Kamilah StevensonCEO, Healthy And Better · Health & Wellness Coach | Degreed Counselor | Published Author | Helping People Achieve Holistic Wellness

🔬 Epigenetics: The Key to Mental Health 🔑

24 Jul 2024 · 1 min

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In this brief monologue, the speaker challenges the traditional view that mental illness is primarily rooted in fixed genetics. They argue that genetics, being static, cannot account for the variability and adaptability observed in mental health conditions. Instead, the speaker highlights epigenetics—the regulation and expression of genes—as a more plausible mechanism. They explain that while epigenetic patterns can be inherited, making individuals more susceptible to mental illness, these patterns are also fluid and can be altered throughout life, offering potential for change and resilience.

Chapters

We used to think of mental illness as it being connected to genetics, but what they're finding out is that it is not connected to genetics because genetics is very fixed, right? There's, um, no adjustments for that when something is genetic, basically. But instead, it's epigenetics, right? It's the expression of gene, and gene expression can be changed. And so Parents even, um, who may have mental illnesses, they can pass on not this genetic idea but epigenetics, okay? And with epigenetics, yes, it can be passed on, mean— meaning you're more susceptible to it, but you also have the adaptability, the fluidity, and the ability to change this expression.