They may cause significant and prolonged distress to your daily life and relationships. At its worst, people may turn to self-harm and suicide as a way to cope with the distress.
WHAT EXACTLY CAUSES A MENTAL ILLNESS?
Most mental illnesses involve a change in brain chemicals but there is no single cause. Instead, a combination of biological, psychological and environmental factors is usually responsible for the onset of an illness.
- BIOLOGICAL: genetics, chemical imbalances in the brain
- PSYCHOLOGICAL: low self-esteem, poor coping skills, adverse childhood experiences
- ENVIRONMENTAL: Life stressors such as unemployment, school, family…
Mental illnesses can be treated. Treatment is most effective when implemented as soon as possible. To do this, we must first recognise the symptoms of common mental illnesses.
