Top 10 Causes of Mental Illness

Everyone is invited to take part on the World Mental Health Day that will be held on October 10, 2012. This is the day, where everyone will be informed, oriented, and could participate in an open discussions about concerns and other issues with regards to mental condition. Aside from physical diseases that most of the people are experiencing, another critical health dilemma these days are the increasing numbers of mental problems, and with the right investments, treatment services, and proper promotion, we could alleviate the worst conditions that may happen to our loved ones. It affects families and communities in general. In fact, there are countries in the world that are still looking for permanent remedies, and not just temporary administration of medicines, and other mental facilities in order to help people who are diagnosed of mental disorders. In fact, there are largest institutions and organizations that promote better awareness to all so they could identify early symptoms of it, and give timely support to the concerned individuals. Nonetheless, be a health advocate, by spreading these top 10 causes of mental illness to the people that you know so it can be avoided. This one of a kind event is a channel to send an indirect message to everyone to be mindful and receptive about our loved ones’ mental status despite that there are no obvious symptoms of it.

10. Poor Nutrition

You may not believe it, but poor nutrition leads or affects not just physical health, but mental condition. In fact, whatever we take-in to our body, the brain responses in to it that would results to the kind of behavior that we show, the moods that we have, and the overall function of our brain. In order for you to understand this cause, imagine, or recall the time that you’ve felt that you were hungry and you can’t eat anything. Of course, the irritation and annoyance of wanting to eat is expected at its high rate since that is an immediate need. It is expected that mood and responses are not unlikely if you are placed in that situation. Hence, if we have sufficiently take food that have required amount of energy, it creates positive mood, and it is evident on the level of interaction of anyone to people. It becomes possible because of the neurotransmitter because it stores levels of chemicals which are dependent on the amount of food that we take.

9. Exposure to Toxins

When you hear the word toxins, it actually refers to heavy metals which are typically presents in air, food supply, soil, and water. Environment these days are not guaranteed safe to human especially to kids because of the widespread contamination, there is a higher risk of diseases especially unlikely effects to human brains. In fact, if one is regularly expose to any heavy metals it could lead to poisoning. It does not matter if one of these materials would give minimal effects to individuals, but gradually, it destroys the ability for communication and comprehension. Some of the disturbing effects of it are more of neuropsychiatric disturbances that may start from simple irritation, memory loss, and fatigue. Other extreme results of too much exposure to toxins are headache, hypertension, kidney dysfunction, and aggressive behavior.

8. Brain Chemistry    

It is also called brain wiring by most of the health experts. In fact, there have been serious and long studies about the link or relevance of brain chemistry when it comes to different kind of behavior that individuals manifest which becomes a personality of the person. This specific item is still debatable because there are still on-going studies on this. Hence, according to one of the known researchers and professors, Professor Valenstein who has been researching about the biochemistry of mental illness that there are numerous theories about the relative linking of mental illness to the brain chemistry, but it’s still weak. It could be possible if there are chemicals that did affect the formation of the brain that have caused or resulted to biochemical imbalance in the brain. However, there is a strong scientific foundation which is based on examination and other theories conducted, yet it still needs to be proven.

        

7. Personal Problems/Negative Experiences

People have different level of tolerance whether it’s physical pain or not. It does not mean that if a person overcomes successfully certain problems in life that he or she is already strong. In fact, they need an outlet where they can release that negative thought to them. You may not notice it, but at times it still dwells or lingers in them. It is really up to the person’s positivity and outlook in life as to how he or she will be influenced by it. Nonetheless, there are various stories of people who were not able to cope-up to the ill-fated situations that come to their life. It affects not just social state of the person, but most importantly it may result to destructive patterns or behaviors that may harm himself or herself, but more so people around him or her. Some of the common causes of it are divorce, abusive situations, and even bereavement.

6. Psychological Trauma

This specific reason for mental illness may be related to number 7 item of this list, but it has a deeper, and emotional roots. In fact the patients or people who are suffering psychological trauma are most likely to develop a severe state of hallucination, and mental disturbance caused by specific experience that they cannot shun away from their system, and keeps coming back in their minds. Some of which are the result of disrespectful behavior of others towards the right of individuals especially those who are victims of rape, child abuse, incest, and even environmental factors which are vague to name. The focus is more on what the person feels, and what his or her mind dictates where he or she becomes the prison of that negative experience that may cause to paranoia because of strong manifestation of fear. Psychological trauma only happens if its unexpected, if there is a repetition of the situation, if one is not prepared for it, and under the powerless state. Some of its symptoms are anxiety, isolation from others, mood swings, insomnia, and numbness.

5. Substance Abuse

This is one of the common causes of mental illness these days due to influence of associations outside home, and if there are current issues with any members of the family. Everyone must understand, majority of the people who have been using prohibited drugs or have taken drugs in its excessive dosage have problems at home, and in relationship with loved ones. There is a high impact of substance abuse on cocaine, inhalants, alcohol, and other forms of drug. The misuse of it will result to severe            behavioral patterns like compulsiveness, paranoia, hallucination, depression, and aggression. This is risky to the society because it can harm people, and worst it may result to suicidal tendencies.

4. Infections

There specific infections that would affect the mental state of someone and they are categorically classified under the chronic mental illness. In fact, it could create psychiatric symptoms in following infections like urinary tract infection, pneumonia, diphtheria, typhoid, herpes, malaria, sepsis, and worst HIV. The clear explanation to this is because of direct parasitic infections. It is a common knowledge that microbes are one of the enemies of the human body. If infections will not be detected at its earlier stage, it may result to relapsing illness. It could injure the cells during the process, and it depends on the level of infection from low-grade to chronic infections.

3. Brain Injury/Defects

There have been a number of queries if indeed brain injury will result to mental illness. The answer is definitely yes especially if there is a developed head trauma that might result to schizophrenia or better known as psychotic disorder. Nonetheless, it is not always the same case because according to mental health experts, a history must be recalled in order to establish a diagnosis or conclusion that an individual has also a manifested habits or behaviors that will lead to mental disorder. There is indeed a change or effect to people who experienced head trauma especially if it’s a severe type that could affect as to how someone’s think, understands things, and even feels. Moreover, according to their reports, majority of the people who have had or have current conditions had experience head trauma. It is important that kind of patient must be brought immediately to hospital for immediate tests, and don’t ignore a simple head injury.

2. Prenatal Damage

This 2^nd reason of mental illness is a wake-up call to all mothers who are currently pregnant, and who are planning to conceive to take necessary measurements to take care of the tiny being inside their tummy. The development of their body is critical especially their brain. The necessary intake of vitamins, healthy food, and avoidance of beverages that might harm the baby must be kept proactively and religiously. In fact it may result to premature birth, low birth weight, cognitive problems, and worst miscarriage. This is the reason why pregnant women are advised to have a regular prenatal check-up and care. The disruptions that occur during the development of fetus inside the mother’s womb is critical which may results to brain trauma, loss of oxygen in the brain and could result to autism.

1. Genetics

Going into scientific explanation and details about the hereditary or genetics cause of mental illness have been identified with the observation of genes disorder which is related to schizophrenia, and manic depression.    Medically speaking mental problem is always associated with more than one gene which actually happens because of different genes found in various chromosomes in its widest populations. In fact, a study conducted in 1980 proved this fact, because of their discovery of two genes in some individuals who were diagnosed of manic depression. It is true that in a family who has history of mental disorder, that certain genes could be passed on, but it could only be triggered if one is exposed in chemicals or medications which are susceptible to boost mental illness. The identification of it needs series of tests for one to be proven that he or she might be susceptible to it.