Family mental health is quite like other common health problems like depression disorder, hearth diseases, cancers and so on. It has been discovered quite many times that a health issue can run through a family, causing a serious health issue to everyone in the family. This brought up the need for one to know one’s family mental history.

Getting to know your family mental health history can help you combat the issue. You will know how to tackle the issue and Doctors will be more willing to help you find solution to it when they know the degree to which the disorder has plagued the family. When you meet a Doctor concerning a mental issue that run in the family, the first thing you would center on your family history. You would be asked if there is anyone in your family who has had any issue concerning health or presently suffering one. These issues could range from drug abuse, anxiety, chronic depression bipolar disorder, seizure disorder and lots more.

Mental Illness can be passed on from one generation to another. This implies that if there is a health issues the parents suffered from in a family, there is high possibility of transferring such to the children. Most disorders have been found to have up to 80% of heritability rate. What this means is that if one has a specific mental disorder, there is an 80% probability that such person inherited a gene pertaining to such disorder from one of the parents.

Getting to know your family’s mental health history offer you and your Doctor the avenue to ascertain the right diagnostic treatment to take. It will help to proffers a quicker solution to the issue. This will involve series of questionings on your part. You need to ask your parents enough questions to be able to find the right answers to provide to your Doctor as this seems to be the only way to get the issue treated. You may also take a step further to ask other immediate relations like your uncles or aunties who know more about the history of the family.

When finding out from your parents about the history of mental health in the family, do ask about if any one had ever been diagnosed with mental disorder and if there seem to be anyone who doesn’t just seem quite ok. Bear in mind that this is not going to be easy. Your parents may find it displeasing trying to find out such sensitive information. But do not get discouraged. Even though they may seem offended and displeased when you try to ask about what resulted to a relative committing suicide in the family in time past, they may feel unwilling to discuss that with you. That is quite ok, but with time, they will surely get to disclose everything to you. Do know that people weren’t free discussing such issues in the past as it is today. It is a thing of shame to the family hence, they hardly discuss such issues with people. Even though it is advisable to respect your family’s decision when they refuse to disclose such information to you, still, be well resolved to find out about it for the sake of your health. Do not give in to the thought of not wanting to find out. If it occurs that you are unable to find information about your family’s mental health, try as much as possible to gather up information by discussing with persons that know much about your family and gather as much information as you can lay your hands on.

“Your health is a vital part of your life. Getting to know your family health history is the best thing you can ever do for yourself.”