Family History and Mental Health

In my family my grandparents, cousins, and even my parents struggled with mental health. Some have depression and some anxiety. I felt relieved that some one else in my family has experienced the same thing as me.

I have a good number of family members who’ve struggled with mental health. Anxiety, OCD, ADHD, and schizophrenia are all present within three generations on one side of my family.

In my Family, it’s hard for those of us with mental health problems, like my cousins and myself. The older generations of my family don’t believe mental health problems are actually real. Even though I can see that the older generations have and still are, in some cases, dealt with mental health problems, they act as if there is nothing wrong with them and they don’t deal with it or get help. They tell us younger people that we’re overreacting.

I have had a couple aunts and uncles who have struggled with anxiety and OCD.

My one side of the family has a good bit of mental health issues. Schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar disorder are all prevalent on this side. My other side of the family has issues with anxiety, panic disorder, OCD, and ADHD. Asking about our family history made me realize how common some of these disorders are, even in my own family, which helps me feel not alone in my struggles.

After feeling quite alone in my mental health struggles, I was saddened, yet somewhat relieved to learn there have been mental health issues on both sides of my family. I was sad because I would not wish my struggles on anyone else, but also a little relieved to know I wasn’t “weird” or alone in my struggles. Anxiety and depression are the most common mental health diagnoses in my family, which is also what I struggle with. Learning more about my family’s mental health history has allowed me to open up to some close family and discuss our struggles so we can support each other in our daily lives. It’s comforting to know you have someone who understands you and knows what you are going through.

It certainly is nice being able to relate with someone else about your own mental health issues, especially when they are in your family. But my own family has a hard time viewing the issues of mental health as a serious matter. Often the approach that is taken when I appear sad or frustrated for seemingly no reason is being told to eat something and to sleep it off. If you do not have someone in your family that can relate to the issues you’re dealing with, it is important to expand your reach and seek out friends and other members of the community to share your experiences. Though you may not believe it, many people go through the similar experiences, and it can quiet alleviating to tell someone else about these struggles.