You're Not Damaged Goods: When Mental Illness Isn't Caused by Trauma

There's an unfortunate belief held by many in the mental health community that everyone diagnosed with a mental illness suffered childhood trauma that set them on the path to their condition. While this may be true for many, it is not a catch-all root cause. 

In fact, it's potentially harmful when practitioners proclaim childhood trauma as the root cause of... everything (it feels like everything, anyhow). 

It drives me bonkers. 

The Truth

Most psychiatric disorders are not caused by trauma. Surprise! While the effects of child abuse and neglect can manifest as mental illness, many other factors can be at play. 

These conditions tend to be genetically predisposed, as with physical ailments like allergies, and have triggers that stir up the onset of symptoms. Sometimes, the trigger is trauma, but many times there isn't a precise moment or catalyst that brought out the condition. 

Many factors contribute to mental illness, and not all involve unresolved childhood trauma. There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of what causes mental illness, so let's stop placing people into a box they may not belong in.