How can mental illnesses develop?
Mental illnesses can be triggered by our genetic make-up, environmental factors, social environment, life situation and circumstances as well as personal stress. In some cases, a combination of these factors is also the cause of the development of a mental disorder.
Heredity as a cause of mental illness
Hereditary factors are often decisive for the development of certain predispositions or tendencies that make us more susceptible to certain mental illnesses. For example, a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia can lead to an increased risk of developing this illness - even if there are no other risk factors.
Environmental factors as a cause of mental illness
Environmental factors play a major role in the development of mental illness: for example, a stressful event in childhood (or later in life) can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other disorders such as anxiety disorder or depression.
Life circumstances as the cause of mental illness
In most cases, the causes of mental illness can be found in the life circumstances of those affected. It is often stressful events, such as the death of a relative, a divorce or a career crisis, that push a person to their limits and lead to a mental illness. Financial worries, problems in a relationship or social isolation can also be triggers for a mental disorder. For example, people who have few social contacts and feel lonely are more likely to suffer from depression and stressful relationship factors can lead to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or tinnitus, among other things.
Our eating and sleeping habits are also factors that should not be underestimated. It is therefore all the more important that we know ourselves well and know what is particularly harmful to us. In this way, we can counteract any negative effects.
If you are now wondering which treatment options help with mental illness, please read the following article: Mental illness - What treatment options are there?
