lMental health includes our emotional, psychological and social well-being. It affects the way we think, feel and act when we deal with life. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to other people, and make decisions.
Mental disorders are serious conditions that can affect the way we think, our mood, and our behavior. There are many factors that influence their appearance. Genes, family history, life experiences, as well as biology. Currently the biopsychosocial model plays a relevant role. This refers, of course, to the shared and interactive role of biological, psychological and social factors in the development of mental health.
In one we present an analysis carried out by , professor of psychology at the University of Wyoming (United States) where he evaluates the validity, usefulness and effects of the biomedical model in mental health, and the main myths or beliefs that arise from this model. .
It affects the way we think, feel and act when we deal with life
Although almost everyone agrees that social, psychological and biological factors are inseparable and that all three elements are important in mental health, there remain deep disagreements about the relevance of the factors. For some experts such as , Nobel Prize winner in 2000 and especially prominent in the fields of Medicine, Psychiatry and Neurophysiology, biological or neurological factors have primacy, because they underpin all human thought, emotions and behavior (some of them). You can find their publications and they are freely accessible). For others, like John Read, .
Let’s think about the differences between people: variance, in technical language. Different types of variables are quantified in different ways. Perhaps we can think of a simple distinction between people who have or have experienced certain traumatic life events, and between people with or without a particular genetic abnormality. That could allow us to compare the relative impact of factors on mental health. However, other important factors are measured differently, poverty or social deprivation tend to be seen as a continuum, and many biological factors, the functioning of neurotransmitters, for example, too.
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This becomes even more complex when the role of psychology is added. Traumatic life events, of course, have an impact on our mental health, but not everyone who has suffered such traumatic events will suffer to the same extent; some people are more resilient than others. Part of that resilience may come from biological differences, but it may also reflect our learning and education. Our likelihood of responding to a stressful life event, such as a ruminative style or a tendency toward self-blame, is clearly going to be, in part, a consequence of our upbringing and the events we have been exposed to in our lives. lives.
NOT EVERYONE WHO HAS SUFFERED SUCH TRAUMATIC EVENTS WILL SUFFER TO THE SAME EXTENT
The point is that all of these factors are absolutely vital to our mental health, because they are all closely associated with thoughts, behavior and emotions. We respond to events in our lives by the valuation and meaning we give them, and our brains are the organs that do this work. Perhaps the best way to get closer to the “cause” of mental health is to ask whether differences between people in terms of mental health are best explained by differences in the events we experience, by the different ways we appraise and respond to them. to these events, due to differences in our education and our learning throughout life, or due to differences in the neurological functioning of the brain, the organ through which we make these evaluations and responses.
Common Causes of Mental Health Problems
Not all of us who have to face the problems listed below will have a mental health problem. Rather, it will develop when the pressures are greater than our ability to cope with them. Furthermore, not all mental problems have causes that can be identified. Sometimes it is not possible to know the reason why a person develops a mental health problem. According to a recent publication by the NGO, some of the causes that affect our mental health are:
The pressures of daily life
Daily life activities and events often put us under pressures that cause physical and mental strain. Stress can be caused by physical problems, such as illness or overwork. It can also be due to what happens to us emotionally, such as having family conflicts. Even events that generally cause joy (such as the birth of a new baby or getting a job) can produce stress because they change our lives.
Losses and death
When we lose something or someone we value—a loved one, our job, our home, or a close friend—we may feel overwhelmed by grief. That can also happen if we get sick or develop a physical disability.
Grief is a natural reaction that helps us adjust to loss and death. However, if we suffer from several losses at once, or if we suffer from a lot of pressure in our daily lives, we may begin to develop mental health problems.
The traumas
When something terrible happens to us or one of our loved ones, we can suffer trauma. Some of the most common causes of trauma are war, torture, and natural disasters.
Trauma threatens our physical or mental well-being. As a result of this, we feel in danger, insecure, helpless and unable to trust the world or the people around us. It generally takes a long time to recover from trauma, especially if it was caused by another person, not nature. , before we can understand what was happening to us or be able to talk about it, they can affect us for many years without us knowing it ourselves.
physical problems
Some mental health problems are due to physical problems, such as:
- hormones and other changes in the body.
- the desnutrition.
- infections, such as .
- pesticides, herbicides and industrial chemicals.
- liver or kidney diseases.
- excess medications, or.
- drug and alcohol abuse.
- strokes, and head injuries.
We must always consider the possibility of a physical cause when treating mental health problems. Let’s also remember that physical problems can be a sign of a mental health problem.
Changes in life and community
In many parts of the world, communities are being forced to change too quickly, whether due to economic reasons or political conflict. Many of these changes require families and communities to completely alter the way they live. For example, when families and communities break down, or when life changes so much that the usual ways of dealing with problems no longer work, people may begin to suffer from mental problems.
In conclusion, regarding biological determinism, the explanations are not in themselves very good at explaining very complex behaviors and fall short when explaining the differences between people. It is true, obviously, that our behavior is a product of the functioning of our mind and that every action and thought we have involves our brain. A biological model is difficult to disprove, but it doesn’t add much.
Regarding social determinism, we are immersed in a society that supports and shapes us. In part we behave the way we do because of the social circumstances in which we find ourselves. Our behavior is formed as a result of the reinforcement contingencies to which we are exposed. As we move forward in life we are all faced with situations and opportunities that shape us, shape our behaviors.
Biological determinism, the explanations are not in themselves very good at explaining very complex behaviors
We are, at least in part, a product of the rewards and punishments we have received throughout life. And the behavioral difference will depend on these patterns of reinforcements and punishments during our lives. However, these explanations are also insufficient. While it is true that different experiences in life can lead us to different emotional outcomes, it is also true that we respond to these similar life situations differently. And people differ in the way we make sense of these events.
We are more than mere biological machines or clay molded by social and circumstantial pressures. We are more than the product of our genes and the inevitable consequences of reinforcement. This simple way of thinking about human behavior has significant implications. All of us want to be happier, healthier, have more rewarding lives. If, in the words of the European Commission, we are to realize our intellectual and emotional potential, and to find and fulfill our roles in social situations, school and working life, we have to understand how we make sense of the world. We may need to evaluate and reconsider that framework of understanding. Fortunately, although not easy in many cases, it is possible to learn to look at the world differently.
If you want to delve a little deeper into the topic of mental health, we recommend listening to the following program: