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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 19 of 19. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by B2chica on August 22, 2008, at 9:30:32
ok, i'm dropping way down right now. was down but thoughts/visuals are coming in.
how much of depression/bipolar are genetic and how much environmental?
i keep having these thoughts that when my little baby grows up she's going to attempt suicide.
its giving me heart palpitations.
i think i'm about to have a panic attack.i want to off myself just thinking of what i've done to her.
please tell me, does anyone know what are the chances of her getting depression.
as mine is pretty strong/severe whatever. and i've had it since about age 14.(not always severe, it goes in waves over the years.
HOWEVER, i also have history of abuse so i know that factors in to it. i'm hoping its a bigger factor so that she may not get it.
and is there a chance that she may not get it at all??please someone ease my mind. i keep getting these stupid intrusive visuals of her as teenager and i find her in her room...
i don't know how to stop them from coming in.please help
b2c.
Posted by Phillipa on August 22, 2008, at 12:07:46
In reply to Depression -passing it on **S. Trigger**, posted by B2chica on August 22, 2008, at 9:30:32
B2chica there is bipolar on my ex's family side and none of the others have it just some are moody or have a lot of energy. And my own kids grown have that Father and so far all are fine. I hope this eases your mind. Phillipa
Posted by SLS on August 22, 2008, at 12:28:45
In reply to Depression -passing it on **S. Trigger**, posted by B2chica on August 22, 2008, at 9:30:32
Hi.
Difficulty sleeping and anxiety are your first signs that an affective disorder will emerge. Identical twins with bipolar genes doesn't guarantee that both will get the illness. Many times, one will get it and the other not. Environment can play a role in this. Just be a good parent. Communicate with your child to determine if she is under stress. If you are attentive and not abusive, this will go a long way to reducing the psychosocial stress that can trigger the illness. Most of that is common sense, but still depends on communication. What's going on in her life? Participate.
- Scott
Posted by rskontos on August 22, 2008, at 13:54:16
In reply to Depression -passing it on **S. Trigger**, posted by B2chica on August 22, 2008, at 9:30:32
B2c, you know what I have been through and how disconnected I have been all my life. You know the type of childhood I ran from into my head. You know I have so many parts I fret I will never be whole, yet I have two beautifully intact children. One is 20, and one is almost 16. I have two distrubed parents, one was undx bipolar and pyscho and the other, my father is distant cold and never affectionate. He still isn't with my children. That is just the way he is. My mother was well a mean hard woman who had been abused herself and continued it. All that being said, I did not do that to my children. Never of them are depressed. Never of them has any issues outside normal growing pains. I worry about them and my p-doc and I have discussed it and he assures me them are fine. All my friends that know my history assure me they are fine. My daughter is a junior in college, pulling a double major with two minors with a 4.0 last semester taking 18 credit hours. She is on several administration/student boards with the university that advises activities etc for all students. I am not bragging just pointing out that someone messed up as I am can and do raise healthy children if they try to and work hard at it. It can happen. Children are resilient.
I never did to her what was done to me. Thank God. Your sweet baby will be fine. I believe in her and YOU.
rest assured all will be well.
rsk
Posted by B2chica on August 22, 2008, at 15:02:45
In reply to Re: Depression -passing it on **S. Trigger**, posted by rskontos on August 22, 2008, at 13:54:16
oh thank you RK, i so needed to hear from you. i just worry so much. and today for some reason i was really triggered, maybe because i've been so down for so long around her lately.
i just know that hugs and kisses only go so far and i dont have enough energy to be as interactive with her as i should be. thank goodness she is still young. but sometimes that makes me feel worse. these are the times that i should be giving her everything.
i pray she doesn't inherit my pain.
thanks
b2c.
Posted by Bob on August 22, 2008, at 15:08:29
In reply to Re: Depression -passing it on **S. Trigger** » B2chica, posted by SLS on August 22, 2008, at 12:28:45
> Hi.
>
> Difficulty sleeping and anxiety are your first signs that an affective disorder will emerge. Identical twins with bipolar genes doesn't guarantee that both will get the illness. Many times, one will get it and the other not. Environment can play a role in this. Just be a good parent. Communicate with your child to determine if she is under stress. If you are attentive and not abusive, this will go a long way to reducing the psychosocial stress that can trigger the illness. Most of that is common sense, but still depends on communication. What's going on in her life? Participate.
>
>
> - Scott
Looking back I would say that those two things were indeed the first signs that anything would be wrong in the future, although at that point it could never have been seen that way. I had difficulty falling asleep at times, especially in a strange environment, and I had anxiety surrounding that as well as a few other situations. Thing is, everyone has some sort of experience(s) like these and it doesn't necessarily turn into MDD or bipolar.
Posted by B2chica on August 22, 2008, at 15:32:16
In reply to Re: Depression -passing it on **S. Trigger** » SLS, posted by Bob on August 22, 2008, at 15:08:29
i remember working a job at a fast food place and i always "closed" so i wouldn't get home till about 1:30 and asleep till about 2 or later then up the next day for school.
i had no problem functioning this way.course i had my binge drinking weekends too...
Posted by Dinah on August 22, 2008, at 16:52:17
In reply to Depression -passing it on **S. Trigger**, posted by B2chica on August 22, 2008, at 9:30:32
I've always been aware of the possibility with my son. Mental illness runs on my mother's side of the family, and less severe but still serious depression runs on my father's side of the family. Both my husband and I probably qualify as having an anxiety disorder. To top it off my son is a very sensitive kid, and while that's wonderful and I am so proud of him, it does increase his chances of having problems with anxiety etc.
What we've done is just provide him with as supportive an environment as we can. His teachers and school have always been supportive as well, and whenever problems start to develop we seek the appropriate consultations. Because of that he's learning some of the CBT skills I didn't learn until I was an adult. He is really very good at using them, and manages to be pretty resilient and becoming more so every year.
You're aware of the potential and know what signs might be problematic. That puts you ahead of a lot of parents. My parents didn't have a clue of what to do.
Have you had any medication changes lately? Dropping down in mood and getting intrusive thoughts might indicate that it's time to check in with your pdoc?
Posted by stargazer2 on August 24, 2008, at 19:16:55
In reply to Depression -passing it on **S. Trigger**, posted by B2chica on August 22, 2008, at 9:30:32
That's the reason I decided to not have any kids. I didn't want to be the cause of them having depression since I have not had a year of normal functioning since I was a teenager.
My mother has "something" but of course she has never tried to figure it out ("nothing wrong with me") and since she never had to work and prove her functionality, she became a "mom" (like so nonfunctional ones) and spent years torturing her kids (had 8 no less, 2 died)and never being found out. Mostly emotional abuse but this proved to me how truly sick she was despite maintaining a public persona of some "normalcy".
Sorry I digress, but having kids, especially if you have a chronic mental condition should be thought about long and hard. Same as if you have a chronic medical problem. I still don't understand why people have to have their own kid, especially if they suffered with some condition.
It was easy for me to decide not to have kids, I just thought of all the suffering I went through and said I wouldn't wish that on my worse enemy, let alone a child I was responsible for.
Having or not having kids needs to be thought about seriously. Too many have children for the wrong reasons and then find themselves with a whole pack of them and not enough resources or time to devote to raising them.
This is my opinion and I must say I feel I am in the minority, since no matter how serious a physical or mental condition one has, very few think of adopting a child. I don't completely understand this desire to reproduce one's genetic
structure, especially when I would consider many to be defective. I admit mine has defects, not as many as some and alot less than many but for me, the thought of passing my history on was unconscionable. Too much heartbreak to see someone I knowingly created go through what for me continues to be a daily struggle.SG
Posted by socialphobic on August 26, 2008, at 7:40:16
In reply to Depression -passing it on **S. Trigger**, posted by B2chica on August 22, 2008, at 9:30:32
This is one reason why i'm never having kids. I wouldn't want to pass my depression onto them.
Posted by elanor roosevelt on August 27, 2008, at 23:44:56
In reply to Depression -passing it on **S. Trigger**, posted by B2chica on August 22, 2008, at 9:30:32
My daughter has begun to show symptoms that have me a bit worried. She was the one who asked to see a therapist. I have always explained that therapy is a way to stay healthy and she had some concerns.
But I know that because she is a teenager we have a good shot at keeping her head on straight(or at least straighter than mine) with early intervention.What is this about not having kids?
I am a loving and supportive mother.
I think that mean people should not have children.
Posted by manic666 on August 28, 2008, at 11:49:01
In reply to Depression -passing it on **S. Trigger**, posted by B2chica on August 22, 2008, at 9:30:32
hey slow down what if, what ever, my dad is suffers anxiety an depression but he not admit it an he is 97 an can still do the hardest crossword. he was sh/t with me an my sisters growing up. yes im a depressive so that followed on but not like him i except it. i did some real grazy things wheh young an now really. i had two girls to different women an one of my daughters emma developed signs but she has blasted though it an is an head teacher at an ortistic scool. i never saw her till she was 25 an she is great. im married now with 2 more kids grown up an the fine.so if not like my crap dad you do what he didnt an that is love your kids they will be fine. anyway were special never a dull moment like normal people im grazy an loved to bits by all my family. so you do the same with your girl an you forget the sh/t your thinking.i think told babble stevan fry a well known celeb is bipolar but dont take meds cos he dont want to be like the normal people he thinks are borring manic666
Posted by B2chica on August 28, 2008, at 12:08:33
In reply to Re: Depression -passing it on **S. Trigger**, posted by manic666 on August 28, 2008, at 11:49:01
Posted by manic666 on August 28, 2008, at 12:29:59
In reply to thnx manic (nm) » manic666, posted by B2chica on August 28, 2008, at 12:08:33
i dont no computer talk so say what you mean manic666
Posted by B2chica on August 28, 2008, at 12:42:31
In reply to Re: thnx manic, posted by manic666 on August 28, 2008, at 12:29:59
just saying thanks.
for what you said. when i read it, it made me feel better. because your right...just give em love and be there, be attentive and things will work out.thnx (thanks)
b2c.
Posted by manic666 on August 29, 2008, at 3:40:32
In reply to Re: thnx manic » manic666, posted by B2chica on August 28, 2008, at 12:42:31
no problem glad it made see love is the key .manic666
Posted by Jeroen on September 6, 2008, at 9:43:09
In reply to Re: thnx manic, posted by manic666 on August 29, 2008, at 3:40:32
so manic ... hows your health
what we need is a holographic doctor like in star trek voyager, he has advanced tools to cure us
the way its now is based on a money empire kingdom
Posted by manic666 on September 14, 2008, at 2:42:50
In reply to to manic, posted by Jeroen on September 6, 2008, at 9:43:09
jeroen i will find us a drug on my next trip in the universe. i will find a cure an make us irresistable to all ladies.hey have you seen mars attack now thats funny.mannic
Posted by Jeroen on September 14, 2008, at 3:36:27
In reply to Re: to manic, posted by manic666 on September 14, 2008, at 2:42:50
yes i want that
This is the end of the thread.
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