Can BPD be genetic?

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Thread Topic: Can BPD be genetic?

sneaking
Joined: Apr 28, '10
Status: New User
2010-04-28 13:07:42
Unlike many people whose stories are posted on here, I had a very normal, loving childhood. No abuse, no separation. On the otherhand, there is a lot of mental illness in my family, some of which has led to extreme concequences and none of which has been properly diagnosed. It is easy to trace who 'has it' and it always manifests as depressive episodes, severe (very) mood swings, relationship problems, extreme presonalities and self-destructiveness (sometimes drugs, sexual, self-harm, etc).
Most of us have had counseling, me included, but it has done nothing because the only bad things in our lives are things that we have caused ourselves. I personally have been refered to a psychiatrist but I didn't go along out of fear that they would tell me there was nothing wrong (!)
Anyway, I'm thinking that it might be BPD, except that many sources suggest that BPD is caused by abuse or terrible childhoods. I have never seen an example where BPD is purely a genetic trait with no environmental factor (I should note that neither of my parents has the family illness, so it is unlikely to have been passed on environmentally - plus I was emotionally wierd right from a very young age).
Anyway got anything information that could help me? Oh here's my results just in case that helps in any way...

Paranoid: Moderate
Schizoid: Low
Schizotypal: Moderate
Antisocial: Low
Borderline: Very High
Histrionic: High
Narcissistic: Low
Avoidant: Moderate
Dependent: Moderate
Obsessive-Compulsive: Moderate
satan
Joined: Feb 14, '10
Status: Junior User
2010-04-28 15:25:55
neh.. bpd is not caused by abusive childhood. it is just inability to regulate emotions and life. yeah maybe it's genetic. the whole lot of family could be hypersensitive people and so you are. i had a good childhood too. i had five siblings and we were happy. but by times, we just got emotional and unable to tolerate each other and our parents.minor problems became huge and unsinkable. we are just so hypersensitive and messed up. so we do things that can be classified as stupid and emotional. guess this is bpd. bunch of hypersentive morons.
kezz
Joined: Apr 28, '10
Status: New User
2010-04-28 15:37:15
My daughter is classic BPD and has been since about age 11. What a nightmare! Anyway I can now see that the behaviours she has, her dad had also, he medicates himself with alcohol and she with dope. She won't take regular meds for any length of time. What a crazy life.
bee
Joined: Apr 29, '10
Status: New User
2010-04-29 19:46:34
From what I've learned there have been lots of cases where genetics seem a likely source. I've read several books that discussed cases where bpd could be seen in both parent and child. One story I read talked about a girl, her mother and her grandmother, all of whom had been diagnosed with bpd. There seems to be several different factors that can cause it.
sneaking
Joined: Apr 28, '10
Status: New User
2010-05-02 08:20:17
Thanks - these make a lot of sense. Annoyingly, many of our family members have chosen to just ignore it (we are a very wierd family - lots of affairs, illigitimate children etc, but not one single divorce. Just lots of miserable couples). I'm pleased to find out it can be genetic though - it puts me one step closer to solving things. At least that's how I see it.
alone
Joined: Nov 2, '09
Status: Junior User
2010-05-06 20:22:49
Borderline Personality Disorder is five times more common in people who have a Borderline parent.
Mello
Joined: Apr 18, '10
Status: New User
2010-05-11 10:17:28
Dw, i'm the same. I was brought up well but have severe emotional problems. I was also very high in the BPD category. All my symptoms match on every site. Don't know if anyone in my family has it. I have depression to. My dad has winter depression (S A D) .... which is weird heheh.
gazinator
Joined: Jun 13, '10
Status: New User
2010-06-13 06:34:50
Yes, I'm pretty sure genetics come into it. Two aunts in my family had depression, hung thrmselves. Younger brother/autism, sister, ocd, dad, ocd, mum depression and aspergers. Me... aspergers and bpd. We had a normal childhood, were happy, had good holidays ect, no arguments or split families. So genetics are more likely.
Angry
Joined: Jun 12, '10
Status: New User
2010-06-13 08:26:20
I think genetics has a lot to do with it.
My dad has problems, and my sister is Autistic. I think I'm suffering of BPD.
Kastrian
Joined: Jun 4, '10
Status: Junior User
2010-06-13 08:50:24
I personally don't think BPD is generic. I have BPD because I was sexually, physically and mentally abuse. I suffer with other disorders too. If you do think you have BPD then see a psychiatrist they are the only people who can diagnose you correctly not a on line test.

Kas x
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