Genetic predisposition to Mental Illness

Are Mental Disorders Genetic?

         We live in a culture where we assume everything is based on genetics. It is an assumed part of the dogma of scientific scientism.

There is no solid link between genetics and mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, bi-polar disorder, borderline personality or other personality disorders found yet today. Research sponsored by pharmaceutical companies often say there “may be a linkage” but no direct connection has been found. A linkage would benefit the psychopharmacology industry to promote the chemical imbalance advertising theme that helps sell their products.

You cannot be tested for a disposition for depression or anxiety, etc. There are many research papers that indicate maybe this gene or maybe that gene, but nothing has been proven. Some research has supported the genetic theory from family members sharing mental disorders, but this is can be explained by family dynamics. The percentage of schizophrenia is the same in all cultures- how does that support the genetic argument? 80% of people with mental disorders have had some form of trauma as a youth. If a non-genetic predisposed event has such high correlation to mental illness maybe it would be better to spend money on researching treatment of trauma whcih actually has a correlation to mentla illness.  

Notice the physical health characteristics and disorders solidly linked to genes that have been approved by the FDA (as of April 2017):

Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease, Sickle Cell Anemia, Hereditary Thrombophilia, Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, Gaucher Disease Type 1, Lactose Intolerance, Alcohol Flush Reaction, Late-Onset Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Deep Sleep, Sleep Movement, Muscle Composition, Fanconi Anemia Group C, Asparagus odor detectability, bitter detectability, Genetic weight, facial features, hair color, physical characteristics, skin, ARSACS, Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum with Peripheral Neuropathy, Beta Thalassemia and Related Hemoglobinopathies, Bloom Syndrome, Canavan Disease, Congenital Disorder of Glycosylation Type 1a (PMM2-CDG), Cystic Fibrosis, D-Bifunctional Protein Deficiency, Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase Deficiency, Familial Dysautonomia, GRACILE Syndrome, Glycogen Storage Disease Type Ia, Glycogen Storage Disease Type Ib, Glycogen Storage Disease Type Ib, Herlitz Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa (LAMB3-Related), Leigh Syndrome, French Canadian Type, Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Type 2D, Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Type 2E, Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Type 2I, MCAD Deficiency, Maple Syrup Urine Disease Type 1B, Mucolipidosis Type IV, Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (CLN5-Related), Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (PPT1-Related), Niemann-Pick Disease Type A, Nijmegen Breakage Syndrome, Nonsyndromic Hearing Loss and Deafness, DFNB1 (GJB2-Related), Pendred Syndrome and DFNB4 Hearing Loss, Phenylketonuria and Related Disorders, Primary Hyperoxaluria Type 2, Rhizomelic Chondrodysplasia Punctata Type 1, Salla Disease, Sjögren-Larsson Syndrome, Tay-Sachs Disease, Tyrosinemia Type I, Usher Syndrome Type 1F, Usher Syndrome Type 3A, Zellweger Syndrome Spectrum (PEX1-Related).

There are no known mental disorders linked to genetics that have held up to FDA scrutiny. 

Someone sent me an article as proof of genetics:

Identification of genetic loci sharedbetween schizophrenia and the Big Five personality traits

This research was trying to link certain genes to schizophrenia through correlation of genes to personality and personality correlations to schizophrenia...yet it is prefaced by "Despite the assembly of very large GWAS cohorts (over tens of thousands of participants) much of the genetic architecture underlying susceptibility to schizophrenia and personality traits remains to be defined, and their biological underpinnings are still largely unknown. "

The article says shared genes...not causative....the things we say to support a pre-existing belief, are much looser than the ones we use to support a new way of perceiving.

Why does it matter? 

Millions of dollars go to research looking for the genetic correlates of mental illness. So far the relationship is very minor. A genetic correlation will support the need for medication therapies. Instead, there are large correlations of mental illness and such things as trauma, adverse childhood experiences and social economic status- none of which can be treated with medications.  

Update:

Large Rigorous Study Debunks Popular Gene-Environment Theory of Depression
Twin studies link antisocial behavior to Parenting
Twin studies prove nothing genetic about Psychiatric Disorders
Article on Psyciatry's Hubris

Mind Fixers: Psychiatry's Troubled Search for the Biology of Mental Illness