Prone to Developing Major Mental Illness?

Most of the time, people manage to cope with difficult life situations as they arise. Some faster, some slower. And others get stuck in a certain situation. What is the difference between them? Or rather, what is the nature of this difference?

Research shows that the risk of developing a mental disorder is a combination of genetic factors (30–40%) and environmental factors (60–70%).

A genetic vulnerability, accompanied by factors such as childhood trauma or abuse, lack of family and social support, or several rapidly occurring negative events, can trigger a variety of mental disorders. Anyone can develop a mental disorder at some point in their life - with or without notice.

Studies over the years show us who people are (more) prone to developing a major mental illness:

• people who have parents diagnosed with depression. Susceptibility is transmitted in the family through genes: a person inherits a predisposition to developing a certain mental illness. A child who grows up with depressed parents or siblings is three times more likely to develop the disorder. On the one hand, genetic inheritance plays a role, and on the other hand, exposure to the behavior of a depressed person predisposes the child to take over his mimicry and behavior, and these traits become normal for him.

• people suffering from chronic illness or pain. Depression is common among people with chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes or multiple sclerosis. This is because chronic diseases cause certain changes at the biochemical level, and the new configuration leads to the development of depressive symptoms. At the same time, a person diagnosed with a chronic illness may develop depression due to the changes that such suffering brings:

• decreased functioning, impaired quality of life as a whole, prolonged exposure to pain.

• a study published in the journal Nature Human Behavior (2017) found that kind people, defined as those sensitive to injustice and inequality, are more likely to have depressive symptoms than more selfish and self-centered people.

The explanation is that the kindest people are more vulnerable to depression because they are more empathetic, have feelings of guilt when exposed to situations where people are treated unequally, and unfair situations are a source of stress for them. According to the study, this emotional sensitivity is strongly rooted in the brains of kind people, in the way it works and activates it.

Smart people.

Some studies show a correlation between high IQ and various mental disorders, including depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. Explanation: psychological hyperexcitability. This refers to a tendency to ruminate and worry (symptoms of mood disorders and anxiety disorders) characteristic of intelligent people who are accustomed to analyzing and "over-analyzing" certain words and situations to anticipate all possible consequences. Another explanation is related to the tendency of social isolation that people with a high IQ have - behavior often associated with anxiety and depression.

People with childhood trauma.

Studies show that ACE's Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) increase the chances of developing both mental disorders and chronic illnesses at any time in life. ACE's are abusive (physical, emotional, sexual abuse), neglect of physical and emotional needs, or family dysfunction (domestic violence, divorce, substance abuse, incarcerated parents). Exposing the child to one or more of these situations in the first 3 years of life can even alter the structure of his DNA, making him more vulnerable and receptive to mental suffering.

People who are poor or at risk of poverty.

The American Psychological Association found in 2015 that poor people are twice as likely to develop depression as people who are not at risk of poverty. Living in a poor area, lack of jobs, lack of social support condemn some people to a vicious circle, keeping them in a socio-economic climate difficult to overcome.

People that live in a polluted environment.

Some studies show that pollution can be a factor in developing depression. Air pollution would affect every organ, every cell in the body. Fine particles of polluted air can reach the brain through both breathing and blood flow, damaging nerve cells and causing a change in the production of stress hormones, a change that has been linked to poor mental health.

Although studies in this area of ​​the predisposition to develop a mental illness are not exhaustive, they are important to understand the nature of human vulnerability and to be able to develop prevention and treatment strategies as applied as possible. Understanding the multiple mechanisms that are set in motion in the case of a mental illness helps mental health professionals to compose a complex cause-and-effect puzzle, to anticipate various responses to psychiatric treatment and psychotherapy.