Causes of mental disorders

What factors contribute to mental illness? Although the specific etiology of most mental diseases is unknown, research is showing that a mix of biological, psychological, and environmental variables are responsible for many of these conditions.

What Biological Factors Contribute to Mental Illness?

The aberrant functioning of nerve cell circuits or pathways that connect certain brain regions has been linked to some mental diseases. Neurotransmitters are molecules that nerve cells in certain brain circuits use to communicate. Medicines, psychotherapy, and other medical procedures that "tweak" these molecules can help brain circuits work more efficiently. Furthermore, several mental illnesses have been related to deficiencies in or injury to specific parts of the brain.

Other biological elements that may have a role in mental disorder development include:

• Your ancestors and family tree

• Chemical imbalances in the brain, for example, are biological causes.

• A traumatic brain injury is a condition in which the brain is damaged.

• When a mother is pregnant, she may be exposed to viruses or harmful chemicals.

What Psychological Factors Affect Mental Health?

The following psychological elements may have a role in mental illness:

• Emotional, physical, or sexual abuse as a youngster resulted in severe psychological damage.

• A significant loss as a child, such as the death of a parent

• Neglect

• Inability to connect with others

What Factors in the Environment Contribute to Mental Illness?

In a person who is prone to mental disease, certain circumstances can set off an illness. The following are examples of stressors:

• Divorce or death

• A shattered family existence

• Inadequacy, low self-esteem, anxiety, rage, or loneliness are all common feelings.

• Changing schools or jobs

• Expectations based on social or cultural factors (A society that connects beauty with thinness, for example, can contribute to the development of eating disorders.)

• Substance abuse by the individual or his or her parents