Our society and current lifestyle are the primary causes of mental health problems. It is unfortunate but true. We consider ourselves to be highly evolved and civilized. We developed the SmartPhones and sent men to the Moon and yet, we have also created weapons of mass destruction.
In the same way, we are the cause of our own mental health problems. Truly, human beings are a wonder.
Would you believe that 52% of the American population is considered mentally unhealthy? It doesn’t necessarily mean that they are all sick. However, they are not healthy either.
If you go to a psychiatrist, he/she will require a thorough background check. Your history is important to identify the specific mental health condition you are suffering from. We can’t do that here but will make an effort to provide the general causes of mental health problems.
1. Money
Of all the things that cause mental health problems, money is #1. Funny, right? It allows us to buy whatever we want and it is the primary cause of all sorts of mental issues. From children to the elderly, and from a beggar to a billionaire, all have money problems. It keeps you in a constant state of stress.
Together with money comes other problems as well- tax, health insurance, stock market, government deductibles, prices of commodities, food, gas, electricity bills, you name it, money has got it.
You know you have a mental health issue when you see your neighbor’s new car and you feel jealous and upset that you don’t have one just like that.
And did I mention children? Yes, they start developing problems as well. Although the children’s programs on the TV show that everything is happy and shiny. In reality, when a child from a poor family goes to school and sits beside one from a rich family, comparison of allowance, shoes, clothes, and accessories start to become issues in the poor child’s mind.
Therefore, a lack of respect for the unbalanced society, the parents, and authorities begins at a very early age.
Money can be the cause of stress, depressions, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, and many other mental health problems.
2. Childhood Abuse and Trauma
Abusive parents, relatives, teachers, and peers are one of the primary causes of mental health disorders. All the while most elderly think that they are doing it for the good of the child, they really aren’t.
If a child cannot make a small mistake and get away with it, he/she may end up in prison one day. Constant disciplinary actions from elders instill in the child’s mind that everyone is against him/her and by definition… an enemy.
Traumatic incidents like parents’ divorce, abandonment, bullies, and actual accidents may also lead to an unhealthy mind. Interestingly, if a true accident happens and the parents die, and the child has to grow up in foster homes, that is still okay.
However, deliberate incidents such as divorce, bullies, and strict punishments for mistakes are not okay at all.
3. General Trauma (Accidents, War)
In adults, a severe accident or the experience of war can cause several mental disorders. The experience leaves a deep fear in the mind and causes “Triggers”. Triggers are things that are similar to the previous traumatic situation.
Say a soldier saw some serious actions at war. Now, even off duty, if he/she hears a loud sound, it can trigger a similar war-like reaction in the soldier. They find it hard to be even with family members or go somewhere and enjoy a show.
Known as PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), this mental condition is not a normal problem. It is a sickness and should be treated by professionals.
4. Peer Pressure
We don’t talk about it enough, but people who are of similar age and grow up together can create huge mental pressure on each other. Peer pressure doesn’t allow a person to be him/her natural self. When you don’t feel comfortable in your own skin, where would you go?
If you are slightly overweight and several of your friends are fit, you are uncomfortable. “There is unity in diversity”, but we often forget that.
For children and teenagers, parents don’t also help when they compare their own children with others. “Why can’t you be more like her?”. You aren’t supposed to be like her anyway.
Being unhappy with your current self is the beginning of mental health problems.
5. Unhealthy Surroundings
If a child grows up among a group of gangsters where violence and killing are the norms, he/she will think nothing much of killing people. It would appear normal to the child and he will grow up to be an excellent killer.
Here is the important lesson. Every society should be child-centric. They learn and grow up watching us. It is our responsibility to create a safe and healthy environment for them.
6. Addictions
Addiction in general may not be a bad thing. You may be addicted to sugar in your coffee, gym, video games, social media (most people are nowadays), and many others. It is when a normal and fun addiction turns into OCD, that is the problem.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder patients tend to do the same thing over and over again. Even if it is a good habit, OCD is serious and has to be treated by a professional.
And of course, there’s the drug addiction. It may not be your fault totally. Peer pressure or a severe injury may have caused you to take a pain killer and you are addicted to it. Most of the time, that is not a problem either. Again, the biggest problem is the society and its attitude towards addiction.
People addicted to substances can’t easily come forward with their problems and open up to their family and friends because they feel like criminals. If only we could make it easy and show them that it’s okay to be addicted, they’d open up and ask for the help they need.
Are you aware that about 30 thousand people buy Valium online without prescriptions in the United States in a week? It’s only because they don’t have help, and the more they get addicted and the worse they become.
Now that we have identified the causes of mental health issues, we can start to look for solutions, but it can’t be done in this article. We’ll need a new and different one so stay tuned.
