Who is to Blame for Mental Illness

We sometimes get the question, where does mental illness come from and who is to blame for it? There have been many misleading and stigmatizing answers to that question, which is why it is important to set the record straight.

Historically, people have blamed family members, particularly the parents and even more specifically the mother. People have also sometimes blamed the individual themselves, saying the mental health challenges are a weakness of character. Neither of these ideas are accepted by mental health professionals anymore.

On the contrary, most say it is a combination of biological factors and environmental impacts. For example, one indicator of mental illness can be Adverse Childhood Experiences or ACEs. These can take the form of physical or emotional abuse or neglect. Often trauma that can contribute to ACEs are broader than people realize.

This bio-psycho-social model is crucial to undoing the stigma surrounding mental illness, while also allowing for proper treatment. Our peer programs here at The LegalMind Society are trauma -informed, and embrace the model of mental illness described above. While peer support isn’t a substitution for therapy or medication, it works alongside those tools to help support a legal professional experiencing a mental health challenge. If you have questions about our programs, feel free to reach out to us at info@thelegalmindsociety.org.