Let’s Talk About Mental Health: 4 top ways to improve your mental health

Understanding the Impact, Inheritance & Healing Process

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Mental health doesn’t exist in isolation. Often, the patterns we see in ourselves—like anxiety, depression, or emotional instability—can be traced back through generations. If you’ve ever wondered “Do I come from a family with a history of mental disorders?”, you’re not alone.

For many, this question marks the beginning of understanding, healing, and even forgiveness.

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1. What Does It Mean to Have a Family History of Mental Illness?

It means one or more of your family members—parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles—may have experienced a diagnosable mental health condition such as:

• Depression

• Anxiety disorders

• Bipolar disorder

• Schizophrenia

• Substance abuse/addiction

• PTSD

• Personality disorders (e.g., borderline, narcissistic)

Sometimes these diagnoses were never formally made—especially in earlier generations where stigma, silence, and lack of access to mental health care were common.

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2. Is Mental Illness Hereditary? What the Research Says

Mental illness is not strictly inherited, but there is a genetic component. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH):

“Most mental disorders are caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors.”

What that means:

• If a parent or close relative had a mental illness, your risk may be higher—but it’s not guaranteed.

• Environmental factors like trauma, neglect, or abuse in the home often trigger or worsen symptoms in people already genetically predisposed.

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3. Signs You May Have Grown Up in a Family Affected by Mental Disorders

• You were often the caregiver for a depressed, volatile, or addicted parent.

• You experienced emotional neglect or frequent instability in the home.

• Your family minimized or dismissed mental health issues: “We don’t talk about those things.”

• You internalized shame, fear, or hypervigilance growing up.

Example
You may now struggle with anxiety because you had a parent who had untreated bipolar disorder and you had to “predict” their moods to stay safe.

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4. The Impact on You Today

A family history of mental illness can shape your:

• Attachment style in relationships

• Self-esteem

• coping skills

• Identity and role in the family (e.g., rescuer, peacemaker)

If your emotional needs were not met or dismissed due to a caregiver’s condition, you may still carry emotional wounds such as:

• People-pleasing or codependency

• Chronic guilt or shame

• Difficulty expressing your needs

• Emotional numbness or overreaction

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5. How to Cope, Heal & Break the Cycle

A. Acknowledge the Truth

It’s okay to say: “My parent struggled with depression” or “Mental illness ran in my family.” Naming it is not blame—it’s clarity.

B. Learn Your Triggers and Patterns

Notice your emotional reactions and how they relate to past family dynamics. Do you withdraw when others get upset? Do you feel unsafe around strong emotions?

C. Seek Therapy or Support

Trauma-informed therapy can help you process family dynamics, set boundaries, and break inherited emotional habits.

D. Educate Yourself

Understanding the science of mental illness reduces shame and empowers you to respond with compassion and awareness.

E. Practice Self-Compassion

You did not choose the environment you were born into. But you can choose how you live, love, and heal moving forward.

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Therapeutic Thought:

Having a family history of mental disorders doesn’t define you—it informs you. It’s a doorway to understanding your emotional world better, not a life sentence. With support, insight, and the right tools, you can rewrite your story.

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Need Help Processing Your Family Story?

At MyOnlineRelationshipTherapy.com, we help individuals untangle the emotional roots of generational mental health challenges and rebuild their sense of identity and confidence.

📩 Reach out for trauma-informed guidance if you:

• Grew up with emotionally unavailable or mentally ill parents

• Struggle with anxiety, shame, or trust in relationships

• Want to stop the cycle and create healthier emotional patterns

💬 You are not broken. You’re healing.

Do you come from a family that a history of mental disorders.

Let’s talk about mental health: 4 top ways to improve your mental health. If you want to end the pathology of mental illness in your life, read on

Think Positively

When something goes wrong in your life, consider clarifications that include resolutions and avoid those hopeless feelings and thoughts for instance “I can never get anything right”. Such feelings act as a barrier to achievement in the future.  Take courage to try again and be cognizant of lessons learnt. Take accountability of how you contribute to things going wrong and don’t play the victim. As for your noble accomplishments, commend yourself and adopt an attitude of gratitude, take stock of your blessings. Think that there is something special in you when things have turned out well not just believing in luck. Our thoughts contribute largely to how we feel about ourselves and about others.

 Create a checklist

When you feel depressed and perceive yourself as inferior you letting down your defenses against mental sickness. Depression is real and it’s signs include that hopeless dejected feeling. Practice the habit of growing your self-confidence every day. Furthermore, create a checklist of things that build your self worth. In this case things like keeping daily small promises to yourself, saying no to something you don’t have the energy or desire to do and practicing boundaries.

Finding your purpose

Find your strengths, what do you enjoy doing and you can do it the rest of your life whether paid or not paid. For this reason, reflect on your achievements. If you cannot think of any. Talk to someone you trust so that they may help you identify them. Each human being has a purpose for which they were created therefore seek someone to help you identify what you have done with your life. Write down your strengths and carry them with you and reflect on them. Review them every day and make plans to carry out useful tasks where you can put to work your resources and gifts.

Find support in people

The most frequent ‘lows’ of mental health come through the antagonistic result of people. In the same way, recovery takes place through the personal intervention of others, either a professional or someone providing support and help. Reflect on what kind of people you spend time with, socialize with, share yourself and your life with. How do you feel when around them?. What vibe do you sense?. Invest in positive and supportive relationships. Be courteous and respectful with everyone. In addition, avoid remaining at home watching tv, instead, go out and spend time interacting with others. Care for the best possible relationship with your marriage partner, boss, peers, neighbour.

Keep yourself active

Grant a reasonable time to your work. Then, during your free time, supplement your professional activity with one of a different nature, a sport or get physical exercises. Take time to invest in your body. If you don’t like a certain activity, try another. Engage in do it yourself tasks, errands, shopping, visit friends. Do not stay at home not being productive. The most effective plans against depression always involve having an activity program. There is a serenity feeling experienced hanging outdoors with nature.