No Genetic Cause of Mental Illness

Despite all the ongoing scientific searches for genes that cause mental illness, or even a group of genes that result in specific mental disorders, no genetic cause of mental illness has ever been found. A researcher at a genetic counselling clinic for mental health in Vancouver has confirmed that while everybody has some genes that could predispose us to mental illness, those genes are a long way from actually causing anything. What separates people who suffer from people who don’t, is what happens to them during their lives.

It would be so much easier if we could blame genetics for our mental health issues, wouldn’t it? Neutral, unbiased genetics would absolve us of any responsibility we bear for our own mental health conditions. It would eliminate the guilt we may feel while we analyze our life choices. While this would be more comforting, it is also more dangerous. If we blame our mental illness on genes, we embrace being a genetic victim. If, however, we accept that our lifestyle choices, our history, our culture and our childhoods influenced our mental health, then we have the freedom to start healing ourselves.

Feel free to comment on this topic in the comment section below.