Print The reasons why some individuals develop mental health problems while others don’t are not always clear. We know that there is not a single cause that can explain it. Instead, it is a combination of various risk and protective factors on physical, psychological, and social levels. All these factors together form the Biopsychosocial model, which is depicted below.
Biological Factors
Biological factors are related to the body, for example, your genetic predisposition. You might have a predisposition to grow very tall, but you could also have a predisposition to develop depressive symptoms more easily. Other biological factors include stress during your mother’s pregnancy, physical illnesses, gender, overall health, alcohol and drug use, and nutrition. Some of these factors are beyond your control, but others can be influenced. For instance, you can consciously choose to eat healthier and reduce alcohol consumption.
Psychological Factors
Psychological factors pertain to your personality and thought patterns. These can be genetically determined (thus, a biological factor) or learned (psychological factor) throughout your life. For example, perfectionism, setting high standards, insecurity, or a strong need for validation from others are risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing mental health problems. On the other hand, factors like stress resilience, coping skills, and self-confidence are important protective factors that can help prevent mental health issues.
Social Factors
Social factors are related to your environment, such as the family you grew up in, your current living and working environment, or the friends you have. Risk factors might include emotional neglect during childhood, high work pressure or a stressful job, work-related difficulties, extreme loneliness, or conflicts. Protective factors include having a strong attachment with your parents and social support from friends.
Vulnerability
The combination of biological, psychological, and social risk and protective factors determines how vulnerable you are to developing mental health problems. However, being vulnerable does not necessarily mean that everyone will actually develop mental health problems! Often, a trigger is needed, such as a significant life event. This could be the death of a family member, a divorce, but also things like going to prison, getting married, pregnancy, or changing jobs or schools can be influencing factors.
Strengthening Protective Factors
To reduce the likelihood of developing mental health problems, it is important to identify your risk and protective factors. Where possible, you can minimize your risk factors and develop and strengthen your protective factors. For instance, ensure you have a healthy lifestyle, cultivate self-confidence, improve stress resilience, learn effective coping strategies, and maintain social connections. Working with your healthcare provider, you can work on enhancing and reinforcing these protective factors.
Sources
- https://mindblue.nl/depressie/oorzaken/bio-psycho-sociale-model
- https://www.acesconnection.com/fileSendAction/fcType/0/fcOid/466307103267301137/filePointer/466166364394606238/fodoid/466166364394606234/Engel%201980%20The%20clinical%20application%20of%20of%20the%20biopsychosocial%20model.pdf
- https://espace.curtin.edu.au/bitstream/handle/20.500.11937/38934/247608.pdf?sequence=2
- https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/ajp.2006.163.5.857
