Posted by mair on November 16, 2004, at 13:54:19
In reply to Depression and Genetics, posted by saw on November 16, 2004, at 3:05:36
I definitely know what you mean about being almost reassured that there is a genetic predisposition.
There is no documented depression or mental illness in my family to my knowledge, although I have suspicions about my father. This lack of family history has always bothered me. It's not that I feel like I don't deserve my own depression in the "why did this have to happen to me" sense. To the contrary, the chronicity of my illness, given the lack of family history (and the lack of genuine childhood trauma), has always made me feel like I must not want to get better, or that maybe I'm a malingerer. It's sort of like I'm not entitled to my illness, so it's hard for me to excuse it and to forgive myself for having it.
These are strange distinctions I know, but important ones to me - I've really struggled with this for awhile.
Mair
poster:mair
thread:416527
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20041113/msgs/416727.html