Are there some mental illnesses that are hereditary?

[Melon Collie]

Or does the evidence look in favour of genetic predisposition? If so which ones?

 

[forgetmenot]

I would take your daughter and get her evaluated by a psychiatrist who will take family history of mental issues. I know schizophrenia is genetic for sure as it runs in my family. The best way to know what is happening is to talk to a psychiatrist one who deals with all these issues take care okay Glad you are seeking answers and are getting educated for you and your daughter.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

That's a broad question. I think the bulk of evidence suggests there is a genetic basis both to certain personality traits and to mental illness, but in both cases the link has more to do with predisposition or vulnerability/risk than direct transmission.

For example, I often cite the statistics for schizophrenia. In the general population, your risk for schizophrenia is about 1%. If you have a parent or sibling with schizophrenia, your risk climbs to about 10%. And if you have an identical twin with schizophrenia, tour risk climbs to 50%. But it never gets to 100%...

On the other hand, having a close relative with schizophrenia increases your risk for other disorders, including depression, anxiety disorders, OCD, Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder, etc.

So there's little doubt about a genetic basis and genetic transmission of something, bit it's also clear that that something has to do with some sort of vulnerability, whether neurochemical or physical or personality..