Mental Disorders: A Case Study

Mental disorders are often viewed as deviant from physical illnesses and treated as lesser, insignificant maladies; yet, mental illnesses are legitimate diseases which find themselves, in one form or another, in the vast majority of people. Most people have experienced, or at the very least, encountered symptoms of mental illnesses; primarily: anxiety and depression. In fact, twenty-five to forty percent of young adults meet the criteria for a clinical diagnosis (Miech 1098). Indeed, it is generally agreed that the quality of life is nearly as important to life as living itself. While not a material reward, a high quality of life is highly sought out and is often the reasoning behind much decision making, such as getting a better education, …show more content…
Mental disorders and physical disorders are comaparable: both have causes, symptoms, and treatment. These mental disorders, such as anxiety and depression, are caused by a variety of factors which traumatize an individual and create biological dysfunction to a point of uncontrollable self-destruction. These disorders are more than simply feelings of sadness and fatigue and most certainly are not “all in their heads.” Oftentimes, inner struggles tend to be the result of our environment and how we adapt to the trials we meet in life. Anxiety and depression are no exception as their onsets are primarily products of the environment (Schnittker 229). This is not to say, however, that genetics play no part. In actuality, there is a hereditability of depression found at around thirty to forty percent, which indicates a moderate hereditability based primarily on on studies of twins reared apart (Schnittker 230-235). However, the genetic side of depression tends to merely exhibit a vulnerability …show more content…
It is also possibly a mix of the two (Miech 1097). People in these groups tend to witness much more stressful events which put them in depression late in life– divorce and becoming stuck in a low SES job (Miech 1123). Indeed, suicide and depression are often linked by experiences such as economic disadvantage, divorce, and abuse (Berk 423). Essentially, the prevalence of mental disorders in the highly stressful environment of poverty indicates a, primarily, environmental link to such disorders, supporting internal conflicts as primarily an environmental concern. Another major factor affecting depression’s onset is work and the marital relationship which are, once again, environmental concerns. Women tend to have higher rates of depression than men; however, employment in paid work boosts their mental health and life satisfaction (Glass 179). Men also benefit from employment psychologically, that is, to a threshold of working hours (Glass 179). Housework, on the other hand, decreases psychological well-being, and considering this is primarily seen as women’s obligations, this could contribute to their higher depressive rate (Glass 185). However, when the role-overload of the wife is significant, it affects both spouse’s well-being as the husband feels guilty,