Both physical and mental health is important; however, there are millions of people who suffer various types of mental illnesses and go unrecognized. Social anxiety, OCD, drug and alcohol addiction are but three issues that face modern society.
Although the exact cause of mental illness cannot be pinpointed, it is clear that mental health is the result of a combination of things; environment, psychological factors and biology.
What biological factors influence mental health?
Continued research in mental illness links some of it to an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemicals in the brain that helps the cells to communicate with one another. When the chemicals are imbalanced or not functioning properly, the intracranial messages may not make the connections properly and lead to a symptom of mental illness. There is also a reason to believe that a defect in the brain or an injury to the brain can also lead to certain mental conditions.
There are other biological factors thought to have an influence on mental health:
Heredity: Many mental disorders seem to run in families. This trend suggests that people with a family member who exhibits a mental defect, are more prone to developing a mental illness themselves. This susceptibility is passed by genes. The experts believe that when a mental illness is genetic, it is more than one gene, which exhibits an abnormality. This is thought to be one reason why a person can inherit a susceptibility to the disorder, but not the illness. When there is an interaction between genes and factors such as stress, physical or mental abuse or trauma, it can be the trigger that causes the onset of the illness which the person is susceptible to.
Infections: There are certain infections that appear to be directly linked to brain damage and mental illness. There is a recognized disorder, PANDA, which is associated with strep bacteria and has been linked to obsessive-compulsiveness in children.
Brain injury or defects: An injury to or a defect in certain areas within the brain appears to have a direct effect on a person’s mental health.
Prenatal damage: Evidence of early disruption in brain development of a fetus or trauma suffered at birth has been linked to certain mental disorders, autism being one.
Substance abuse: Long-term use of illicit drugs, prescription drugs and alcohol; are linked to anxiety, paranoia and depression, all of which are mental illnesses.
There are also many psychological and environmental factors that can be directly linked to mental illness. A person who was sexually abused as a child, suffered neglect or the early loss of a parent can eventually manifest a mental condition. An individual who suffers as divorce, dysfunctional family life suffers from low esteem can also show effects of mental health issues.
Mental health care is very much at the forefront of the specialists at the Behavioral Hospital of Bellaire. Treatments for depression, sexual trauma and suicide prevention programs are tailored to meet the needs of the patient.
