Is depression hereditary?

Maybe: Just because someone feels depressed, doesn't mean they have depression. Depression is a psychiatric disorder but there are many causes of feeling depressed (hypothyroidism, nutritional deficiencies, allergies to name a few). Hypothyroidism & allergies can be hereditary so the depression caused as a result might appear genetic but it is the cause that is genetic.

Postpartum Depressed: Postpartum depression is caused from a hormone imbalance. Depression is a symptom in this case, not a disease. Hormones can be balanced and eliminate the symptom of depression.

Yes: Genetic studies have shown that risk for both major depression and bipolar disorder is inherited. Having a parent or sibling with one of these disorders increases the likelihood of developing it. I don't think this is true for postpartum depression.

Maybe: True depressive disorder as defined by the dsm-iv criteria would be considered to have a genetic relationship to primarily immediate family members. I would use this information just to help you decide if you should seek medical attention for depressive symptoms and not to worry about future possibilities or problems.