One of the biggest challenges that psychiatry has is proving that someone has a mental disorder. Despite claiming that their drugs correct chemical imbalances in the brain, there is no objective way to test for these imbalances. Because of this, many psychiatrists try to claim that there could be genetic causes for these diseases.

But is this approach correct?

No Genetic Basis for Mental Disorders

Currently, there is no evidence of a medical link between mental illness and genetics. According to Dr. Joseph Glenmullen, the claims that a gene can cause a psychiatric condition have never stood the test of time. Psychiatrist David Kaiser agrees saying modern psychiatry has yet to prove the biological or genetic link to any single mental illness.

Some people can have the genes thought to cause conditions like schizophrenia, but they don’t develop any symptoms. Even in identical twins, one might get schizophrenia while the other might not. This theory also doesn’t account for the people who develop mental illnesses, like depression or anxiety, without having a genetic link. Proposing genetic factors are the sole reason why someone might develop the disease is, clearly, inaccurate.

Report Adverse Reactions to Psychiatric Drugs

This means that looking at genes and biology alone isn’t enough to determine the risks of someone getting a mental illness. Instead, psychiatrists will need to rely on behavioral factors. This is a much more subjective diagnosis, with many of the terms in the DSM based on loosely defined language. This makes it easy to falsely diagnose. The subjectivity also makes it easy to classify normal, human emotional responses as abnormal indicators of disease.

Mental Illness is Complex

This isn’t to say that mental illnesses don’t exist. They do. But it’s important to remember that multiple factors contribute to these diseases. Because they are so complex, leaning on genetics alone isn’t enough. They certainly aren’t enough to formulate an effective indicator. After all, you can have the gene without having a mental illness. Environmental factors will also play a crucial role.

The truth, though, is that psychiatry doesn’t know the reason why someone develops a mental illness. Without this crucial piece of information, it’s hard to tell what the best course of treatment is. It’s also difficult to predict what the long-term effects of treating with a pill or electroshock will be. This explains why there are so many negative long-term consequences of these treatments, including a higher risk of suicide.

Because of this complexity, just taking a pill might not be the best solution. This is particularly true if there is no way to adequately diagnose whether you truly have the disease. However, psychiatrists often persist with this flawed logic. After all, if a disease is caused by a genetic problem, they can sell you a drug that inhibits the gene so that you will be “cured”. This will give more power to the drug companies.

Instead, it’s best to see a doctor. This will allow you to rule out any medical problems that could be causing the behaviors. When seeking treatment, remember how complex mental illness is. It’s best to turn to natural sources. Try drug-free therapies, which might be just as effective as taking a drug.