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[Tobin S.]

This message was self-deleted by its author (Tobin S.) on Sun Jun 25, 2017, 11:28 PM. When the original post in a discussion thread is self-deleted, the entire discussion thread is automatically locked so new replies cannot be posted.

[kimbutgar]

1. Do you think it is genetic?

My late mother suffered from depression and she told me once that her grandmother also suffered from depression. My older sister also suffers from depression and takes meds to stabilize herself. I've had no problems but my son is autistic and has to take meds.

Anyone in your family suffer from depression?

[Tobin S.]

3. Yeah, my dad and his brother both have suffered from severe depression.

And, yes, there is some evidence that mental illnesses have a genetic component. There is a greater chance of developing an illness if one of your parents had one and the chance is even greater if both of your parents suffer from mental illness.

[mopinko]

2. i think that it is very largely biological.

when you see young kids showing signs, you have to wonder.
my daughter is bipolar, and she had signs very early on. she was dx'd at 14.
i am def not the world's best mom. i struggled quite a bit w my own depression. but i also am not the worst. i yelled a lot, but only a few times got mad enough to actually hit any of my kids.
my ex is also not the best dad. or the worst. he was pretty absent, career focused, and had a couple issues of his own. and he sucked as a step dad, which affected a lot of things.

i think the big link between trauma and illness is more one of resilience than direct cause and effect. for some, the ups and downs of life are just water over the dam. for others, those ups and downs are concrete shoes.
it is a bit of a gordian knot. but it is a true fact that the right meds can tease out that knot, and help people live a good life.

my ad's have kept me on a pretty even keel over the last 5 years, in spite of a very difficult patch of life.
the difference in how much bs bugs me is pretty obvious. sometimes i forget what the depths were really like. they dont make a lot of sense to me now.
i do remember them well enough to be happy to take those pills for the rest of my days.

[kimbutgar]

5. I work as a substitute teacher and just this last week I encountered two first graders who were

Depressed. One was more aggressive and the other just cried even if someone looked at him differently. These two little boys are struggling at such a young age. And there is such a lack of funding for one of the biggest problems in this country mental health. I always try to nurture those kids when I enocounter them. They become the "teachers pets" that day. But it is heart breaking to see them struggle with something out of their control.

[Ilsa]

4. I think a lot is biological, and for some people who

seem to have no MH issues, trauma can "rewire" the brain so that an event will kick off depression or anxiety that can't be cured only with talk therapy or cognitive therapy. Therapy helps, but they need medication to "kick-start" proper synapse firing or something like that. I think some people can eventually be weaned from medication, depending on the diagnosis, what transpired to create the mH isproblem, etc. I think some people are more pre-disposed to having MH issues due to biology, not just environment.

My view is simplistic, I guess, but doesn't judge the basis for requiring help with either or both types of therapy.

Am I making sense?

[kimbutgar]

6. Yes, meds and talking is the best way to teach those coping skills.

Recognizing you are depressed is a good start.

[Tobin S.]

7. Yeah, you're making sense.

I didn't mean the denigrate talk therapy in my OP if I gave that appearance. I think it can be very effective for some people. I know someone who says it radically changed her life. But I do think with severe mental illnesses you're going to have better luck with meds as at least a part of your treatment.

[Ilsa]

10. I didn't interpret your comments that way.

I agree that that more severe illnesses will likely need Rx. That's why I think certain traumas in "typical" persons may require medication to get their brains over a "hump".

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

8. Biological and hereditary

About 15 years before I was hit by a major manic/depression episode I saw my uncle (mother's brother) in a deep depression -- spending entire days in his bedroom with blinds pulled, never getting out of bed, not shaving or changing out of pajamas. Later, when it hit me I called his episode "preview of coming attractions." I vowed to always shave, shower and dress every day, no matter how late in the day I did it.

I knew something biological was wrong early on (teens), but no one believed it. Unfortunately, by the time it was diagnosed and successfully treated (meds and talk therapy) I had tried three careers (flying, law and television) whose stress didn't mix with untreated bipolar. I'm fairly well managed, but at age 67 most dreams of a career or adventure (at one time I wanted to sail around the world) have faded from memory.

I am glad I finally got treatment. Life is less interesting without the mania, but I'll trade that for the increasingly serious bouts of depression any day.

[Bayard]

9. Life-long bipolar here

I definitely think its genetic. My dad and both sisters suffered from depression. I lost my older brother and an uncle to suicide. I went that route once under extreme stress (bipolars don't handle that well at all), and spent a week in intensive care in the hospital. Not fun.

Meds saved my life. Although major stress can still, "override" them at times. I occasionally think with longing of the manic days as the Energizer Bunny--I got so much done! But I don't miss the depression side--hardly able to speak or move for days at a time.

[DeadLetterOffice]

11. Clinical social worker with panic disorder chiming in

I am a big believer in the "diathesis-stress" model of mental health -- genetic/biological predispositions that can be triggered by biologic or experiential factors into active mental health issues.

I had tried every non-medication treatment I could find for my panic disorder (I've had attacks since at least age 8), only to discover in my 40's that my adrenal system is mis-wired due to a genetic connective tissue disorder. My mother, and both my sons have the same genetic disorder, and all three also experience panic disorder.

[TexasBushwhacker]

12. Bipolar father and depressed mother

A bipolar cousin on my dad's side of the family. My maternal grandfather and his father had depression as well. My great grandfather killed himself by cutting his own throat! So yeah, I think there's a venetic component.