is depression a hereditary trait????

Yes, there is some evidence that depression, along with other mental illnesses, is hereditary, although most experts consider that both biological and psychological factors can come into play.

As a person who has been living with depression for the past ten years, I can emphatically state that yes, having a depressed parent or other close family member will increase the likelihood that you yourself may be clinically depressed.

My mother also suffers from depression (and has for years).. in fact, we are currently taking the same antidepressants. Her mother also suffered from it. It seems it runs in the genes, for me at least.