| The occurrence of mental illness can be caused by | | | | been closely associated with the Streptococcus |
| different factors or a combination of these several | | | | bacteria, linked to the development of certain mental |
| factors. Different explanations are offered by | | | | illnesses in children. |
| different schools of thought, such as biological, | | | | Prenatal damage caused by disruption of early fetal |
| psychological or social explanations for causing mental | | | | brain development such as loss of oxygen to the |
| illness. Current theories however, have mostly | | | | brain, may be a factor in the development certain |
| acknowledged that all three contribute in varying | | | | mental illness. Other factors such as poor nutrition |
| amounts to a person's mental ill-health. Many | | | | and exposure to toxins could also be responsible or |
| psychiatric diseases can be classified as syndromes, | | | | contributory to insanity. |
| or the association of several clinically recognizable | | | | Psychological explanations suggest that individual |
| features that do not always have a single cause. | | | | conflict, stress, crises, or traumatic experiences could |
| The currently most popular explanation for mental | | | | trigger mental illness in especially vulnerable individuals. |
| illness is biological explanations. It believes that a | | | | The early loss of a significant person/s such as a |
| person suffering from mental illness may exhibit a | | | | parent; neglect; and the lack of ability to relate to |
| difference in brain structure or function or in | | | | others may be other factors (See "Mental Health: |
| neurochemistry, either through genetic or | | | | Causes of Mental Illness"). |
| environmental vulnerabilities. Research findings for | | | | Social theorists suggest that mental illness may be |
| example, have shown that people with schizophrenia | | | | caused by the conditions of the person's |
| have enlarged ventricles and reduced gray matter in | | | | environment. For example, there has been significant |
| the brain. In addition, other studies have also found | | | | finding of higher incidences of psychological disorder in |
| that imbalance in neurotransmitters could also play a | | | | areas where people have suffered a major natural or |
| factor in causing mental illness. Studies have focused | | | | man-made disaster. People involved in civil or military |
| on the neurotransmitters dopamine, nor epinephrine, | | | | actions have also shown higher occurrences of this |
| and serotonin. If these chemicals are out of balance | | | | illness. Areas that are more affluent or stable may |
| or may not be working properly, messages sent to | | | | have lesser probability of mental illness compared to |
| the brain may not be sent correctly leading to | | | | places that suffer from endemic poverty, few |
| symptoms of mental illness. | | | | resources and support. |
| Problems in mental conditions may also be caused by | | | | In so far as major psychiatric disorders are |
| injury to certain areas of the brain. | | | | concerned, the nature versus nurture debate has |
| Moreover, many genetic studies have showed strong | | | | generally been settled. It has been widely accepted |
| evidence that mental illness can be inherited, such as | | | | that both play an important role in the sufferer's life. |
| in the cases of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. | | | | It is has been known though, that mental illness is |
| Many mental illnesses have been found to run in a | | | | NOT caused by: weakness of character or |
| family, which suggests that people with a mentally ill | | | | personality, or sinful behavior (although stress arising |
| family member are more likely to develop mental | | | | from guilt may cause psychological disorder). |
| illness as well. Experts link mental illness to | | | | Psychiatric disorders may differ from one individual to |
| abnormalities in many genes, and not just one. It is | | | | another. Degree may range from mild, severe, or |
| possible that a person who has inherited a | | | | anything in between. Symptoms can also vary even |
| susceptibility to this illness may not develop the illness. | | | | in one person over time --- from severe to complete |
| The occurrence of mental illness comes from the | | | | remission and back. Such incidence or "flare-ups" may |
| interaction of multiple genes and other factors such | | | | be triggered by stress or other factors. |
| as stress, traumatic event, or abuse, which can | | | | Symptoms usually vary and every person with |
| trigger an illness in a person who has inherited genes | | | | mental illness is different from one another. Arizona |
| susceptible to it. | | | | NAMI had developed a list of several warning signs of |
| Brain damage and the development of mental illness | | | | mental illness. The presence of a single symptom |
| had also been found to have been caused by certain | | | | does not necessarily indicate mental illness but a |
| infections. For instance, a condition known as pediatric | | | | severe symptom or multiple signs are strong |
| autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder (PANDA) has | | | | indication for a need to seek medical evaluation. |