Is neurosis genetic?

Pristinegirl

Pristinegirl

Well-known member
MBTI
ANFP
Okaay so I am wondering if neurosis is genetic or the symptoms of it?

Id so does it mean that medication for life is the only 'cure' ?

Here are the symptoms of it:
  • Sadness or depression
  • Anxiety
  • Hysteria
  • Phobias
  • Low self-esteem
Jung found that the unconscious finds expression primarily through an individual’s inferior psychological function, whether it is thinking, feeling, sensing, or intuition.
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Some disorders like bipolar personality disorder ARE genetic. Additionally, some of it might have to do with ones environment and/or how they are raised. For example, one who is raised in an environment which does not nurture his true self (falsification of type) may contribute to PASS (prolonged adaptive stress syndrome) which can cause problems that contribute to a neurotic state.
 
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Zero Angel said:
Some disorders like bipolar personality disorder ARE genetic. Additionally, some of it might have to do with ones environment and/or how they are raised. For example, one who is raised in an environment which does not nurture his true self (falsification of type) may contribute to PASS (prolonged adaptive stress syndrome) which can cause problems that contribute to a neurotic state.
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what you said :D
 
I see Angel, the environment is a significant factor to the gene as well.
Although as twin studies have suggested certain things to be genetic such as certain behaviours and traits.
But how do you know if whether the core is environmental, genetic or both? Because if one is to adress the problem and do something about it, it is essential to know which.
 
I think the problem is simply that people differ too much for suchh problems to be really classified into "mostly biological" or " mostly enviromental". As I've learnt in my classes, such thing typicall have bio, psycho , social aspects. the extent of which for each person differs too greatly. Thats why the clinical psychologists have a general book but have to look into each case individually.
 
Firsly, your saying in the signature is absolutely brilliant!!

Secondly it is a good point, because everything is generalized but when it comes down to treating, it is individual. Important factor may not even be included in the handbook. The reason I am asking because I wan't to figure out whether my anxiety is a determined genetic problem in my brain, learned behaviour from my mother who has PTSD or socially inflicted.

  • The one thing that I do know is that it arises under distress in social contexts. Especially with those of ISTJ or ESTJ nature (in school). Furthermore in school it also arises when I feel I have to perform well and when I feel as if I will fail.
  • It also arises when I can tell that my mother is under distress and burdened with heavy thoughts.
Although I'm not clear on what conclusions I can draw from this, if any at all.
 
thanks!

could it be that it happens when you're stressed?
seems like it could be it happens when you are under a lot of stress. not just ordinary stress but those type that would blow your mind away type of stress. same for your mum it seems.
 
Grey Wolf said:
thanks!

could it be that it happens when you're stressed?
seems like it could be it happens when you are under a lot of stress. not just ordinary stress but those type that would blow your mind away type of stress. same for your mum it seems.
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Oh yeaa, because I'm on a break from school and it's content at home so that the stress level maybe could be correlated with my neurotic symptoms. But then does not stress have an impact on all mental dissorders? =)
 
Pristinegirl said:
Oh yeaa, because I'm on a break from school and it's content at home so that the stress level maybe could be correlated with my neurotic symptoms. But then does not stress have an impact on all mental dissorders? =)
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cool!
I'm having holis too. very long one at that, 6 weeks :D
back on topic, good point! but i think stress would affect the anxiety ones more but not so much the rest, say..ok I cant think of any. you're right :D hmm.. just thought of this. could it have something to do with the amygdala?
I mean, it pretty much the main guy when it comes to fear, anxiety and such.
 
Grey Wolf said:
cool!
I'm having holis too. very long one at that, 6 weeks :D
back on topic, good point! but i think stress would affect the anxiety ones more but not so much the rest, say..ok I cant think of any. you're right :D hmm.. just thought of this. could it have something to do with the amygdala?
I mean, it pretty much the main guy when it comes to fear, anxiety and such.
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Haha that is great, I start next week on monday. Anyway so if stress affects anxiety, maybe it specifically affects dissorders were anxiety is present, which is like all dissorders except those that one is born with.

Like Bipolar or schizophrenia or PTSD :D Yes I have heard that before, that people who are very anxious have bigger amygdalas and more active than others. Apparently studies have been made on it so there is some base to it, especially in those with PTSD, I heard.

:)
 
Most mental illness is genetic in that there's a predisposition. There's a specific gene for schizophrenia, which can or can not activate (1% of the population gets it, but chances are higher if someone in your family has it). Schizophrenia aside, genes aren't the only thing that factor in. Environment can set off the predisposition, but it can also create various mental illnesses.
 
Zanshin said:
Most mental illness is genetic in that there's a predisposition. There's a specific gene for schizophrenia, which can or can not activate (1% of the population gets it, but chances are higher if someone in your family has it). Schizophrenia aside, genes aren't the only thing that factor in. Environment can set off the predisposition, but it can also create various mental illnesses.
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Yes that is where I am trying to get. The triggering of a gene is environmental stimulus. Although can the environment set of an illness without a gene for it?

Also the gene for schizophrenia has not been exactly located yet, but there is a specific one that is hypothesized to be the Schizophrenia gene.
 
I'm not entirely sure if the environment alone can induce mental illness, but it has to. Think about it - Every human being has emotions, which can be aroused by certain stimuli. There are situations where you can learn to be anxious, happy, depressed, indifferent, or w/e. This is called conditioning, which is of the behavioral approach to psychology. Now the environment can teach you to have any of these emotions. Say for example, you get hit every see a car (just an absurd example), you will learn to feel very anxious every time you see a car. This would be something like a phobia. This could then lead to not leaving the house, which is agoraphobia because your afraid of seeing those inevitable cars. Also, think about an extreme event. Maybe some people are more predisposed to getting a mental illness like PTSD easier, but if you witness/participate in some sort of horrendous or extremely stressful act, then it's very possible you will have effects from it whether it's long term, short term, psycosis, PTSD or w/e. So I would say that people can be affected by their environment to the point of mental illness, but I think the degree of which they are affected is where the genes lay.
 
Zanshin said:
I'm not entirely sure if the environment alone can induce mental illness, but it has to. Think about it - Every human being has emotions, which can be aroused by certain stimuli. There are situations where you can learn to be anxious, happy, depressed, indifferent, or w/e. This is called conditioning, which is of the behavioral approach to psychology. Now the environment can teach you to have any of these emotions. Say for example, you get hit every see a car (just an absurd example), you will learn to feel very anxious every time you see a car. This would be something like a phobia. This could then lead to not leaving the house, which is agoraphobia because your afraid of seeing those inevitable cars. Also, think about an extreme event. Maybe some people are more predisposed to getting a mental illness like PTSD easier, but if you witness/participate in some sort of horrendous or extremely stressful act, then it's very possible you will have effects from it whether it's long term, short term, psycosis, PTSD or w/e. So I would say that people can be affected by their environment to the point of mental illness, but I think the degree of which they are affected is where the genes lay.
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That is very well put. :) Environment really does have an impact. Although the way the different perspectives intertwine is even more fascinating; how the biological, learning, cognitive and social in particular. I think there should be one perspective incorporating all, instead of being individualistic ones. I mean alltogether a human; is a reactor to it's environment, a thinker, genetically and chemically controlled and interactive. I definetly think that, as you said, the degree of which they are affected is controlled by the genes.

Anyway when it comes to phobias, they are conditioned. E.g. simplified, bees will be feared if one has been stung right?
So when it comes to 'Thanatophobia' - Fear of death and dying - what is the conditioning?
 
cool.
zanshin, I bet you are studying psych or at least majoring in psych haha.
thanatophobia, IMO, is that people see people die/ think about death itself and start to feel afraid. Afraid that they will loose what they have, afraid of the unkown of what comes after death. 'cos honestly, do you know what happens after death? mnay other possibilities such as seeing a painful/ uncomfortable death and such. just a few possibilities IMO.

I also agree with zanshin that conditioning plays a part. the thing is, there is no one perspective that could possibly explain it all in one shot. thats at least to as far as my understanding. but i think that enviroment plays the most major role in all this. thats what i think at least :D
 
I must say that your opinion is a very vaild opinion :)
It is the most dreadful things of them all because one doesnt want to tell others about it, in fear of implementing fear in them as well. So it because a long chain of I fear but I can't tell anyone in fear of making them afraid as they face the same end.
 
haha ya i am a psych major. Ya, I don't think there's one right or wrong perspective on psychology and mental illness. Each explains things in their own way and each treats illness in their own way. Some statistically work better than others, but what treatment works for one person may not work for another.

The thing with phobias is they are by definition irrational. So I suppose getting stung by a bee would just create a fear, unless the fear was really intense and you wont even go outside or look at a bee. Then it could, I think, be called a phobia. Also, if you had no prior experience with bees that you can remember and you have an intense fear of them, then it would be a phobia. So, to correct my example with the cars above, if you got hit with a car once and developed an intense fear of cars, then you would have whatever-a-phobia( for cars). This would be irrational because it's very unlikely you will get hit by a car again. This could develop into agoraphobia, which would confine you to your house because your afraid or being hit by a car, which is again, irrational. Now, I'm not sure if this could be described as being conditioned to have a fear of cars because a car may not be a neutral stimulus to begin with. It's kind of a fine line it seems, one of which I'm not entirely clear on, but that's my knowledge on phobias.
 
Yes I see what you mean, like fear of death does not have a conditioner. So because they are irrational, which I take for being without conditioner (?), they are a fear based on cognition perhaps? Also I think that movies and media play a role also, which becomes socio-cultural perspective =)

That must be great, what is your minor? I don't go to college yet, but the programme I am on enables me to study college-level courses and psychology is one of them.
I wish to be a psychiatrist =) When it comes to USA, do you know if I have to get a bachelor degree first and then continue with medicine as masters degree?
 
Oh cool. Glad to see another interested in psychology. I think that you would have to get a Bachelor degree (probably a bachelor of science) to get the general background first. It's possible depending on the program your in to do a concentration or a track with medications (psychopharmicology maybe?) For me, I'm in the counseling track. But for psychology in general you typically need a masters to do anything.
 
evidence via antedote:

both of my parents have major depression. my dad also has anxiety.

i have anxiety, definitely. also, i occasionally have fits of depression (usually with causes... and fester in the winter)

my sister has depression, no anxiety.

no other real mental issues. these, for my family at least, seem to be somewhat genetic, as we all have similar issues.
 
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