BlackDoctor.org: People often look at a person’s genetic history when finding a mate. Are mood, emotional and behavioral disorders hereditary?
Kyla Gordon: There’s a possibility. However, if your parent has a mental illness, that does not mean you will have one. It means the risk of having a mental illness is higher than if you didn’t have an affected family member. Mood, emotional and behavioral disorders can be caused by a combination of biological, psychological and environmental factors.
Biological factors may include:
- genetics
- brain defects
- brain injuries
- substance abuse
Psychological factors may include:
- sexual/physical/emotional abuse
- neglect or the loss of someone significant, such as a parent
Environmental factors include:
- a dysfunctional family life
- a tumultuous community life
- substance abuse by the person’s parents
- changing of jobs
BlackDoctor.org: What are best practices when dating someone with mental health issues?
Kyla Gordon: Be patient and empowering. Educate yourself on their symptoms, medications and/or preventative methods. Most importantly, set boundaries for yourself. You mustn’t work harder than the person living with the mental illness. Support your mate, however, understand you can’t fix them. Being more diligent with their illness will lead to personal burnout and reinforce that they are incapable of doing things on their own.
BlackDoctor.org: Are there certain types of mental health issues that make a person at risk for violent outbursts such as the one in the story?
Kyla Gordon: People with mental health illness are no more likely to be violent than those who aren’t suffering with mental illnesses. Most people living with a mental illness are not violent and only 3-5% of violent acts are attributed to individuals living with a mental illness. According to statistics, people with severe mental illnesses are over 10 times more likely to be victims of violent crime than the general population. However, there are some factors that may increase the risk of violence in a number of individuals living with mental illness. Some of those factors may include untreated psychosis and abuse of alcohol or illegal substances.