Time enough to worry when and if it happens.

[evedawn]

I "logically"think I'll ALWAYS be fine (really no warning signs saying that wsy inclined) but "subconsciously" the fear is there. ThaNks tho Starbuck :)

[cathfromsaron]

surely depends if the bi-polar was caused by a trauma in each case, rather than an hereditary element!

hypothetically, anyone can get anything, and remember counselling and medication can do a lot for you if you do get something!

cath x

[anneasquith]

the bi-polar was not caused by trauma, as far as i know.

[cathfromsaron]

or drugs?

[anneasquith]

dont think so cath.

[cathfromsaron]

lifestyle and awareness play a huge part!

and experiencing it isn't 'failing'! with acceptance of immediate and supportive help, any person can lead a perfectly normal life!

ignorance and neglect could lead to people suffering unnecessarily in the old days, which is the image you fear, i think!

cath x


cath x

[Sqad]

The cause of bipolar is unknown but the association of hereditary and genetic factors are becoming more and more obvious.

One survey from a well respected source showed that just under 1% of the population will develop bipolar.

If two parents have the disorder. then the chances of the siblings developing the disorder is of the magnitude of 50-75%

Make of those figures what you will as the development of bipolar is still ill understood.

[anneasquith]

thanks sqad :)