Yes, they can. However, it would be a mistake to think of mental conditions as all running in the family. Some are found to occur after someone has suffered a particularly stressful incident, for example. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) would fall into this category, for instance. Equally, some people find they become depressed after exposure to certain drugs or other substances. That said, many mental disorders are known to have a genetic trait that means some people will always be more susceptible to them. Psychiatric disorders that are known to occur more frequently in a hereditary way include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, certain types of autism spectrum disorder, chronic depression and schizophrenia. Some people with substance disorders - such as alcoholism, for example – will also be more likely to have suffered from it because of an inherited trait. However, just because someone in the family has a condition does not mean that it will necessarily be inherited.
Your mental health should always be a priority! Sign up today.