Under Construction - MHWA Retreat

I think some genetic testing is useful. I did some research this week on Pharmacogenetics which could be life changing for some mental health sufferers who struggle with getting their medications right. It tests what medicines would be best for you. If you're interested here i"Invalid Entry" 

Other genetic testing, quite frankly, creeps me out. Especially the prenatal ones where you can determine what is right or wrong with your baby and potentially terminate a pregnancy based on results!! We could be missing out on some great additions to the human race regardless of abnormalities.

I've also heard some of those latest trend sites like 123 and me or Ancestory.com are selling your information which is unsettling.

A friend of mine had a mother who died of a brain aneurysm at when my friend was eight leaving behind three daughters, one son and a husband. When my friend was in her twenties, one of her sister's discovered this genetic test they could do to determine if they had the gene that could cause them to have a brain aneurysm too. Rebecca was really weary about this and debated it for months but her other two sisters went ahead. One sister tested negative for the gene and the other one was a positive 85% or something. She was never the same after that. She lives in constant fear, never got married, never had kids and has basically given up on life even though it may never happen - or might happen in 30 years!

This demonstrates to me that the emotional ramifications can be more damaging than what you are testing for!



August Leaf

It takes courage to be vulnerable
Brene Brown