Mental health issues range from common shortfalls in the ability to think, feel, and act your best, to having ongoing symptoms that persist causing an inability to function at home, at work, in your community, or in your relationships. Mental health issues are typically caused by a combination of factors with environmental influences being the most prevalent and researched contributor. Genetics and neurological deficits may also impact a person's mental health.
Individuals who have a family history of mental illness may be more susceptible to acquiring mental illness if their environment triggers the specific mental disorder gene to be switched on. For example, someone may have a family history of major depressive disorder and not experience any depression at all because their environment has been favorable. If they were to experience a significant life stressor, that gene for depressive symptoms may get switched on. Research has not been able to pinpoint a causal relationship between genetic predispositions alone without environmental factors serving as a confounding variable.
Environmental factors appear to be the biggest indicator of developing a mental illness. These factors may include a range of experiences including a traumatic birth (lack of oxygen when born), family neglect, grief, high emotional conflicts within the family, a history of bullying, sickness, loss of a job or friendship, divorce, homelessness, etc. These experiences cause a release of the stress hormone called cortisol to be released. depending on the situation and the individual's resilience to stress, the brain often creates a cognitive defense system that changes the person's beliefs about themselves or the world/environment to adapt to the stressor. This defense may be helpful when someone is in extreme life or death danger, however, oftentimes, it creates cognitive distortions that cause a person to exhibit mental health issues if they are not addressed. For individuals who experience significant trauma or multiple traumas throughout their lifespan, they may experience a multitude of symptoms including anxiety, depression, anger, dissociation, posttraumatic stress, and more. When these symptoms persist, other mental health conditions may result.
Neurological deficits include poor connections to different parts of the brain causing communication between brain hemispheres and brain functioning to be impaired. Cognitive deficits in attention, executive functioning, memory, and emotional intelligence can account for various disorders.
If you know that you have experienced a significant life stressor or traumatic event, or noticed that you feel "off" more days than not, it would be helpful to speak to a professional who can assist you with enhancing your mental health. Some people may only need a couple of sessions to better understand themselves and their symptoms. Other individuals may prefer support groups or benefit from ongoing counseling (see previous blogpost on how to treat mental illness). All of these factors that may lead to mental illness can be prevented with proper support, education, and treatment. Learning healthy coping skills to manage stress and having a support system when times are difficult may help in combating the mental health symptoms you may be experiencing.
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