Procreation and Bi-polar disorder

[pwlj_christ87]

Hi brothers and sisters in Christ,

My question today is in regards to procreation and having bi polar disorder. do you think its safe to have children with the disorder? is it a disorder thats passed on? i want to have a wife, and i would love to have kids when the time comes, but this has be quite depressed at the time, i am not called to single life.

sincerely,

 

[1ke]

These sorts of questions are best discussed with your mental health professional treating you for your bi-polar, and your pastor for spiritual counseling on your state in life at the moment.

We cannot give medical advice here such as whether it is “safe” to have children, whether or not bi-polar has genetic components, whether you should have children when dealing with bi-polar. We are not qualified medical or psychological professionals.

 

[pwlj_christ87]

what about in a spiritaul sense? or any help from anyone at all? regarding the marriage and love itself? is it possible to marry without having children? and with children, i will ask the preists

 

[Lou2U]

what about in a spiritaul sense? or any help from anyone at all? regarding the marriage and love itself?** is it possible to marry without having children?** and with children, i will ask the preists

As you are Catholic, your marriage must be open to life. Open to life includes adoption, so that is always an option. You cannot enter a marriage deliberately planning to avoid children. First though, speak to a doctor and your Priest. As 1ke has said, we are not allowed to give medical advice on these forums.

Lou

 

[pwlj_christ87]

are there any people on this forum that have a mental illness and have kids? please ineed some respite… this is too much for me to handle now, if god has a plan for me and a wife in store, which i feel he does, and potentially i am talking to now, how can i cancel it all out because of my illness ( which is well treated, in fact i am more normal now than i have ever been even without it)… that wouldnt be fair?

 

[MJJean]

My mother was bi-polar with suicidal tendencies. She had 4 children. But that’s my mother, not you. How capable you are of being able to consent to marriage and what kind of parent you’d be is something only your priest and therapist can advise you on.

 

[pwlj_christ87]

i think i would be an awesome father and awesome person, my only issue is that whether or not it;s right to have a child who would or may have bi polar as well, which even then i feel i would be able to deal with treat etc

 

[St_Francis]

i think i would be an awesome father and awesome person, my only issue is that whether or not it;s right to have a child who would or may have bi polar as well, which even then i feel i would be able to deal with treat etc

The problem is that whoever advises you must know much more about you than people on the internet can or should know, and your advisor also needs to know a lot more theology or psychology than we know. In between those two things, we cannot say one way or the other about your personal situation.

 

[marymary1975]

I think that you talk to a priest and talk to your doctor. My daughter’s father used to have bipolar disease. In her case. My personal experience with him was not good and being married to him was extremely difficult. But no one here knows your personal situation so I think you are much better talking to a therapist or a psychiatrist.

 

[MJJean]

i think i would be an awesome father and awesome person, my only issue is that whether or not it;s right to have a child who would or may have bi polar as well, which even then i feel i would be able to deal with treat etc

While your illness is a concern you must realize that having kids means taking your chances. Two perfectly healthy people can have a child with any one of thousands of diseases and disabilities. Two people with problems can have a perfectly healthy child. Sometimes it’s genetics, sometimes a fluke. Every time someone has a baby they are rolling the dice.