Is depression genetic?

[Mirage]

I am back on anti depressants for the 3rd time in less than 2 years & feeling a complete failure.

Admittedly I only took them for about 3 weeks before,once after losing a baby & again after PND.This time it is anxiety causing the problem.

It started out of the blue,after becoming very ill one day & Dh had to come home to look after DD.I am never ill,but just didn't seem to get better & started worrying about what would happen if I died & Dh & DD were left on their own.Things escalated to the extent that I was getting different 'symptoms' every day & was continually analyzing how I felt ect.Not myself at all.

Bloodtests have all come back clear & I told my GP that I thought that it was depression causing my symptoms.He is inclined to agree,& said that considering what has happened over the past few years & is still going on now,it isn't a big surprise.He has prescribed Fluoxetine & I am to go back in 10 days to see if my feeling ill has abated.

Three members of my close family have suffered from anxiety/depression & seeing how it has affected their lives has frightened me.I don't want to end up always thinking the worst,like them,but can see myself sliding down the slippery slope.Am I more likely to suffer depression because of family history? Is there anything I can do about it?

Yes. Please continue to keep your gp aware of what is going on. And try to get him to refer you for therapy, or if you can afford it, do it privately. I am amazed at how often depression is overlooked in this country. You are lucky that you seem to have a gp who understands. Depression can be treated with medication and it is always good to pair this with therapy. It is not your fault that you are depressed and you can't help it. They are learning more and more about depression and it seems fairly clear that it is caused by chemical imbalances in your body that you can't help. Even if you need medication for long periods of time, this is not something that you should feel bad about. The medicine is helping you and your family. Good luck.

my mother and her mother both suffered from depression, and also PND. I think there's definitely a genetic component, but also knowing the propensity has made me more aware of the chances of it happening to me adn so more aware of what signs to look out for. DH also knows so is able to spot the signs even if I can't. depression isn't soemthing you can help so don't woory about getting teh help you need - its an illness like any other. don't beat yourself up.
hug

My mother suffers from depression and I had PND after ds2. He is now 3 but the depression recurred at the end of last year and I am on AD's. My specialist tells me if one or other of your parents suffer from depression there is a 40% chance that you will too.

Something else to blame my mum for

I think it can be. I work in a medical library and we do a lot of research into depression and there is an hereditary component to it, but also you can get it without any family history.

The biggest problem is the feeling of failure when one has to take ADS.I have been on ADS for the last 5 years.Everytime I have come off them after a few months I have had to start again.The fact is that you are not a failure.You say that you are never ill, as mums we never can be ill because there are people depending on us,but an emotional trauma such as losing a baby,has surely a lasting effect on ones brain because depression,from what I have read certainly seems to affect structures in the brain that scientists can actually measure.INterestingly I have read a research article which suggests that taking ADS actually seems to protect ones brain from these physical change,so by taking these meds that "normal" people stigmatise hopefully we are doing something positive
In my experience taking meds seems to" stop the loop". They allow you to move through your experiences without getting" stuck in neutral".
Iknow that looking at ones family and their problems is frightening but you are breaking the pattern (if there is a family trait) by getting help.So you are already doing something.If fluoxetine is suiting you then you willfeelso much better soon.However if you still have a big problem with anxiety you could talk to your doc about buspirone.
Getting a counsellor(properly trained and reg) to talk through your experiences and taking the meds seems to be a good approach.Its helped me any way.
Feel better best wishes loopylu.

Is it genetics or is it environmental? i.e. do you have direct exposure to others suffering the same and so 'learn' to express it yourself? I don't know - it's perhaps part of the nature or nurture argument?

Thanks so much everyone-it helps to know that I am not the only one who struggles with depression.

I feel a lot happier & less anxious today,but am shattered after getting no sleep at all last night.Bizarrely,after weeks of falling asleep during the day,I wasn't very tired.Good thing really,as all night my whole body was twitching & kept jerking me awake when I started to doze.It may be a side effect of the drugs,as it is mentioned,or could be the anxiety doing it,as it started after dh asked me how I was feeling dealing with a particular situation.I then started thinking about said situation & the twitching started.Very odd.

Loopylou-my GP explained the use of the AD's the same way as you did,but I had fogotten until I read your post,so thanks for reminding me that I am not 'numbing' myself-just levelling things out.

I am too tired to make much sense now,but thanks again.It makes a huge difference to know I am not the only one.

Definitely. My mum had a baby adopted 37 years ago and basically we were re-united 2 years ago. She has suffered anxiety and depression even though she wasn't brought up in my family. I have suffered, my mum has, aunt has, nan had it. So I would say that is a good example of it being genetic.

Dear Mirage,
I have worked as a general nurse, and for 10 years a psychiatric nurse, and have looked after LOADS of people suffering with anxiety and depression. It's completely different for each person, but some things are generally true...ie, antidepressants can help, but you really have to decide to give them a good go, ie, 6 months. There's no shame in taking medication for being unwell, if you needed medication for asthma or diabeties there wouldn't be the stigma.Depression/anxiety are as much physical as mental, so give the antidepresants a real go. You're obviuosly exhausted, and physically under the weather, when you feel strong enough see if your GP can refer you for some counselling. Again something longterm, or for as long as you need to go ( alot of places offer fixed sessions, not much use if you only just feel like you're starting to get somewhere). There's as much of a genetic link as there is for heart disease or asthma, if there's a strong family history you are more prone to getting it, which doesn't mean you definatly will.
Good luck, hope you get a good nights sleep at some point.

IME i.e. my family, it is genetic. We are all a bunch of mad old bats. I would say that the night twitching IS a result of the pills. I have experienced it, and I believe it is something to do with the extra seratonin (not sure though). Have you tried taking the pills at a different time of the day? Then your sleep would be less affected. You just might be twitching on the bus or in Tesco instead

Sorry, not making light of the situation. Been there, done that etc. It IS horrible, and I really feel for you. All I can say is to keep taking the pills, and give them a decent go. They may just keep you going through the hard times.

thought you might be interested in this:-

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