How Family History Affects Mental Illness

Does mental illness exist in families? A new pioneering study out of Denmark is providing new answers to this question and the findings might shock you.


We are aware that millions of individuals in the U.S. suffer from mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and addiction. And it's also widely known that mental illness can be more prone to occurring in individuals who have family members with the same illnesses. For instance, if both parents suffer from depression, their child is likely to be diagnosed with the same problem.


But how close is this family tie? And what about individuals who get mental illnesses even when no one within their family has?


A Major Study on Mental Health and Family Patterns

A large new study conducted by Professor Carsten Bøcker Pedersen and his team at Aarhus University in Denmark addressed these questions directly. Reported in The Lancet Psychiatry, it is one of the most extensive ever conducted on the subject.


Scientists tracked more than 3 million individuals for over 50 years, monitoring mental illness diagnoses over generations in national health records. The study, a prospective cohort study, allows scientists to identify trends and disease risk factors as they emerge over time.


The mental illnesses researched were:

  • Depression
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Mood and anxiety disorders
  • Schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder
  • Personality disorders (borderline and antisocial types)
  • Addiction to substance


What the Study Had to Say Regarding Family and Mental Health

The research verified that which has long been suspected by most mental health practitioners: having a close relative with a mental disorder raises your likelihood of contracting the same disorder.


  • In case of depression, the risk was roughly 15% if a close relative had the condition, and 13.5% if the relative was not as close.
  • In comparison, the risk declined to only 5% in individuals without a family history of depression.


However, that's where it gets interesting…


Most People with Mental Illness Have No Family History

One of the key findings of the study was that most people who are diagnosed with some sort of mental health condition do not have any family members that were diagnosed with the same thing.


Such as,

  • 60 percent of cases of depression had no affected relatives.
  • No family history was reported in 96% of cases of schizoaffective disorder.
  • In addiction, there was almost no association of the cases with family patterns.


This is because mental illness conditions although severe remain comparatively rare among the overall population. So while your personal risk might be lower without a family connection, the fact that there are so many people in the unaffected population means that despite the figures, there are still plenty of people who get these illnesses for other reasons such as environment, trauma, lifestyle, stress, or heredity unrelated to family diagnosis.


What This Means for Mental Health Awareness and Care

This research delivers a strong message to therapists, physicians, and healthcare professionals: Family history is indeed significant, but it is not the only factor and certainly does not determine everything.


It's imperative not to dismiss individuals who are struggling but don't quite fit the "at-risk" family pedigree. Mental illness can strike anyone, and early intervention, correct diagnosis, and treatment can be the difference-maker irrespective of your family history.



Final Thoughts

Mental illness is complicated. Sure, genetics and family traditions count, but so too do life experiences, stress, social networks, and countless other things. This new study sheds more light on how mental illness appears in families  but also reminds us that everyone needs mental health care, regardless of whether or not they've witnessed these challenges in their family.

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