Posted by Phillipa on April 14, 2008, at 20:36:06
In reply to Re: Atypical depression is now a chemical imbalanc » Fivefires, posted by Phillipa on April 14, 2008, at 20:25:00
Quick search heres one theory. Love Phillipa
Biology and Mental Illness
The most honest answer to this questions is "No one really knows for sure." However, this is not an answer your apt to hear very often. On this page, I'll briefly discuss both sides of the issue. First, let me talk briefly about the relationship between biology, mental illness, and emotions.Biology, Mental Illness, and the Emotions
Most emotional states occur in connection with certain processes in the brain which can be measured in terms of electrical activity and the presence of certain chemicals. For example, when a person is depressed, we can predict that there are lower levels of a neurotransmitter called Serotonin in the brain. We also can predict that increasing the level of serotonin in the brain will decrease the emotions related to depression. Similarly, we can predict many other activities occurring in the brain based on different emotions or mental illness diagnoses.
What this tells us is that there is a correlation between what is occurring in our brain and our conscious experience. This does not necessarily tell us anything about the cause of this pattern.
The Case for a Biological Bases of Mental Illness
Based on what is stated above, it seems quite obvious why many people would say that mental illness is biologically based. If by examining what is occurring in the brain we can predict a person's experience with a high degree of accuracy, it seems logical to assume that biology is the cause of these experiences. Additionally, research has suggested that people with a family history of mental illness are more likely to have the same or a similar mental illness. This appears to suggest that mental illness has its roots in genetics and biology. But let's take a look at the other side of the story...
Alternative Views on Mental Illness
One of the first things that you'll learn if you take a research class is that correlation doesn't mean causation. In other words, just because two things routinely occur together does mean one is causing the other. Let's take an absurd example to illustrate this point. Imagine that every time it snows outside you have difficulty sleeping because its too warm in your bed. Does this mean that snow outside causes your bed to be warm? Obviously the answer is "no." It could be that when it snows you turn up the heat, put on your flannel pajamas, and put an extra blanket on the bed. In your mind, you associate snow with being cold so you overcompensate by doing several things to keep you warm. It is the extra layers of clothing and blankets along with the higher setting on the thermostat that are causing you to be warm, not the snow!
In response to the argument that biology causes our emotions and mental illness, some will state that our biology is at least partially determined by our consciousness, our thoughts, or other things which are under our control. For example, if you were to spend 10-minutes concentrating really hard on the most painful experiences in your life, you'd probably start to feel at least a little more sad or anxious. Additionally, you would have just changed the biology of your brain in terms of chemical and electrical activity! Similarly, if you were to spend 10-minutes relaxing, watching a funny sitcom, or exercising, you would have just changed your brain in a different way.
A good deal of theory which is supported by research suggest that things which bother us that we don't deal with may change our biology. For example, say that you are really mad at your spouse. However, you don't want anyone, including your spouse, to know. So you pretend everything is fine. This may lead to an ulcer, lower back problems, or a variety of other physically experienced symptoms. In psychology, we often refer to these as somatic symptoms. In other words, not dealing with emotional and relational issues also changes your biology!
Third, we could question whether genetics is the only way mental illness could be passed from one generation to another. While biology is one possible cause, another is learning. We learn ways to act and deal with things from our family. We learn patterns of interaction and coping strategies. These patterns we learn could play an important role in the development of mental illness.
A final point in the case against biological determined mental illness is the success of talk therapy. Various approaches to therapy have been shown to be very effective in treating depression, anxiety, and other painful experiences or mental illnesses. In doing so, they also change your brain and biology.
Pulling it Together
Below three main hypotheses are discussed. With each of these hypotheses, you can find many professionals who agree with them and many that challenge them. You can also find research supporting and contradicting each of these. In other words, don't get sucked in too easily when you hear research support or experts advocating for one or another of these hypotheses. Please note that these are not the only three hypothesis, but they are three of the more common.
Hypothesis 1: Biological Determinism: This is the position discussed above which believes genetics and biology are the primary causes of mental illness.
Hypothesis 2: Personal and Environmental Factors: This is the position discussed above which advocates a variety of personal factors including thoughts, behaviors, the way we deal with problems, our relationships, and our environment all contribute to mental illness.
Hypothesis 3: Multiple Causes: This is the most complex position and there are many variations to it. Two major variants would be that 1) personal, environment, and biological factors contribute to mental illness and 2) that for some people/illnesses biology is the primary cause while for others personal and environmental factors are the primary cause.
Conclusion
So what does all of this mean in terms of the causes of mental illness and biology? In the end, it states we don't know for sure what causes mental illness. What a mental health professional believes about these answers will impact the way he or she approaches treatment. If you have strong beliefs in terms of one of these positions, it may be wise to find a therapist who shares your beliefs.
The place where caution is likely warranted is with professionals who present one of these positions as accepted by the field or who seem to be unaware of other viewpoints. These professionals often may be so immersed in one viewpoint that they are not even aware of other important research and theories in the field or they may have other vested interest in one position being seen as the correct position. A professional who knows where they stand, but are aware of differences in the field and respects these differences often will be the better choice to work with.
poster:Phillipa
thread:823236
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080412/msgs/823328.html