Is bipolar disorder hereditary?

henka · Silver Member Joined: 14 May 2001 Posts: 295

I knew my husband’s mother had bipolar disorder when I met him. I have noticed her strange acting and I found out that was maniac depression. I wasn’t much upset with that fact then. Now we have daughter and I am worry if she could get the same disorder. I would like to know what actually bipolar disorder is and is it hereditary.

ingham · Newbie Joined: 09 May 2005 Posts: 18

Bipolar disorder stems from a chemical imbalance in the brain that affects the way how we will experience out moods. Bipolar disorder affects both men and women equally. These people are not “crazy” or “weak”, but they are everyday people with a real medical condition trying to get back to their everyday lives. Symptoms may appear as early as age 5 and more typically is around the age of 20. Symptoms may also become more evident during later life between ages of 40 and 50. Symptoms of bipolar disorder often appear for the first time during or around big life changes that can trigger a mood episode. For example graduating from college and joining the workforce or the death of a spouse. 40 percent adults believe it is hereditary, and the majority identified illness as genetic. Martha Hellander said that bipolar disorder is hereditary illness and the belief that it is caused by bad parenting. Off course that leads to the stigmatization of children and families. Most affected children are genetically predisposed to bipolar disorder and often develop symptoms without any observable triggers.

Is bipolar disorder hereditary?

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