Is There a Genetic Component to Mental Illness?

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There's an emerging argument that all mental illnesses are interconnected, like the branches of a tree growing from the same trunk. This idea has roots in psychoanalysis and another sort of non diagnostic approaches to psychotherapy. And so it became known as the p factor, of the psycho pathology factor. But i think that's a terrible name in terms yo, kno, trying to make something understandable. Don't call it psycho pathology. Yet received a lot of attention, and some people really hate the term,. but there's no doubt that it is changing how we study them.

Alex Riley is an award-winning science writer. In 2019 he received a Best Feature award from the Association of British Science Writers for his reporting on the Friendship Bench, a project that began in Zimbabwe in 2006. Alex’s articles have been published by New Scientist, Mosaic, Nautilus Magazine, the BBC, and others.

In this episode, Alex and Eric talk about his new book, A Cure for Darkness: The Story of Depression and How We Treat It.

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Alex Riley and I Discuss Emerging Perspectives on Depression and…

A Cure for Darkness: The Story of Depression and How We Treat It
Eric’s telltale sign he’s in a depressive episode
The cause of Alex’s most recent depressive episode
Eric and Alex’s experiences taking SSRIs for depression
How he makes the decision to come on and off antidepressants
His experience of psilocybin treatment for depression
The role of nutrition in supporting his mental health and wellness
A working definition of depression
The connection between depression and “thinking too much”
The “P” factor – an idea that all mental illnesses are fundamentally connected at their root
The winners curse
Eric’s experience with LSD earlier in life

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If you enjoyed this conversation with Alex Riley, you might also enjoy these other episodes:

Strategies for Depression with Therese Borchard

Recovering from Depression with Brent Williams

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