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Mental health- Biological or environmental causes? Both?

Starry nightStarry night Posts: 674 Incredible Poster
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/may/12/psychiatrists-under-fire-mental-health

I thought this was interesting and would like to hear your views. I know there are many wise ones and boffins here, many of which have suffered mental health issues.
So, to what extent do you believe that mental health issues are caused by biological factors, such as genes and the behavior of the brain and hormones, or environmental ones, like traumatic experiences or growing up around someone with a mental health issue? :)

Comments

  • Annaarrr!!Annaarrr!! Posts: 876 Part of The Mix Family
    I think biological plays quite a large part tbh, I can't really think of any environmental factors that caused my depression and it started when puberty hit for me. It did escalate when I was really struggling to cope with school but then I always coped and my grades never suffered because of it. So yeah, I think it is biological more than environmental for me personally, but then those people who do have mental illnesses who haven't got the genes or levels of hormones likely to cause them have probably had the environmental factors present that cause mental illness.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    both genetics and life traumas for me i think, mixed with random chemicals added to my system to stop being psychotic...? unsuccessfully
  • Starry nightStarry night Posts: 674 Incredible Poster
    Interesting to hear your experiences. I think it's both. I think that you can have the genetics or a weakness for it and then it may be triggered by a traumatic event or personal stress. Do you think it's wrong for some psychologists to undermine the labels and work of the psychiatrists? Do you think psychiatry actually does a great deal of good. or masks the problem with a name/tablets?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Psychiatry is largely a fraud, challenges to their approach should be welcomed although that article was rather vague. Look into the history of false diagnosis and the ever-increasing labelling of character traits as personality disorders and you'll see how vested interest is clearly the name of the game...
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