How many of you have any of the traits listed below in your family, specifically in the past 2-3 generations….?
Mental Illness: depression, bipolar, manic depressive, etc….Suicidal Tendancies
Alcoholism or Drug Addiction of some type: whether they be street drugs, prescriptions, etc….
Felons or Close family that has done time in prison or jail….
Been a victim of domestic violence: note, this does not only include physical, but mental, emotional,financial….
As i said before, i am asking out of curiosity, not to use against anyone else…for i actually fit into most that i have listed myself….
If you do answer this question honestly, please list your religious or spiritual affiliation….As usual, no bashing….and i hope that i have not offended anyone by asking such a thing…
Blessings to all
)o( Trinity
And please let me add, that it is only by my spiritual path that i have been able to overcome so many of these, thus breaking the cycle….
Thank you all for being so gracious as to answer…no, i had no intention of posting any type of statistics or results….only letting others know that they are not alone, and once the spiritual condition is cured in the individual, the mental and the physical seems to follow.
As for my friend with the daughter in counseling, i wish you strength, and patience….self mutilation is a way of releasing inner pain that one cannot seem to release in a normal and or appropriate manner, it is actions of this nature which lead to more dangerous addictions and drugs…to numb the pain. I am only saying this because i have been there…You are doing the right thing by keeping her in counseling. I truely hope this works…
I would like to mention though, that addictions, alcoholism, etc…all of these do not effect just the individual, but the entire family unit.
Therefore, we probably all need to be in counseling of some type it would appear!
Blessings to you all!
#1 by Ian on July 9, 2010 - 12:52 pm
No, agnostic
#2 by Printninja on July 9, 2010 - 1:07 pm
All of the above except for prison (that I know of), and I’ve broken the cycle on all of them, and I’m the only atheist in my family.
#3 by Ludwig Van on July 9, 2010 - 1:20 pm
arghhh
Nature vs Nurture again.
#4 by Katie on July 9, 2010 - 1:59 pm
Well…a few people in my family have been in jail, my mom has been a victim of domestic abuse, and I’m sure there are some who have had depression. I am Messianic Jewish. Oh, addictions….cigarettes…if that counts?
#5 by tebone0315 on July 9, 2010 - 2:58 pm
1. none
2. none
3. none
4. 1 person
Catholic Christian
#6 by changeling1435 on July 9, 2010 - 3:12 pm
I have none of those, and I’m an atheist.
#7 by Teha4 on July 9, 2010 - 3:22 pm
I think I’ve had all of those things in my family. At the risk of sounding too cheesy, I love Jesus.
#8 by Boles on July 9, 2010 - 4:21 pm
I drink and smoke pot occasionally, but am far from addicted. I’m a pretty happy fellow, but I think I had ADD in high school. I went to jail for 3 weeks once for possession of marijuana. Never been a victim of abuse. Atheist.
My family has mostly the same tendencies except for jail and ADD.
#9 by Styme the Brave on July 9, 2010 - 4:30 pm
No, Christian.
#10 by Megan on July 9, 2010 - 4:45 pm
I don’t know if I’d call them generational traits in my family, but yes a couple of them fit.
Atheist
#11 by KC Superstar on July 9, 2010 - 5:33 pm
Alcoholism is prevalent throughout my family. My father and uncle abused drugs in their youth.
I am an atheist.
#12 by Evolution on July 9, 2010 - 6:20 pm
Yea like I’m going to tell you.
#13 by MJF on July 9, 2010 - 6:28 pm
yes to some. I’m an atheist.
#14 by Mary Redshirt on July 9, 2010 - 7:17 pm
My grandpa–manic depressive. And my younger daughter–oh, boy. I have her in therapy right now b/c I do not want her to suffer and make others suffer like he did. Stop that mess in the bud, if possible.
My grandpa was a Latter Day Saint. So am I. My daughter’s an atheist. I don’t have a problem with her beliefs, but the self-mutilation, the self-starvation, the crying jags, the fits of rage, and then the sudden excitement and giddiness–what do you call that?
#15 by angafeabeta on July 9, 2010 - 7:36 pm
Depression, Alcoholism, Drugs, Domestic Violence, Felons, the whole nine yards.
And I’m Wiccan. Though every other person, who have committed these acts above, in my family is Southern Baptist.
Blessed be
#16 by kerwin96073 on July 9, 2010 - 7:45 pm
Everyone on earth is related to some one with the above listed traits. This may not be in their immediate family but if you go back a couple of generations they are related to some felon, drunk, prisoner, or mentally disturbed individual. It would be a virtual statistical miracle to be unrelated to your list.
#17 by Toadaly on July 9, 2010 - 8:15 pm
All of the above except prison in my immediate family. They’re all devout Christians, but I’m an atheist.
#18 by liddabet on July 9, 2010 - 8:16 pm
Both of my Grandfathers were alcoholics. Both of them were Catholics. My brother was an alcoholic too – but not a practicing Catholic during his adult life.
None of the other things you listed have affected my family.
I am a Religious Scientist.
Namaste!
#19 by devildog_guard on July 9, 2010 - 8:33 pm
the first question would have to be none that i know of the second i use to be my wife cured me of that no felons or inmates and finally no known abuse in my family i and my whole family are very devout christians since 2001 I LOVE JESUS
#20 by Fereshte on July 9, 2010 - 8:40 pm
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. Yes
Currently Inclusive Monotheistic but was raised Fundamentalist Christian. Some of the traits are in my family and don’t effect me in the physical way (such as half my family are alcoholics, but I myself am not.)
I’m curious to see where this study is going. Are you going to post any kind of results or conclusions?
#21 by Daniel D on July 9, 2010 - 9:23 pm
I’m only mentioning myself. I’ll leave my family out of this one.
I have mental illness: OCD, depression, anxiety problems. I take medication for this and it helps to an extent, but not all the way. I’ve had suicidal tendencies in the past, but not at all in the present time.
I am Non-religious.
#22 by BitterSweetDrama on July 9, 2010 - 10:16 pm
~I am Eclectic.
The only things my family has suffered to my knowledge is depression. I know several family members who are battling it. They are all either Roman Catholic or atheist.
You are NOT the only one. Keep up your faith and be strong. If this is just a study, let us know where it is leading.
I hope this helps.
Blessed Be
#23 by Reginald H on July 9, 2010 - 10:48 pm
Trinity,
I was adopted, so I cannot trace back generations, but I can reflect on my own life. I’ve personally experienced Mental illness, alcoholism, drug use, Incarceration, victim of domestic, as well as violence from my mom (emotional, physical, mental). I have not become a terrible person (at least not anymore). I attribute this to my faith. I have learned to harness my emotions and direct my energies in a positive way. I am a Pagan Cleric-Priest by the way.
Bless,
Brother Reggie
#24 by nzNora on July 9, 2010 - 11:02 pm
‘close family that has done time in prison’.. mm let me think..they (my ancestor) were in the time before my country got independence in 1957. the rest we don’t have any of them.. i’m a Muslim
#25 by xtheurgata on July 9, 2010 - 11:57 pm
I’m adopted, but I know many members of my birthfamily.
In my adoptive family, two people were alcoholic 2 generations back. If there’s anything else from your list in my adoptive family, I’m unaware of it.
In my birthfamilies (both sides), there is one instance of mental illness 2 generations back, and one instance of either mental illness and/or severe alcohol dementia 1 generation back. (From different sides.) The latter person had also served jail time and engaged in domestic violence. A different person in the other birthfamily 1 generation back was on the receiving end of domestic violence. There may be more on either side of my birthfamilies that I’m unaware of. Note: I was not raised knowing this. I found out after I was 20.
I’m Pagan, and I agree that one’s spiritual path can help people to break unhealthy generational patterns and establish new ones. Non-religious hard work can as well, IMO.
#26 by Ravenfeather on July 10, 2010 - 12:15 am
Depression, alcoholism on both sides, domestic violence is ?. It is a taboo subject in my mother’s family, which leads me to believe that there was some…
You didn’t mention incest…which could be considered abuse, I guess.
Religious or spiritual affiliation: I have none (affiliation) tho I consider myself spiritual…
the last two generations of both sides were not religious, they considered themselves humanists, caring about the welfare of other human beings.
#27 by Eloy on July 10, 2010 - 12:31 am
sugar problem
#28 by Michael P on July 10, 2010 - 12:43 am
I’m a Christian.
No one in my family has ever divorced.
The only one jailed was my dad, over a fight when he was young.
No blood relative has ever had mental illness.
I would say NO to all your questions.
But my mother’s Jewish parents…my grandparents…were hated, vilified, humiliated, robbed, arrested, stripped, and murdered by German invaders to Poland during WWII.
Does that count for emprisonment?
#29 by ari on July 10, 2010 - 1:39 am
i grew up a christian but am now pagan, and 4 out of 5 above, no crime in my family, that i am aware of.
#30 by social order on July 10, 2010 - 1:47 am
3 out of 4 No prison or jail. Christian
#31 by Lady Morgana on July 10, 2010 - 2:21 am
Hi dear friend, you know me, agnostic pagan Witch.
Depression (my father, an aunt on my father’s side)
Alcoholism (me, my mother, many relatives on my mother’s side)
no felons
no domestic violence that I know of
I guess we all get something, and what we get is not as important as what we DO with what we get. Sometimes doing something with it is the hardest thing.
Many blessings,
Lady Morgana )0(
PS I am going to the business meeting of my home group tonight and asking them to include a version of How It Works using feminine pronouns, in our regular meeting format,giving the reader the option, but being proactive about letting every one know that it IS an acceptable option AND that it is written down for them so they don’t have to change the pronouns from masculine to feminine in their heads. You know I’m a teacher, but I may not have mention that I am also an attorney, and that I practiced law in CA for 10 years before going to teaching. The old legal blood is flowing again!
Wish me luck!