by Maggie O'Cala

Created on: August 18, 2010

There are numerous factors that have an influence on a person’s mental health.

Your childhood - As corny as it may sound, there is more than a grain of truth to this. That stage in human life is referred to as "the development years", for good reason. If a child has been physically, emotionally or sexually abused, there is a greater chance of them having long-term mental health issues.

Recent Life Events - This is a rather broad category that envelopes many things. Birth, marriage, divorce, death, job loss, career change, moving, just to name a handful. Any significant event that occurs and has a negative effect on you personally can and will have some kind of influence on your mental health.

Relationship with your immediate family - People, by nature, are social creatures. Since the beginning of time they have congregated in tribes, clans, groups, and so forth. We depend on our own clans for moral support. When that is missing, or if the central relationships are toxic, it is extremely detrimental to the individual.

Your Environment - Why, how, and where you live is so important! Home is the place you should feel most comfortable and the happiest at. Your special haven from the world. If your home life is filled with fighting, violence, loneliness, fear or apathy, those are not surroundings that contribute to your emotional well being.

Physical health - Studies have shown that disease, illness, injuries or other physical problems, directly contribute to the state of your overall mental health. When your body is hurting, your mind suffers as well.

Inherited issues - A good percentage of mental illnesses can be traced through genetics. Clinical depression, bi polar, anxiety disorders and many more, run in families. You are twice as likely to have a mental illness if people in your family do. Although women have a higher percentage rate of being diagnosed with it, than men do.

Medications - Great strides have been made in the medical field, allowing us to know more about mental health issues than ever before. Medications have been created, tested and marketed that are illness-specific. With the right kind and dosage, these "miracle drugs" are proving to be worth their weight in gold.

Counseling - Seeking professional help can have a tremendous affect. They are trained in ways to diagnose and help you. It takes time and willingness, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

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