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E-Quipped to...Unravel  Inherited Disorders

This newsletter refers to 'Understanding Mental Disorders', a comprehensive article found on my website.

October 1^st was National Inherited Disorders day.  The fact that many physical disorders are inherited is not new to us – the scientific finds are well researched and documented – but what about mental disorders? Can they be inherited too?

Unfortunately the research is not as clear. In most cases of mental disorder, we cannot say exactly what caused the disorder. Mental disorders are complex phenomena and trying to find a cause is not easy. It is not as simple as being able to say X caused Y. It could be a number of factors.

Generally, the thinking today is that it is not just one factor that causes a mental disorder, but a number of factors working together. This explanation is called the Diathesis–Stress theory and is commonly accepted to be the most comprehensive explanation of the cause of mental disorders. Read on to find out more...

Diathesis-Stress Theory

The Diathesis-Stress theory says that a mental disorder is caused by a biological or genetic vulnerability or predisposition, which interacts with the environment and life events (stressors) to precipitate (trigger) behaviours or psychological disorders. The behaviour or mental disorder is then maintained by a number of other factors. All four elements are involved in a mental disorder manifesting. Let me explain these terms.

Predisposing Factors

The word ‘predispose’ means to make susceptible to…or inclined to…

So, therefore, predisposing factors are factors that make an individual vulnerable to a mental disorder. They do not cause the disorder. They just make an individual more likely to have a disorder if the precipitating factors come into play. Predisposing factors include:

• Genetic factors - For example genes that you inherit/are born with.
• Organic/biological/physiological factors - These include neurotransmitters (chemicals in the brain), hormones and the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord).
• Early psycho-social factors -This includes an individual’s early social and emotional experiences.

For more information about predisposing factors read: Understanding Mental Disorders

Precipitating Factors

The word 'precipitate' means to hurry, urge on…or hasten occurrence of…

So, therefore, precipitating factors are factors that trigger off the predisposing factors, to result in the mental disorder that an individual was already vulnerable to.

Precipitating factors are stressful events in an individual’s life. Remember, different individuals experience events in different ways. The event in itself may be neither good nor bad, but the individual will interpret it as stressful.

The predisposing factors and the precipitating factors work together and result in the mental disorder. The predisposing vulnerability factors are triggered when stressful events overwhelm a person’s ability to cope.

For more information about precipitating factors read: Understanding Mental Disorders

Maintaining Factors

Sometimes there are factors that maintain the disorder. In other words, sometimes certain factors perpetuate the problem. For example, a lack of support, a lack of social and coping skills or the stressor, which triggered off the predisposing factors, continues to worsen.

For more information about maintaining factors read: Understanding Mental Disorders

Mediating Factors

There may, however, be mediating factors that actually serve as buffers between the predisposing and precipitating factors. These would be things such as an individual’s social support system. These mediating factors may actually help to prevent the disorder, or make it at least less severe.

For more information about mediating factors read: Understanding Mental Disorders

So Are Mental Disorders Inherited or Not?

To sum up then, a mental disorder is not just inherited. Rather it is the result of a complex set of factors working together. Without the precipitating and maintaining factors a genetic vulnerability will not manifest itself. So, strictly speaking, mental disorders are not inherited, but they do depend on an individual’s, perhaps inherited, predisposition or vulnerability to the factors that go together to cause a person to become mentally ill.

For a full explanation of the Diathesis-Stress theory read: Understanding Mental Disorders.

What do you think?

Share your wisdom with others… What do you think of the Diathesis-Stress Theory?

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You may have been forwarded this email by a friend. In that case, allow me to introduce myself. I am a psychologist, speaker, trainer, coach and hat lover based in Durban, South Africa.

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