BPDFamily.com

This is a thread to discuss the role of epigenetics in all this. Is BPD just generations of messed up epigenetics from repeated trauma attached in the form of methylated genes? What's her dad like, her mum, her grandparents? If they have problems, this probably passed on to her, as well as affected how they treated her in childhood. And that's why she can't help it, and that's why you too are going to have damaged genes if you stick around to take the pain.

The trauma they put you through left you with depression and anxiety right? ___ed up your social life and your self esteem and left you feeling like something terribly wrong had happened to your sanity.

The theory of epigenetics, and I don't know enough about this, would suggest that she has left her cruel imprint on your brain and your genes in the form of her own early and likely inherited imprints.

A study on rats proved that the way the mother rat interacted with her kids vastly affected whether the kids would have anxiety problems and the like. The mother rat when inseminated by a male rat that had been bullied for 10 days produced babies that turned out to have the same heights of anxiety etc. that the stress of bullying had done to the father. Furhermore, these rats went on to create the same in their kids. Interestingly too, the mother rat was more likely to raise the kids badly when the bullied weak rat had sex with her and stayed to meet the kids (rather than artificially inseminated and not being around to help raise)

This is still a science in progress but it's got a lot of good evidence. Maybe your BPD has (obviously) picked up these highly damaging genetic attachments from childhood, and is why she passes them on to you. The danger is that because you are the bullied rat and it's ___ed you up, YOU are going to pass this stress on to your kids. She's ruining your genes.

This happens through methyl groups that attach to genes, and develop from behavioural experiences and other things (like drugs, alcohol, rape)- she has lots of bad experiences of things like this, and it's interesting to wonder how much of her behaviour is a result of epigenetics, and suggests that you need to get away from that if you don't want to pass on bad methylated genes to your kids.

Anyone know more about this and how epigenetics may apply to BPDs in general?

The study: www.discovermagazine.com/2013/may/13-grandmas-experiences-leave-epigenetic-mark-on-your-genes

Possibly, but choosing genetics with any partner is dealing with the unknown. Nobody knows all the genes they have, and along with the genes ( and epigenetics) that may be concerning are other genes, that are great attributes. The parent of your child might have genes from a great pianist, or science genius, or artist.

We choose someone for who they are, and the relationship we have. As parents, we would want to choose someone who would be a good parent to any child. Epigenetics is a possibility for the future. If you are miserable in your relationship and your partner is not a good parent, then that is the concern in the moment.

Hi willkennedy,

*welcome*


A break-up with a pwBPD is confusing, chaotic and painful.  People that have a secure attachment style recover from a relationship break-up more quickly than people that have insecure attachment styles.

If you have symptoms of anxiety and/or depression, I would suggest that you talk to your MD. Notwendy mentioned in the moment, it's difficult now but things won't stay that way, it gets better. Take really good care of yourself.

Depression: Stop Being Tortured by Your Own Thoughts (https://bpdfamily.com/bpdresources/nk_a112.htm)

What does it mean to take care of yourself?  (https://bpdfamily.com/message_board/index.php?topic=112473.0)

I read an interesting book a couple of years ago, written by a a psychologist.

Its subject wasn't Epigenics but it did moot the theory, substantiated by academic research, that familial patterns are repeated through generations. Even when a generation is skipped. Not just behavioural patterns but other, more tangible patterns where the current generation had no knowledge of what had happened to preceding generations.

It's an academic text. I'll see if I can find the title and the author and I'll post if I can. It makes fascinating reading.

Here it is:

The Ancestor Syndrome: Transgenerational Psychotherapy and the Hidden Links in the Family Tree

Anne Ancelin Schutzenberger (Author)