Risk factors for mental health condition
Everyone is at some risk of developing a mental health disorder, regardless
of age, sex, income, or ethnicity. In the U.S. and much of the developed world,
mental disorders are one of the leading causes of disability.
Social and financial
circumstances, adverse childhood experiences, biological factors, and underlying medical
conditions can all shape a person’s mental health.
Many people with a mental health
disorder have more than one condition at a time.
It is important to note that good mental
health depends on a delicate balance of factors and that several elements may contribute
to developing these disorders.
The following factors can contribute to mental
health disruptions.
Continuous social and economic pressure
Having limited financial means or belonging to a marginalized or persecuted ethnic
group can increase the risk of mental health disorders.
A 2015 Iranian study
describes several socioeconomic causes of mental health conditions,
including poverty and living on the outskirts of a large city.
The researchers also described
flexible (modifiable) and inflexible (nonmodifiable) factors that affect the availability
and quality of mental health treatment for certain groups.
Modifiable factors for mental health disorders include:
*Socioeconomic conditions, such as whether work is available in the local area
*Occupation
*A person’s level of social involvement
*Education
*Housing quality
*Gender
Nonmodifiable factors include:
*Gender
*Age
*Ethnicity
*Nationality
The researchers found that being female increased the risk of low mental health
status by nearly 4 times. People with a “weak economic status” also scored highest
for mental health conditions in this study.
Childhood adversity
Several studiesTrusted Source support that adverse childhood experiences
such as child abuse, parental loss, parental separation, and parental illness
significantly affect a growing child’s mental and physical health.
There are also
associations between childhood abuse and other adverse events with various psychotic
disorders. These experiences also make people vulnerable to post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD).
of mental health conditions as specific genes and gene variants put a person at higher risk.
However, many other factors contribute to the development of these disorders.
Having a gene associated with a mental health disorder does not guarantee that a condition
will develop. Likewise, people without related genes or a family history of mental illness
can still have mental health issues. Chronic stress and mental health conditions such as
depression and anxiety may develop due to underlying physical health problems,
such as cancer,
diabetes, and chronic pain.