Genetic predisposition vs Environmental triggers in mental illness

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Recommended: The nature versus nurture controversy psychology

The concept that nurture has a direct effect on the process of development was first formalized in the 19690's by John Locke, which this was then contested in 1869 by a man named Francis Galton who believed that nature alone influenced the process of development. The current consensus within the scientific community is that there is a mixture of both genetic and environmental factors that contribute to mental illness. The real controversy now lies with which of the two are more prominent in an individuals developmental process and at what point the two intertwine. This essay will attempt to understand both sides of the argument and outline what the evidence on either side leads us to conclude, and how that may shape future treatement of mental illness.

It is without question that DNA is the building blocks of any human being, recent studies have found that your genetic makup has a significant impact on how a person responds to stress, which can make certain people susceptible to mental illness, most notably depression. (Srijan Sen, 2011) It is believed that your DNA allows for a range of possible characteristics and tendencies that is then determined by your environment and daily activities. This last point of course leads to the heart of the controversy between genetic predisposition and environmental triggers, and which is more prominent. A study released by Livesley in 1993 is a perfect example of the attempt to link genetic predisposition strongly to mental illness and found that Narcissistic Personality Disorder had a 64% heritability rate. This study however was widely criticized as to having no consistency with its chosen participants and also failed to mention if any of the participants or their parents had a perso...

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...etic predisposition or vulnerability sets the stage for mental illness but that an environmental trigger in adolescence or early adulthood leads to the onset of such. The most popular environmental trigger that is believed to lead to the onset of schizophrenia is pro-longed period of stress or a major trauma. (Janneke S, Lydia K, Roselind L, Hans-Ulrich W, Jim V, 2006) When you analyze the findings, it appears that it is possible to significantly reduce the risk of a range of mental illnesses exclusively in a biological manner, but that we are still many years away from achieving this. Which means that there also needs to remain a focus on the impact of environmental influences on an individual. If the two sides of the argument can work together respectively, reducing the risk of the development of mental illness appears to be not only achievable but significant.

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