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Our understanding of mental health issues has expanded exponentially in recent years, and people now acknoweldge the presence of hereditary mental illness more readily than before. In fact, if you have ever met a mental health professional, the first question they may ask you might be about the history of mental illness in your family. But, have you ever wondered where this question comes from or why it is relevant to your history of concerns?
One of the most common debates in psychological research has been between nature and nurture. However, we have come closer to finding evidences for the impact of nature or genetics on mental health disorders and well-being. Twin studies (where twins were raised in the same household vs twins who were separated at birth and raised apart) are some of the most insightful datasets in parsing out exactly what the role of genetics is in overall personality and mental health.
What Is an Inherited Mental Illness or Hereditary Mental Illness?
An inherited mental illness or hereditary mental illness is a condition that has a genetic component to it. As the name suggests, these conditions can be passed down from parents to their children. Psychologists have theorized and researched the presence or absence of hereditary mental illness in multiple studies. While there is no single evidence, most mental health conditions are caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
Very rarely does a deficit in one gene cause a mental health disorder. It is often the complex interplay of genes that cause a hereditary mental illness. However, if you have a family history of mental illness, it doesn't necessarily guarantee that you will be diagnosed with a mental health condition. However, your chances of being diagnosed with the same condition does double up. External factors such as excessive stress, traumatic experiences, and poor living conditions can make you vulnerable to developing these conditions.
Genetic Mental Illnesses List
Family genetic factors overlap with our experiences growing up, current life stressors, and ways of coping. The most common mental health conditions often have an associated genetic component to them. Here are a few hereditary mental illnesses that you may be aware of:
1) Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is one of the most researched, yet the most complex conditions of the human mind. It is a debilitating and complex heterogeneous Neuropsychiatric disorder.
There is no single root cause of the condition, and it's occurrence has been linked to a myriad of environmental, lifestyle, and genetic factors. However, some studies point that genetic factors can contribute about 80% risk to developing the disorder.
2) Autism
Autism Spectrum Disorder is a common neurodevelopmental condition that affects many children each year. A recent study revealed that eesearchers have been able to identify 134 genes associated with autism and a range of genetic alterations associated with ASD.
3) Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Again, the heritability estimates of this condition are quite high, ranging between 70%-90%.
Additionaly, its impact can also be seen in connection to other mental health conditions. Children diagnosed with ADHD have a higher genetic overlap with autism spectrum disorder while adults diagnosed with ADHD have a higher genetic overlap with depression.
4) Depression
Is depression caused by a chemical imbalance? Major Depressive Disorder is one of the most commonly recognized conditions in the mental health landscape. It is characterised by persistent low mood, difficulties with focus and concentration, and appetite and sleep changes. It is important to remember that some people with depression have no family history of or genetic predisposition to it, so the triggers and environmental factors are playing a larger role.
Some researchers believe that you may be born with a gene that makes you vulnerable to depression. You then encounter a trigger (a major stressor—say, a divorce or car crash or other trauma). Then you develop pathogenic intestinal permeability from environmental factors (examples include excess alcohol, excess stress, leaky gut, and inflammation).
What the weight of psychological evidence shows is that, mental illness has a complex and multi-factorial basis. That is, no matter which way the data is analyzed, we cannot produce one single factor to explain all mental health issues. Like most psychological phenomenon, mental health has a multi-factorial basis.
While the debate between researchers is unlikely to end soon, we must become more aware of the genetic influences in our mental health conditions. Hereditary mental illness are an indication of the powerful influence of our genes on our mental well-being.
Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.
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