Another first cousin dx'd with bipolar
 

Hi,

Now I have two first cousins who are dx'd bipolar -- at least one from my father's side and one from my mother's. This recent one dropped out of college to come home to his parents. (There are more than two of course, but the families keep secrets from other members.)

I'm glad he can get the help he needs. Previously his parents had been hoping he only had depression.

I have hope for him.
I wonder if sometimes bipolar might be more successfully treated than some types of depression.

M

Dear Mari

i am glad your cousin is getting help.

this is a big problem in our family also. not having much contact means i don't have much of a chance to observe for myself. i do have a first cousin who i think either has MDD or is Dysthymia, but not bipolar. we had one or two conversations after his father (my uncle) died. he made a single comment to me, a year after that about "and then depression enters the picture" which set alarm bells off in my head. however i wrote to him about my bipolar to see if he would open up he never answered. not so much as an acknowledgement. :(

there is a huuuuuge stigma here, especially on that side of the family about just the idea of having to go to a psych doc, counselor, etc. they are not even particularly good about regular doctors.

i see other issues (more ADHD type) in other first cousins and blood uncles and aunts. a second cousin (my mom's cousin) might have been bipolar - i heard something about his taking lithium, but that is not confirmed because people here get medication names confused, and i could not go to the source.

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in what way do you think bipolar might be more easily treated that depression?????

that strikes me as odd, because of the trouble we have with...... antidepressants! unipolars can usually find one that works and they don't have to worry about manic switches or rapid cycling onset and &())(#_^$*(*# like that.

when i'm depressed, i always feel like i have to walk a freakin tightrope with an AD to get better. and if there are even one or two mixed sx, then i can't even take one!!! suckkkaaahhh! "this too shall pass away" (and so shall i, eventually, i say.)

~ waves ~

I think the answer can be yes, because some have the classic bipolar that responds to simple lithium. But some people have a depression that responds to simple over the counter lithium oratate or fish oil. Lucky them (?)

We think of one "worse" than the other but some have depression so bad they become catatonic, or commit suicide or live a shell of their former selves for 30 years.

So yes.

I do have a comment about multiple family members having these illnesses. The genetics can be complicated, and not be a single gene but a mixture of genes. I read that in some cases the problem can even be the mitochondrial genes (probably not if it is both you AND on your father's side) or the nuclear genes affecting the mitochondria. This explains the differences between the two, and some genetic stuff to ponder. Of course there are environmental influences acting on those genes, too (called epigenetics). Hmmm. Epigenetic changes can be passed on as well.

Depression runs in both sides of our family.

My husband's side as far as I know for sure, is pure depression only.

Mine, is bi-polar and depression both. So when it has come to my kids,
I wasn't ever sure whether my oldest son, had bi-polar or depression.
But it could have been either one.

My other two son's have a form of depression and anxiety.

And my husband, has depression, and I have anxiety.

donna:grouphug:

pushing parents
 

Hi,

I called my aunt three years ago to recommend a particular top doctor in her city for her son. She pretended to take down the information. She and her husband seemed to have been in denial until her sophomore son crashed and burned this semester.

My sis and I campaigned with my father and mother to get my father on the phone with his brother ( my uncle ). My father wanted to put it off and stay out of their business. I think my sis impressed upon him how grateful the brother / uncle will be in the future for my father's input.

They live in a large city with access to more than one major research hospital with droves of pdocs available by train ride.
:thud:
Family.

M