Posted by PhoenixGirl on December 7, 2000, at 13:23:44
Hi. I´m 22, and I would really like to have kids someday. However, there is a mental illness gene that plagues my family. My sister and I have had depression since we were 12 years old. I have had some obsessive-compulsive disorder and a great deal of generalized anxiety disorder. My mom is bipolar. My paternal grandfather died from alcoholism, and my maternal half-aunt committed suicide.
Clearly, there is a misery gene in my family. Whenever I´m in the throes of a terrible depression, I feel that I could never risk putting another person through this. For that reason, I am considering not having any children. If I had a child, and that child suffers the way I have suffered, I would feel extremely guilty. But I really want children of my own, and I´m sure my future husband will too. If a guy wanted children and/or knew of my mental illness gene, he may think twice about marrying me. Also, if I don´t have kids I will be missing out on a big part of life.
Does anybody else out there feel this torment? Please share your thoughts.
poster:PhoenixGirl
thread:3494
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20001117/msgs/3494.html