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0 By Laura Owen
Mother’s Day has just passed and I have been meaning to discuss how genetics play a role in the development of psychological disorders. I’ve always imagined my future self having children. At the same time, I’ve always wondered about the genetic risks of passing on diseases and mental illness.
A similar theme in my blog posts is always referencing worrying and anxiety and the “what-ifs” of tomorrow. I would never wish mental illness on anyone. That being said, I also believe that mental illness is what has transformed me into the person I am today. There are pros and cons to both. However, dealing with the reality of psychological disorders can be devastating to the individual and those around them.
Would I pass on a mental illness?
In some ways, illness can enlighten aspects of one’s life that one may have not acknowledged otherwise. What others take for granted on a daily basis, those dealing with mental illness may cherish. Being able to get out of bed, not worrying about what to eat that day, or being able to enjoy life’s moments, can be a struggle for those suffering with depression, anxiety, or eating disorders (amongst others). I worry that my genetics will override the normality of whoever’s DNA interacts with mine, with the lifelong implications of conceiving a child. Some individuals with a mental health diagnosis refuse to have children.
I’m unsure what the future holds, for what my genes would bring onto a child. Knowing what I’ve been through, I would feel terribly guilty passing on a debilitating mental illness that would live with them for the rest of their life. Of course, the biopsychosocial model shows that there’s never just one category of risk for inheriting a disease or illness. There are environmental, social and physiological factors that contribute to “passing on” certain traits.
Weighing the risk factors
If a disease runs in the family, there is a higher likelihood of developing that illness. For example, epigenetic factors are those factors triggered by environmental factors in relation to one’s predisposed genetics. Unlike physical disorders such as Cystic Fibrosis or Haemophilia, psychological disorders cannot be predicted through something like a blood test. Not to negate the fact that research is discovering more and more likely genes that correlate with mental illness. However, there is no true way to weigh the risk factors in respect to what you will pass on.
One of the common themes in psychological disorders is that they tend to skip a generation. Yet just as common, “If you have a depressed parent, you’re twice as likely to experience depression. With bipolar, you’re four times more at risk. And in schizophrenia… it’s eight times” as likely (BBC). From personal experience and some background research, I discovered that mental illness runs throughout our family tree. Retrospectively, there were many environmental factors that contributed to my diagnoses. But psychological disorders are even more prevalent with those who have had family members experience the same symptoms, diagnosed or not.
Educate our children on warning signs
Abnormalities in our brain chemistry tend to be the reasons for mental illness – hence, genetics! – but trauma, drug abuse, parental neglect, loss of a family member, etc, are environmental factors that may lead to the triggering of psychological illness.
An important message to remember is that there is no true way to prevent or “save” your child from developing a psychological disorder. What we can do, however, is educate our children on the warning signs and to provide trust and encouragement if he or she starts to develop mental illness. Support is crucial, not to mention watching his or her behavior, to see if there are any similarities with what you, family members or even friends have experienced in the past.
Reproduced with permission, originally posted on theplatheffect.com
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