Is anxiety and clinical depression passed down?

Question

I have bad anxiety. I have struggled with depression off and on since childhood. My father and paternal grandfather had/have these problems too. My father is much worse with anxiety.

Answer 1

i get anxiety sometimes and none of my family have had it my mum has had depression before i have had really bad depression quiet a few times and that when my anxiety kicks in most times

Answer 2

Yes, both depression and anxiety can be genetic.

Answer 3

Yes, they can be passed down genetically. There are a lot of statistics to back that up.

Answer 4

YES! It can be in many cases...there is often a genetic link. Good luck.

Answer 5

All kinds of goo is passed down from family, but you can be just fine despite it.  I posted my story on another question, but here it is again.  Hope if gives you hope.

About 5 years ago I had a bad mental breakdown that filled my world with severe anxiety.  It was a daily struggle to continue my normal life.  I did it, though, because I had two young children, teaching job, and loving husband to take care of.  Plus, I knew that if I gave in to the anxiety it would become worse and take control over me.  The anxiety was severe and is another story.  What helped me (cured!)...

I went to see a psychiatrist and was put on a drug call Lamictal.  I was already taking a low dose of Zoloft and along with Lamictal I began the long road to recovery.  The one thing that helped the most at that time was the one drug I did not want to take: Xanax.  My anxiety breakdown occurred when I started drinking too much to escape the realities of life.  I'm not an alcoholic, nor was I one then, but I can honestly say that I was relying too heavily on alcohol.  I would come from work and have a couple of rum and cokes while cooking dinner.  I would get pretty relaxed and sometimes pretty drunk.  One time I got drunk from this and had my first huge anxiety attack.  I couldn't stop the attack even the next day, or the next, or for about 6 months.  No kidding, constant horrible anxiety.  Anyway, the alcohol and loss of control now frightened me to my very soul.  I would never, ever allow myself to feel drunk or drugged again (and I haven't).  I was very frightened to take the Xanax because it is supposed to make you feel relaxed which equated to loss of self control for me.  The bad thing about my attitude towards Xanax is that Xanax is THE gold standard for treating anxiety.  I was afraid I would feel drugged and that I would become addicted.  I wanted to cure the anxiety not manage it.  So my long story ends with what I learned.  My anxiety was an illness that could be cured (like an infection).  The cure for me was Lamictal, zoloft and Xanax.  I only took Xanax when I really needed it, which was mostly at night.  Slowly my brain healed.  After about 12 months I stopped having any anxiety attacs.  After about 18 months I realized that I was no longer worrying about having an anxiety attack.  I know it seems like a long time, but my anxiety was pretty severe at the onset.  I was finally cured.  The only left over from the anxiety was a heart palpitation that I would get once or twice a day.  Mostly in the evenings when I was relaxing.  My heart would thump around and then be okay.  I got it checked by a heart doctor and he confirmed that it was residual anxiety.  I didn't feel anxious but I believe that was the leftover from the illness.  A couple of years after I recovered from the anxiety (never even had a inkling of an attack) I decided to treat my ADHD with Adderall.  My doc said to keep an eye on the anxiety side effect of the drug and I was determined to keep things at bay.  Amazingly, the most awesome thing happened.  The heart flutter anxiety thing completely disappeared as a direct result of taking Adderall.  That was so wonderful because now all signs of the illness were gone!  I am very fortunate because I had a good doctor and a very determined mind.  The drinking that eventually caused my anxiety breakdown was caused by a heavy depression.  Now I monitor my depression level (almost never depressed) and make sure that I take action immediately.  It has been about 3 years since I was cured from the anxiety and I have actually forgotten what it was like to have an anxiety attack.  One last point:  People who choose to self-treat their anxiety and do it without the proper medication are prolonging their agony.  It's like going to the hospital and refusing the life saving drugs the doctors are trying to give you.  It takes a huge amount of emotional energy to try to cure yourself.  I chose to use that energy on my family, career, and self.  I let the medication work for me.  I have no adverse side effects and I am happy and healthy.  I hope this helps.  Anxiety can be completely cured if treated properly.  I still take 20 mg of Zoloft, 400 mg of Lamictal (originally my doc though I was having a bipolar manic episode and began this drug...after we determined it wasn't a bipolar episode we continued the Lamictal because it works for anxiety and depression), and 20 mg of Adderall twice a day.  Sounds like alot of drugs, but I feel calm, healthy, and happy.  Works for me.  Good luck and let me know how things go.

Answer 6

yes, there have been many studies done that show mental illness has genetic links.  It's not always the case, however, if there is a strong background of mental illness in a family you are far more like to develop some form of it yourself in your lifetime.

I sympathise with you.  I also suffer from these conditions, and they are such a strain on your life and your family.  There's this part of you that knows something isn't right, but you can't pass through the fog and clouds in your mind to see a way out of it.

Speak with your doctor, and perhaps a counsellor, as they will both have some fantastic ideas on how to cope with this in your everyday life.

Best of luck :)