Nature VS. Nurture

This is more of a poll than a question. I’m curious as to what the general public thinks about the issue. It is a compelling subject to me because I am adopted and have no knowledge of any hereditary illnesses or what-have-you, and I was diagnosed with several mental illnesses. Curiously, my adoptive mother and I share similar illnesses, though we are not of blood. I’m wondering if mental illness can be SOLELY a learned behavior. Thoughts?

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PumpkinO__OheaD

4 Answers

I believe that compulsive OCD like behaviors can be learned. If she is a neat freak, you could have just learned her compulsions growing up. I think without knowing your actual diagnoses it's hard to say. Children learn their behavior from how they see their parents behave. In my eyes possible!

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Unlikeany

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I agree, of course. But which do you think is responsible for the majority of psychological development?

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PumpkinO__OheaD

Very good point. I've seen instances where one child is glorified and praised for all of their accomplishments while the sibling is constantly over shadowed or even abused for 'not measuring up'. It leads to some pretty hefty issues. And I think you're right about the more severe mental illnesses being a mainly hereditary happening. Interesting view. ^_^

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PumpkinO__OheaD

Both, whether a person is more nature or nurture is subjective to the individual.

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Humanist Hope

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