I always remark about how amazed I am that my depression, anxiety, shyness and insecurities did not pass on to my daughter! She turned out perfectly normal and well-rounded. Go figure! Lol

I have 2 children. My daughter is fine but my son has depression. They are grown up now. I do blame myself because I know it is hereditary.

I was just thinking about this today! And yes..I do worry it will pass on, especially since both sides of family are all kinds of fu&$ed up..lol

I had severe post pardom depression, I feel it did affect them , but not their outcomes. I also have struggled with severe depression through the years of raising my children. The way I see it , there are no perfect parents, we do, and did the best we can each moment and that is all. I do know a few people who choose not to bring children into the world because they feel that this life is too painful and didn't want to bring them into this cold world. But its your personal choice to make , bless you!

Well I'd rather be alive and messed up, than never born at all.

My mom had depression but I certainly don't blame her for my depression. With my son I always worry about what I'm passing on to him. He has told me that he has felt depressed in the past but that he doesn't have depression per se. The thing is, children add to our lives in ways that nothing else can. Don't let your depression keep you from the wonderous rewards of parenthood if that's what you want.

when I had children I knew that I was depressed ....but dident know the history of it on my dads side .....and I have to say I am happy I never had to think about that ..because if I did ...I wouldent have the beautifull children ...and grandchildren ...that I have today .....I also have Cronic migrains ....some get them once in a while but none are close to how bad I am .......my youngest son has bipolar ....but he has it under control with the help of his family ....he has three children ........beautiful souls everyone ...........with depreshion and angizity ..you just need to go and get the help that you need ..by telling the doctor or counclor or phicatrist ..exactualy how ..you feel inside ............many people get depreshion with out any history of depreshion or angizity in the family .........I think if you are open with your children ...about your depreshion than they will be able to be open ....with you if they. ever get that problem .......take care .....God bless

My mom has generalized anxiety and my dad has it a little worse with panic disorder. I am 23 and just recently started experiencing anxiety/depression with panic attacks. It was really really bad for a week, I went to the hospital for chest pains and everything. It hasn't been that bad again, thank god. I live with my boyfriend and he doesn't really understand or know what to do. I stayed with my mom a couple nights during this awful time and she would wake up when I would wake up panicking, play with my hair and tell me anxiety could not hurt me. Yes, it can be hereditary but I do not blame my parents and they don't blame themselves. I actually felt so comforted and safe knowing that my mom knew what I was going through and was helping me. My dad lives in Florida, I called him and he gave me advice on how he deals with panic attacks. I was so thankful to have them at that time I needed them the most.

Hope that your children don't have it but if they do, comfort them, tell them you know how they feel and tell them they are going to be okay. They will feel loved and comforted.

I M 64, HAVE A BRAIN TUMOR AND CHILDLESS.
I DONT WORRY ABOUT HAVING CHILDREN ANYMORE.
I DO REGRET NOT HAVING ANY CAUSE I DONT DRIVE.
I WOULD LIKE A RIDE SOMETIMES.
GBU
DRENA B

I wasn't diagnosed until my youngest was almost 9. My oldest was diagnosed with Asperger's 3 months after I was diagnosed bipolar. 2008 was a rough year.

Do I worry about my kids, hell yeah. My son runs the highest risk but seems fine at 21. My middle child takes after me the most but seems to be doing fine.

I wouldn't have changed anything about having them. And the bipolar has been undiagnosed in my family tree for years...my grandmother and my mother. I'm the only one that has gotten the proper treatment and I feel great most days.

I'd tell my kids to follow their passions, as long as those passions are healthy, don't harm themselves or anyone else...and I'd tell them there are other ways to financial success than college. If I could talk to my 18-year-old self, I'd say "skip college and pursue writing, photography and video as a business instead". I wasted the best years of my life, my 20s, in a classroom, that gray, purgatory fog of learning useless theory.

My degree was in Communications, BTW. Other fields, like doctor, nurse, lawyer and engineer, absolutely require college.