Contributing Factors in Mental Health
Mental health problems can arise from a combination of different factors. To help and assist those who are struggling with mental health issues, it is essential to understand the complex relationship between these factors.
Genetic factors — having a close family member with a mental illness can increase the chance that you might get a mental illness. However, just because one family member has a mental illness does not mean that others will.
Environmental Factors – Early life experiences and environmental factors play a crucial role. Childhood trauma, abuse, neglect, or inconsistent parenting may contribute to the development of maladaptive personality traits and mental health issues.
Personality factors – Some traits such as perfectionism or low self-esteem can increase the risk of depression or anxiety.
Parental Influence – Parental modelling and the quality of parent-child relationships are significant factors. Children may learn disturbed behaviours or coping mechanisms from their parents, contributing to the development of personality disorders.
Physical Health – For being a mentally healthy person, it is essential condition that a person should be physically healthy. It is a general fact that the person who is chronically ill also suffers from mental tension, frustration, and inner conflicts.
Complications during birth– Early age Pregnancy and birth complications e.g. prematurity [before 26 weeks], low birth weight, substance use by mother during pregnancy may cause mental health problem in children.
Drugs and alcohol – Abusing drugs and alcohol in an Excessive amount can be led to mental health issues as it impacts one’s brain.
Brain Damage – There are naturally occurring brain chemicals which send signals to different parts of your body through neural networks. If the functions of these neural networks are impaired, chances of neurological damage become high. This may lead to various neuropsychological issues.
Other factors- unemployment, debt, grief, discrimination, death of parents or someone close, divorce, relationship issues, accident leading to brain injury resulting in mental health problems, Exposure to toxins during childhood, social and cultural background.