Do your parents suffer from....

Just wondering if your parents or close relatives suffer from any anxiety related, OCD, or depression issues?? Just wondering...The reason that I bring it up is that I read that if you have one parent that suffered from anxiety, you are twice as likely to suffer too. Don't know if it is BS or not, but I believe that it could play into it either on a genetic level (nature) or simply learning the behaviors (nurture). What do you guys think??


My Dad has suffered from depression on and off as long as I have been alive. He also VISIBLY suffers from anxiety although I am not sure if he knows what it is, he also was an alcoholic when I was younger.

Neither of my parents have had any of the problems I've had. My dad is a perfectionist worry wart, but not even close to the level of disordered behavior. For the most part, my parents are complete opposites of me. They are so laid back, love to try new things, love to travel, never cautious, etc. It bugs me! Why am I not like that?


However, my maternal grandmother used to get migraines and panic attacks (like me) when she was my age, but she grew out of it with age. My paternal grandfather also had migraines. Weird.

on my mums side of the family they all have suffered in the past with anxiety related problems, but they are all over that now. my grandma however suffers from anxiety more than she lets on. when she was younger she found it hard to leave the house, because of anxiety.

My dad suffers from anxiety and depression but this only really started in the last couple of years, hes 65 and Im now 37 so dont think this is related unless he hid it well for 30+ years............


Laney xx

My dad has suffered with depression- the mental health history on his side of the family is quite interesting. BUT- this only became apparent and an issue about 4 years ago. Not really an issue when I was growing up.


My mom does not suffer from visible anxiety- when she is really anxious about something she will vomit, but will otherwise be put together.


*amber*


Edited by: crimgoddess

Both my parents and brother suffer manic depression, my mum has had it for about 11 years of feeling anxious, but all of our depression came on around the same time from things that happend to my brother, my family and self.

My moms side of the family is full of fun mental issues. OCD, anxiety, depression, alcoholism. My mom is one of those people who v* when she is stressed out.
I think for me, the anxiety and depression are both a product of nature, and growing up in a screwed up, alcoholic home.

my mom suffers from both depression and anxiety. as do i.

Nah, I'm the only one in my family (nuclear family atleast, I don't know about extended family) who has mental issues like anxiety.

Lucky bastards, why couldn't I be as emotionally strong as them?

Yup, my mom!

my dad has bipolar disorder & ocd.

My mom is an emet, and has been since the age of 12, she said. Her parents and two brothers also have anger and anxiety issues. So I know I get my screwed-up-ness from her side of the family. Sorry mom.

HDogg, what was it like growing up with am emet mom? Did you know she was an emet when you were young, or did you find out as an adult? Sorry if I'm bing nosy, I'm just curious because I am a mom, and I'm trying not to let my emet affect my kids.

My mum died of cancer when I was eighteen, but she suffered badly from depression, agorophobia and anxiety. I'm not sure whether or not she was an emtophobe. My dad had a nervous breakdown in his twenties and has recently been quite ill with depression and anxiety, but is doing much better now afterbeing onantidepressants for a short while.


Also my mum's elder sister has always had problems with nerves and has suffered from agorophobia to a extent. My maternal grandad's sister had lots of mental health problems too and was institutionalised on and off because of them.


Hmmm... I never stood a chance in not suffering from mental health problems did I, lol!


Ifind it interesting that my mum was a twin and my auntie has never suffered from depression, anxiety or panic attacks. I'm very close to her so I would know if she had suffered mental health problems. She is such a confident person (total opposite to how my mum was) and will travel anywhere on her own (my mum couldn't even go into town on her own). She does have a phobia about birds though!

No depression, no nothing!!

Mum and Dads side with OCD, depression, self harm, suicide, you name it ...

my mum is really anxious about everything. as a kid, i was never aloud to do the things that the other kids would do cause she was so scared i would get hurt. sometimes she panicked for no rational reason, and i always tried to make sure she didn't panick, cause then the other kids would laugh and talk about my mum being crazy. if i tried to tell her that she was being irrational, she got really mad and she still do. i was really confused about this as a child, but never expressed my feelings to anyone.

My father has depression off and on, my mother has some very mild anxiety. I think my genetic predisposition comes from my father, he also has fairly severe agoraphobia and refuses to go into some stores.

The general theory is that both nature and nuture play together to bring out certain disorders.


the idea is that you are gentically predisposed to the disorder, but that your environment and learning experiences bring it out. So, if you have a parent with OCD ( such as me) I probably have thepredisposition for a higher level of anxiety than most people, and by watching her, I learned and repeated her behaviours. I strongly belive this, because the times I remember the most, she was petrified of being sick, hence the phobia developed as well.


I won't get into the details of it ( because it confuses me as well) but another theory says that there are certain neurotransmitters in the brain that function abnormally in someone with OCD, specifically seretonin. Thats why anti anxiety meds like SSRI's ( which block the reuptake of seretonin) work with people with OCD.


okay, Ive gone off on a tanget here. lol. feels good to have learned something at school this year!

My Mom's isde of the family has a history of anxietyissues especially my great-aunt and my Mom herself.