Does anyone else in your family have bipolar disorder?

Hi @Kelly66‍, thank you for sharing with us. It can be hard seeing loved ones have a hard time with chronic illness. Let me tag some other members who can possibly share with you.

Hi everyone, how are you doing?

Does anyone else in your family have bipolar disorder? At what age did they start experiencing symptoms? Are you able to talk about it with them? Do you feel like you can support one another?
@Joyful1999‍ @TammyLynn‍ @Kitty1969‍ @AnyaChristina‍ @Farzad430‍ @scotty4266‍ @Stefr74‍ @Ladytuff2u‍ @LorieBreault‍ @sasn64‍ @conniemagnon‍ @FinnMIem‍ @deppstand‍ @Josiepoke‍ @derezashley‍ @Roderick19‍ @cheryllee‍ 

Take care,
Courtney

My mother had bipolar disorder but was not treated for it. My younger sister also has it. She has had ECT treatment twice to help. But all that's done is take away her memories. 

It's bad enough having bipolar but when all my children have bipolar also and knowing they got it from me is devastating and I can't do anything to fix it

My grandfather had it known as manic-depressive disorder then. It took me until age 45 to be diagnosed and treated by a psychiatrist.  I had seen many councelors over the years and had received plenty of meds. When I asked the last counselor how do you test for bipolar disorder and he said he could test me and watch me for signs I was elated. He referred me to the psychiatrist he worked with and she was great. In 2018 my bipolar 2 was changed to bipolar one with psychosis. I am also rapid cycling. Moving away from your psychiatrist and therapist is hard especially when you are states away. I luckily found another psychiatrist I love and is easy to work with. 

My Mom, like myself, was manic depressive. By stories I've heard from my Grandparents, Aunts/Uncles, it was always there. I say I was born with it because memories I have from around 3-5yrs old I know now had to do w/my issues.

My maternal aunt had Manic Depressive Disorder. She was in and out of psych hospitals her entire life. Back in the '50s and  '60s the only psychotropic meds would literally turn someone into a zombie. She would be released and sit and chain smoke all day while neglecting her children. The father took care of the children. My cousin, her daughter, was Bipolar and diagnosed in her 20s. She refused to take meds. I believe my mother was too but she maintained a stable life with no intervention. I was diagnosed Bipolar 2 late in life. I was told I was I had  ADHD but Adderall made me manicky. I found a different psychiatrist and he immediately diagnosed me as Bipolar 2. I had a job that kept me in a hightened adrenaline state so that's why I wasn't diagnosed earlier. My son is ADD.

My 13 year old son has bipolar disorder just like me unfortunately it's to soon to say if my other two children do or not. I was really hoping this wouldnt happen to them but unfortunately we are all cursed with mental health and addiction issues in my family except for my sisters and brother.

I have my grandma  my aunts and mom have bipolar then when I was early 20s I found out I have it to I wouldn’t wish this terrible illness on anyone  

My father and mother, sister and brother . And have a lot of other disorders 

My dad had it, and his brother, my uncle.

is it a 100% chance that I could pass it on to my own kids? is there some kind of test I could do?