Suicide - genetic question

[CatherineofMumbles]

My brother has made several suicide attempts. His psychiatrist kept asking him if any of his family committed suicide, and brother adamant - no. However, I have just discovered that our maternal grandfather committed suicide (secret kept -parents did not tell us). Have immediately phoned SIL to tell her so she can inform the doc.
Has anyone else experienced this - completely shell-shocked - what does this mean for for our DC (DB+SIL and ours?)

It doesn't really mean anything. They will have asked the question to see if there was a family history of mental illness.

To put it into context, my paternal grandfather had a hospital admission for depression. I've been in a psych hospital with bipolar disorder, so I mentioned my grandfather.

However out of my DMs 6 siblings, the 20 grandchildren and the multiple great grandchildren of my grandfather, there's only me who has had any mental illness at all.

Also to put it into context, my DGF was torpedoed in WW2 and the trauma of losing his comrades and of the sinking itself precipitated the depression. In my case, I had a period of severe and prolonged stress before I was I'll enough to be hospitalised.

Mental Heath is normally made up of a wide range of factors of which biology is just one.

Suicide does run in families, but there's no genetic link. It's more about what coping strategies are in the family repertoire. If you can't see any way out of your situation except suicide, you won't be teaching your kids about going to family, GP or friends for help...it's a thinking pattern that we teach our kids and runs in families.

And when 1 in 4 adults experience mental health problems, there's usually someone in the family with something.

Thanks so much - very helpful x

There is no genetic link but if someone in the family has committed suicide it is as if the taboo is broken and it may increase the risk for other family members-so it is always asked about. Given that your brother didnt know about this happening it is unlikely to have affected him.

Nodds indeed , and when I found out and told SIL she was so upset that DB had never been told. Now his psych knows and has changed the drugs.
Was such a taboo that DM had not been told by her M, she found out because a girl at school, read about in the local paper (1950s) and commiserated with her. She never raised it with her DM who still does know till this day (she is now in her 90s) that my DM knows .