7 Risk Factors For Mental Illness
Psychiatric disorders can be triggered by a variety of factors, including genetics, your brain’s biology, and life experiences. These may also involve environmental stressors, such as traumatic injuries or birth defects.
Protective factors, on the other hand, can reduce your risk of developing a mental illness. These include your family’s support system, social network, and environment.
1. Family History of Mental Illness
If you have a close family member with a mental illness, your chances of developing it yourself are greater. For example, people who have a family member with schizophrenia have an increased risk of developing it (1% if one parent has it, 10% if both parents have it).
Many other mental illnesses are linked to genetics. For instance, if you have ADHD, you have a 75 percent chance of inheriting the genes that cause it.
While there is some controversy about this, it does appear that having certain vulnerabilities in your genes can make you more likely to develop a particular illness. This is called hereditary susceptibility and it is thought that these vulnerability traits are necessary for the illness to develop.
For the most part, researchers and doctors are still working to figure out what factors contribute to mental health issues. However, experts do agree that some of the most common disorders, such as depression and anxiety, have been linked to a genetic component.
While this can be discouraging, there are still several ways to live your best life. For example, you can choose a healthy diet and exercise, and you can learn to manage your stress level. You can also seek out treatment and support from a medical professional if you suspect that you are at risk for developing a mental illness or have already been diagnosed with one.
2. Previous History of Mental Illness
Throughout human history, people have sought to understand and treat mental illness. This quest has involved a variety of strategies and techniques, including the earliest supernatural explanations such as trephination (the surgical drilling of holes in the skull to release evil spirits), the Greek theory of hysteria, witch hunts, asylums, moral treatment, mesmerism, catharsis, the mental hygiene movement, deinstitutionalization, community mental health services, and managed care.
Risk factors for mental illness are those variables that, if present in an individual, increase the chances of developing a particular disorder or condition. These factors may be biological or psychosocial and can be associated with a specific developmental stage or life cycle.
3. Intense Psychological or Physical Stress
There are a variety of situations that can trigger a person’s stress response. These can be mild, such as riding a rollercoaster or competing for a promotion at work, or they can be more intense, such as losing a loved one or being exposed to physical harm.
During a stressful situation, your body sends out certain brain chemicals that make you sweat, breathe faster and tense your muscles. These hormones also help you prepare to fight or flee from a threat.
However, prolonged stress can lead to several health problems. For example, it can cause headaches and migraines because your muscles remain tense for long periods. It can also affect your respiratory system, making it harder to breathe.
It can also increase your risk of developing mental illness, such as depression or anxiety. It can also make it hard to sleep and can exacerbate medical conditions, such as high blood pressure or heart disease.
Fortunately, many people can learn how to manage their stress. They may reach out to friends, family, or a counselor. They can also change their environment to reduce their stress level.
4. Traumatic Experiences
A traumatic experience can be anything that makes you feel threatened or hurt, such as a car accident, natural disaster, assault, rape, or sexual abuse. These experiences can cause a stress response and lead to a wide range of physical symptoms, such as high blood pressure, anxiety, panic attacks, and trembling.
Many people recover from trauma and do not develop mental health problems, but some people may be affected for longer than expected. They may develop PTSD or depression. They can also become addicted to drugs or alcohol and suffer from problems in their relationships.
In addition, women are more likely to develop PTSD than men and they experience it for longer periods. They also tend to live in poorer social environments, which can make them more prone to PTSD.
The traumatic events that trigger PTSD often involve actual or possible death, serious injury, or sexual violence. They can happen in the workplace, at home, or in other relationships. They can also include witnessing or participating in violent acts, such as war and terrorist attacks. They can also include emotional abuse, such as being yelled at by a parent or a partner or being bullied at school or work.
5. Unpleasant Childhood Due to Bullying & Abuse
Being bullied can leave kids feeling rejected, excluded, and isolated. It can also lower their self-esteem and lead to depression or anxiety.
If your child is experiencing bullying and the effects are not getting better, talk to her doctor or a licensed mental health professional about treatment options. They can help her learn to identify her feelings, work through them, and rebuild her self-esteem.
Researchers found that children who were bullied were more likely to have internalizing problems, like anxiety, depression, and self-harm, than children who were not abused by their peers. They were also more likely to have psychosis.
They also found that children who were victims of bullying had higher levels of physical and psychosomatic health problems, like headaches, stomach aches, and backaches. They were also more likely to have sleeping difficulties or experience night terrors.
In addition, being a victim of bullying can be linked to unhealthy behaviors, such as drug use and alcohol abuse. The results of some studies show that frequent victimization is associated with a higher risk for suicidal thoughts and attempts, but other studies have not found this to be true.
6. Chronic Medical Conditions
Many chronic medical conditions can lead to mental illness, but most of them can be controlled and treated. These include diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, and other diseases.
Genetics, environment, and life situations can also influence the development of these conditions. For example, some people are more likely to develop the mental illness if their blood relatives have it, or if they have had certain kinds of traumatic experiences before birth.
If you have a chronic medical condition, it can be hard to keep track of your health and how it’s impacting your life. It may affect how you eat, sleep and exercise. It might also cause you to feel tired and drained all the time.
Getting treatment can help you manage the symptoms of your chronic illness and live a healthy, happy life. It can also reduce the risk of developing a chronic illness or other problems later in life.
There is a lot of confusion around the term “chronic” in healthcare and academic literature, as it is sometimes used to describe different things at different times and with varying degrees of accuracy. This can cause a lot of unnecessary stress and frustration in the process of diagnosis and care.
7. Alcoholism & Drug Abuse
The brain chemicals and hormonal systems associated with depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety disorders are altered by heavy alcohol use. Often, these effects are so strong that they produce symptoms and signs that mimic those of major psychiatric diseases.
Despite these mind-altering effects, many people who drink heavily do not seek treatment for a mental illness until their symptoms have become so severe that it is difficult to function regularly. This makes it all the more important for individuals to learn stress management skills and cope with unpleasant feelings in healthy ways.
In addition to the mental health problems that can occur as a result of alcohol and drug abuse, these substances can also aggravate the symptoms of existing disorders. As a result, those who have both mental health and substance abuse problems need to be treated together to succeed in recovery.
Research has shown that the most common mental illnesses combined with substance abuse include depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety disorders. Other conditions that have been linked to substance abuse include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dependent personality disorder, and conduct disorder.
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