My mother and brother are mentally ill. What are the odds that my children will !
Question: I am not ill and the children's father isn't either.
Answers: I am not ill and the children's father isn't either.
Your very best bet would be to talk with your physician next time you see him/her.They can either tell you or refer you to someone who can discuss the possibilities with you.
I can understand how you would want to know this before you entered into a serious relationship with someone. It is the responsible thing to do.
It depends on the mental illness your mother and brother have. Some mental illnesses are more likely to be inherited than others.
Dana (M.S. Mental Health Counseling)
Depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, panic, OCD... slightly higher than average. Slightly means very slightly.
Some mental illnesses can run in families but that doesn't mean every family member will be affected there really is no way to tell which members will be, these things can often skip generations as well.
Can't beat Dana's answer as she is professional. My father suffered from seasonal depression for longer than I can remenber, my cousin killed himself at the age of 30, and few more cases in the family no so dramatic. Doctor thought I suffered depression for more than 5 years to realised recently that I'm Borderline PD. As per my personal experience, some part can be genetic, and some is what you see/experience. If your children (like I was) are exposed to the "crisis times" of you mother and brother, sadly they will have "bagages" to carry on to their adult life to develop mental illness. I'm not saying you should cut contact with your mum, but be careful of what your kids are exposed to.
Best of luck
Most likely, your children will prolly have somethin wrong wit them..