Like some psychiatric illnesses, bipolar disorder comes with difficult questions that haunt people from time to time: ‘I wonder if this illness runs in my family, will it be passed on to me?’, “Will my child have it?” are questions we often encounter.

 

A family member may be diagnosed with bipolar disorder, or you may be newly diagnosed, or you may have noticed symptoms in yourself or a relative. In this case, it may be comforting to know that there are scientific answers to your questions.

 

 

 

Research tells us one thing clearly: Bipolar disorder has a hereditary aspect. In other words, family history is really important in terms of susceptibility to the disease. If a first-degree relative, such as a parent or sibling, has bipolar disorder, the likelihood of you having it increases.

 

 

These rates may seem high to you, but; Genetic predisposition is not synonymous with disease. Genetics is a map, but how you proceed on that map is shaped by your lifestyle, environmental factors and emotional support.

 

 

 

Research has been examining identical and fraternal twins for a long time. Because these studies are very valuable to understand the distinction between genetic or environmental.

 

 

This shows us that genetic factors are strong, but that environmental factors are also involved.

 

 

We know that some genes affect mood regulation processes in the brain and may be associated with bipolar disorder.

However, none of these genes alone causes the disease. Bipolar disorder is a multifactorial condition. Just like a jigsaw puzzle; genetics is only one of the pieces.

 

 

The most accurate answer to this question may be as follows: Be aware, but approach with knowledge, not anxiety.

If you have a family history of bipolar disorder;

 

 

Psychiatric illnesses, just like physical illnesses, can be controlled with a monitoring and support plan. Early awareness is an important step in preventing the risk...Just like diabetes, having diabetes in your family does not mean that you will be sick, but it makes it possible for you to have a higher awareness of the disease and to live healthy by taking preventive measures...

 

 

The first thing to know about bipolar disorder is that it is not a character weakness or a personal deficiency. It is not a burden that comes with genetic predisposition, but a process that can be managed with the right information.