What mental illnesses tend to develop in the late teens or 20s?
Schizophrenia, major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder can develop in early adulthood. The onset of schizophrenia is typically in the late teens, early 20s. Men will usually develop schizophrenia between the ages of 18 and 25. Women tend to develop it about five years later. Bipolar disorder usually begins in early adulthood, although there are some children and adolescents who develop it. And there is an increase in the incidence of major depressive disorder after the age when puberty is reached.
Why do these illnesses tend to emerge at this time?
It's not well understood. “We think that certain people have a higher biological risk of developing these disorders,” says Hochman. Risk factors may include a family history, prenatal illnesses, obstetrical incidents or head injuries in early childhood. It is not yet known how genes, the environment and brain development interact to trigger the disorder in young people. However, people tend not to develop symptoms until they reach the teen years.
“We think hormones might play a role,” says Hochman. “For example, there are studies that are looking at whether or not there is an association between increasing levels of estrogen in girls, and increasing levels of testosterone in boys, with symptom progression in adolescents who are already experiencing adjustment problems”.
Can stress trigger the first episode?
In many cases, there are stressors that precipitate the onset of mental illness in people who are predisposed to it. However, stressors are not thought to be the actual cause of the illnesses. For example, sometimes people will report to their doctor that the onset of their first episode followed a stressor, such as the death of a loved one or the loss of a job, or even positive events, like getting married or getting a promotion.
