2. INTRODUCTION
• Many factors are responsible for causation of
mental illness.
• These factors may predispose an individual to
mental illness, precipitate or perpetuate the
mental illness.
3. PREDISOPOSING FACTORS
• These factors determine an individual’s
susceptibility to mental illness.
• They interact with precipitating factors resulting
in mental illness. They are:
Genetic make up
Physical damage to the central nervous system
Adverse psychological influence
4. PRECIPITATING FACTORS
• These are events that occurs shortly before the
onset of a disorder and appear to have induced
it. They are:
Physical stress
Psychosocial stress
5. PERPETUATING FACTORS
• These factors are responsible for aggravating or
prolonging the disease already existing in an
individual.
• Thus, etiological factors of mental illness can be:
Biological factors
Physiological changes
Psychological factors
Social factors
7. Heredity
• It is a predisposing factor to illness, which is
determined by genes that we inherit directly.
• Studies shown that:
¾ of mental defects and 1/3 of psychotic
individuals owe their condition mainly to
unfavorble heredity.
8. Biochemical factors
• Biochemical abnormalities in the brain are
considered to be the cause of some psychological
disorders.
• Disturbance in neurotransmitters in brain play
an important role in the cause of certain
psychiatric disorders.
9. Brain damage
• Any damage to the structure and functioning of
the brain can give rise to mental illness.
• Damage to structure may be due to:
Infections
Injury
Intoxication
Vascular
Alteration in brain function
Tumors
10. contt.....
Vitamin deficiency and malnutrition
Degenerative diseases
Endocrine disturbance
Physical defects and physical illness
11. PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES
• It has been observed that mental disorders are
more likely to occur at certain critical period of
life – puberty, menstruation, pregnancy,
delivery, puerperium and climacteric.
12. PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS
• Specific personality person develop certain
psychological disorder. Ex: Unsocial and
reserved personality person are prone to develop
schizophrenia.
• Strained interpersonal relationships leads to loss
of prestige, loss of job, etc.
13. • Childhood insecurities due to parents faulty
attitude, abnormal parent- child relationship.
• Social and recreational deprivations resulting in
boredom, isolation.
• Marriage problems
• Sexual difficulites
• Stress, frustration