Which One?

        In an earlier post, I had touched on the age old "Nature Verses Nurture" scenario. Who is to say which idea is correct? As the saying goes, "opinions are like arm pits, everyone has um and some of them stink". Some say that MI is a genetic thing and runs in families. Others say it is all in how you raise a child.
        I have to say that I agree with both theories. I do believe that some MI does have a genetic link to it, in the instance of "brain disorder". I also believe that nurture can play a big role in MI as well, as in depression, suicide and self-esteem issues. We need to educate ourselves on both types of MI so that we can learn how to #1 properly deal with it and #2 to try and avoid the environmental ones.
        I have been blessed, yes I said blessed, with what I believe is both kinds in my DD's lives. I truly believe that my DD #1 has the "nurture" type of MI. I truly believe that if she had not been exposed to abuse in her earlier years that she would be different today. Almost all of her struggles can be linked back to her abuse. I wish I could have changed what she went through, to make her life easier now. She is a fighter and I have seen her grow by leaps and bounds in the last few years.
        My DD #1 struggles with depression, self esteem issues and some pretty significant anxiety as well as the normal "mood swings" of the typical menstruating female (which believe me will cause my own insanity before it is over). Due to her LD's it makes it more difficult for her to understand and hinders her ability to process the abuse sometimes. It also took her years before she realized that the nightmares she experiences effect her waking hour's mood. If she has a rough night it means a rough next day and if that isn't enough lets add hormonal fluctuations into the fire. Talk about blowing a gasket.
         On the other hand of all this, I do believe that my DD #2 has the biological type of MI. Looking back now, the signs of this were even seen in infancy. As young as 6 months old, she hated facing anything. She would begin to nurse and try to take my breast with her as she would look around. She hated being held facing the body, she was only happy if she was facing away from whom ever was holding her. She also hated being still, even as she fell asleep, she would either move her bottom around or giggle a leg. I used to jokingly call her my perpetual motion baby.
         Now I am not saying that any child who does this has a MI. What I am thinking is that those who have the biological side of MI, there is usually signs of it early in life. Even though I see the differences in my DD's MI's, I do not treat them any different and this is where my thoughts vary from many people. Whether MI is biological or environmental, everyone still has to learn to deal with it in order to succeed in life.
         I have to admit that both of my DD's are on medication to help "control behaviors" but there is a definitive difference between the two. I truly believe that my DD #1 will one day be able to stop taking her medication once she has over come the effects of the abuse in her life. Yes she will always have the memories of it and she will always struggle with her LD's but she can ultimately regain control of her life without the need for medication.
        My DD #2 on the other hand, I truly believe she will always need medication to remain stable and on an even keel. Yes she has a lot of work ahead of her to be able to manage her MI, but she too can live a long and happy life once stability is achieved. Both of my girls have a road they need to go down in order to come out on the other side. Each of their roads are going to have different road blocks, dips and valley's but both will eventually come to the same crossroad. The crossroad called decision. Do we choose the road that leads to happiness or the road that leads to confinement? The decision is up to them, no one else can make the choice for them.