Get Informed
When you or someone close to you starts to experience the early warning signs of a mental health struggle, knowing what the risk factors and symptoms are will help to catch them early.
Often times, family and friends are the first to support a person through these early stages. Like other health conditions, we need to address the symptoms early, identify the underlying issue, and plan an appropriate course of action on a path towards overall health.
Early Warning Signs & Symptoms
Having a combination of symptoms (not just one symptom) indicates that someone might be showing signs of a mental health condition. Be aware of these symptoms when they last longer than a few weeks and start to affect school, work, relationships, or your everyday activities.
Signs And Symptoms That Require
Immediate Attention
Thoughts or plans of killing or hurting one's self or another person
Hearing voices or seeing things that no one else can hear or see
Unexplainable changes in thinking, speech, or writing
Being overly suspicious or fearful
Serious drop in school or work performance
Sudden personality changes that are bizarre or out of character
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255),
go to your local Emergency Room or call 911.
Risk Factors
It’s important to understand that the following risk factors do not automatically mean someone will develop problems with their mental health. However, being informed of the risk factors can help in identifying and addressing issues early on.
Environment
People who are exposed to adverse childhood events including abuse, neglect, divorce, witnessing domestic violence and having parents who have substance use issues, mental health issues or are in jail are(3):
2.6 times more likely to have depression
5 times more likely to have serious alcohol problems
17 times more likely to have learning or behavioral problems.
3 times more likely to have serious job problems.
Lifestyle
Substance use can increase chances of developing struggles with mental health, and having these struggles can increase risk of using substances. People with any mental health condition are (5):
2.3 times as likely to develop nicotine dependence
3 times more likely to develop alcohol dependence
30 times more likely to develop illicit drug dependence.
Biology
In one study, head injury between the ages of 11-15 was the strongest predictor for development of schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar disorder. (2)
Brain changes like building a “tolerance” or reward response to stress, or abnormalities in the prefrontal and frontal cortex, and irregularities in the function of the neurotransmitter glutamate are also risk factors for mental health issues and substance use. (4)
Genes
17-28% of risk for mental health concerns can be accounted for by variations in common genes.
Much stronger links were found in twin and family studies. Estimates for total heritability, or how much a disease is tied to genetics, are (1):
Schizophrenia: 81%
Bipolar disorder: 75%
ADHD: 75%
Depression: 37%
Sources
1 Cross-Disorder Group Of The Psychiatric Genomics Consortium. Genetic Relationship Between Five Psychiatric Disorders Estimated From Genome-Wide SNPs. Nature Genetics, August 11, 2013. Http://Www.Nimh.Nih.Gov/News/Science-News/2013/New-Data-Reveal-Extent-Of-Genetic-Overlap-Between-Major-Mental-Disorders.Shtml.
2 Orlovska, S., Pedersen, M. S., Benros, M. E., Mortensen, P. B., Agerbo, E., & Nordentoft, M. (2014). Head Injury As Risk Factor For Psychiatric Disorders: A Nationwide Register-Based Follow-Up Study Of 113,906 Persons With Head Injury.
3 Burke, N. J., Hellman, J. L., Scott, B. G., Weems, C. F., & Carrion, V. G. (2011). The Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On An Urban Pediatric Population. Child Abuse & Neglect, 35(6), 408-413. Http://Acestudy.Org/Files/Review_of_ACE_Study_with_references_summary_table_2_.Pdf
4 Brady, K. T., & Sinha, R. (2014). Co-Occurring Mental And Substance Use Disorders: The Neurobiological Effects Of Chronic Stress.
5 Swendsen, J., Conway, K. P., Degenhardt, L., Glantz, M., Jin, R., Merikangas, K. R., & Kessler, R. C. (2010). Mental Disorders As Risk Factors For Substance Use, Abuse And Dependence: Results From The 10?Year Follow?Up Of The National Comorbidity Survey. Addiction, 105(6), 1117-1128.