iPsychology

What causes mental illness ?

• Physical
• Social
• Environmental
• Psychological

Physical causes are those which are biological in nature. Someone might inherit characteristic from their family through their genes which mean they are much more at risk than other people. It has also been found that people who have suffered head injuries can experience changes to their personality, and in some cases may begin to experience schizophrenia and psychotic type symptoms.What happens during pregnancy can have affect on how the baby's brain develops. For example if a mother is taking drugs while she is pregnant, or if she gets a virus (like the flu).There have been reports that suggest vitamin and mineral deficiencies such as Vitamin D, zinc and certain fatty acids may also be related to our mental health. What are the causes of mental illness? Although the exact cause of most mental illnesses is not known, it is becoming clear through research that many of these conditions are caused by a combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors.

Things that are going on around us, and how we feel about them can have a big impact on our mental health.

Including:

Certain stressors can trigger an illness in a person who is susceptible to mental illness. These stressors include:

• Death or divorce
• A dysfunctional family life
• Living in poverty
• Feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem, anxiety, anger, or loneliness
• Changing jobs or schools
• Social or cultural expectations (For example, a society that associates beauty with thinness can be a factor in the development of eating disorders.)
• Substance abuse by the person or the person's parents

Psychological factors

Your psychological state can influence your mental and emotional state, particularly if you are are coping with traumatic and abusive past or current experiences. Significant life events, like bereavement, divorce or if you have self-destructive thought patterns and perceptions, can impact on your mental health. For example, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and in more extreme cases Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID – in the past referred to as multiple personality disorder) are all mental health conditions that are commonly found in people who have been abused. For many people with mental health problems, it is not a single factor or type of factor that has led to the development of their problems. It is often the case that a series of events have occurred, that have eventually triggered mental illness.

What are the causes of mental illness? Although the exact cause of most mental illnesses is not known, it is becoming clear through research that many of these conditions are caused by a combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors.

Biological Factors Are Involved in Mental Illness

Some mental illnesses have been linked to an abnormal balance of special chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters help nerve cells in the brain communicate with each other. If these chemicals are out of balance or are not working properly, messages may not make it through the brain correctly, leading to symptoms of mental illness. In addition, defects in or injury to certain areas of the brain have also been linked to some mental conditions.

Other biological factors that may be involved in the development of mental illness include:

• Genetics (heredity): Many mental illnesses run in families, suggesting that people who have a family member with a mental illness are more likely to develop a mental illness. Susceptibility is passed on in families through genes. Experts believe many mental illnesses are linked to abnormalities in many genes -- not just one. That is why a person inherits a susceptibility to a mental illness and doesn't necessarily develop the illness. Mental illness itself occurs from the interaction of multiple genes and other factors --such as stress, abuse, or a traumatic event -- which can influence, or trigger, an illness in a person who has an inherited susceptibility to it.
• Infections: Certain infections have been linked to brain damage and the development of mental illness or the worsening of its symptoms. For example, a condition known as pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder (PANDA) associated with the Streptococcus bacteria has been linked to the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder and other mental illnesses in children.
• Brain defects or injury: Defects in or injury to certain areas of the brain have also been linked to some mental illnesses.
• Prenatal damage: Some evidence suggests that a disruption of early fetal brain development or trauma that occurs at the time of birth --for example, loss of oxygen to the brain -- may be a factor in the development of certain conditions, such as autism.
• Substance abuse: Long-term substance abuse, in particular, has been linked to anxiety, depression, and paranoia.
• Other factors: Poor nutrition and exposure to toxins, such as lead, may play a role in the development of mental illnesses.

Psychological factors that may contribute to mental illness include:

• Severe psychological trauma suffered as a child, such as emotional, physical, or sexual abuse
• An important early loss, such as the loss of a parent
• Neglect
• Poor ability to relate to others