5 ms·

Almost all bipolar people have relatives that were bipolar. That points rather strongly to a genetic cause than an environmental one.

quantumwoke 6y ago
My understanding from the research is that the aetiology is not well understood at all, and that certain individuals are more susceptible to triggers. Note that although you may be genetically susceptible to a disease it does not mean that another cause (or organism!) might interact with those genes and result in said disease.
- kayodelycaon 6y ago
  The problem is... "Maybe you really are what you eat?" seems to put the blame solely on the bipolar person for not eating properly. I don't know about other bipolar people but I'm tired of being told it's my fault I'm bipolar.
  - quantumwoke 6y ago
    Ah, that was not my intention at all. I know people with bipolar and would never suggest that it was their fault. It's a poorly understood and vastly complex disease and any clue as its possible origin and possible therapeutic targets would be good.
  - samatman 6y ago
    This is not a good way to look at it, frankly. The problem with "bipolar disorder is caused by diet" is that it's wrong. There's no evidence of it, plenty pointing in other directions, it's just a non-starter. Which sucks, because if bipolar was caused by, I dunno, seed oils, great news! Just don't eat seed oils! And if someone goes to the doctor and says "I'm bloated and gassy all the time and I feel terrible" and the doctor says "yeah you're lactose intolerant, avoid dairy and take these pills when you eat it", that's not blaming the person either. I'm sure that there are people in your life who blame you for being the way that you are. I don't see this as a case of that. They probably read some woo-woo nutritional site with bad advice, and thought they were helping.
rcthompson 6y ago
The complicating factor is that every disease/disorder/condition (both mental and physical) is a combination of genetics, environment, and the nonlinear interaction of genetics and environment. We can measure the genetic factors, and with somewhat more difficulty, the environmental factors. But that interaction term is extremely difficult to measure. It encompasses things like those mentioned in the article: the fact that "sick" people often don't appear sick unless there is an environmental stressor exacerbating their condition. This kind of conditional effect is very hard to measure scientifically.
- jmcgough 6y ago
  Bipolar is one of the more heritable diseases. If one person has bipolar, every one of their direct relatives (children, bothers, parents) have a 10% chance of also having bipolar. As part of my experience coming to terms with bp2, I did a family history and found out that almost everyone in my father's (high-functioning and accomplished) family had been institutionalized.

quantumwoke 6y ago

My understanding from the research is that the aetiology is not well understood at all, and that certain individuals are more susceptible to triggers. Note that although you may be genetically susceptible to a disease it does not mean that another cause (or organism!) might interact with those genes and result in said disease.

kayodelycaon 6y ago
The problem is... "Maybe you really are what you eat?" seems to put the blame solely on the bipolar person for not eating properly. I don't know about other bipolar people but I'm tired of being told it's my fault I'm bipolar.
- quantumwoke 6y ago
  Ah, that was not my intention at all. I know people with bipolar and would never suggest that it was their fault. It's a poorly understood and vastly complex disease and any clue as its possible origin and possible therapeutic targets would be good.
- samatman 6y ago
  This is not a good way to look at it, frankly. The problem with "bipolar disorder is caused by diet" is that it's wrong. There's no evidence of it, plenty pointing in other directions, it's just a non-starter. Which sucks, because if bipolar was caused by, I dunno, seed oils, great news! Just don't eat seed oils! And if someone goes to the doctor and says "I'm bloated and gassy all the time and I feel terrible" and the doctor says "yeah you're lactose intolerant, avoid dairy and take these pills when you eat it", that's not blaming the person either. I'm sure that there are people in your life who blame you for being the way that you are. I don't see this as a case of that. They probably read some woo-woo nutritional site with bad advice, and thought they were helping.

rcthompson 6y ago

The complicating factor is that every disease/disorder/condition (both mental and physical) is a combination of genetics, environment, and the nonlinear interaction of genetics and environment. We can measure the genetic factors, and with somewhat more difficulty, the environmental factors. But that interaction term is extremely difficult to measure. It encompasses things like those mentioned in the article: the fact that "sick" people often don't appear sick unless there is an environmental stressor exacerbating their condition. This kind of conditional effect is very hard to measure scientifically.

jmcgough 6y ago
Bipolar is one of the more heritable diseases. If one person has bipolar, every one of their direct relatives (children, bothers, parents) have a 10% chance of also having bipolar. As part of my experience coming to terms with bp2, I did a family history and found out that almost everyone in my father's (high-functioning and accomplished) family had been institutionalized.