Understanding Mental Illness: Normal Genetic Variants

Why "Crazy" Is The New “Normal” - Part 2

There is growing evidence that certain mental illnesses may actually be normal genetic variants that conferred some survival advantage at some point in human history. Behavioral traits, not unlike physical traits, will affect an organism's ability to survive and procreate. This may occur on an individual basis, with a certain trait helping just the one individual organism survive. This may also occur within the context of a trait or collection of traits helping a group of similar creatures survive as a group. Some of the more fundamental elements of survival include the ability not to be killed and eaten by something bigger, the ability to stay fed (which often had to do with the ability to kill and eat something smaller, and sometimes bigger too), and the ability to procreate. So how could this all possibly tie in to mental illness, you ask?

The first condition that potentially illustrates this is agoraphobia. Agoraphobia, a term whose origin comes from "fear of the marketplace", refers mostly to a fear of wide-open spaces and crowds. This condition is often associated with Panic Disorder, but can exist independently. This is an example of a trait that was probably inherited from lower mammals. In terms of survival, a small mammal that maintained a healthy fear and aversion to wide open spaces and crowds of similar mammals would be less vulnerable to aerial and terrestrial predators. If you ever watch any of the nature channels, you may notice that animals (especially smaller ones) that prance around the open prairie are subject to attacks by birds of prey from above as well as carnivores on land, such as lions, tigers, and bears (oh my!). Since animals do not watch the nature channel or go to school, they would need to be either born with this trait or learn it from exposure to nature's school of hard knocks. The organisms born with the trait would tend to have a higher survival rate and thus would have an advantage in passing on their genes.

Another survival advantage would come from the ability to find food. In a hunter-gatherer society, which comprised a giant chunk of our human natural history, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) can come in handy. ADD is a common problem that affects an individual's ability to pay attention and not get distracted by random stimuli. As disruptive as this can be in an academic setting, ADD can make someone a better hunter. A person who gets distracted easily by the slightest noise or peripheral movement can have the ability to detect potential prey, such as a rabbit rustling in the bushes, from a greater distance than someone without ADD. Catching food keeps you alive, and having food invites hungry company and helps attract potential mates, hence more procreation. This trait was useful throughout the large "pre-academia" portion of human history. ADD in the education-focused modern era causes problems, of course, with greater difficulty focusing on academic and other types of work due to the higher degree of distractibility. Some ADD traits can still be harnessed, though, for some benefits.

Bipolar Disorder is an often-misunderstood condition that served certain significant purposes in primitive times and still can offer great benefits and advantages in modern society. Bipolar Disorder, still referred to by some as "manic-depression", is a mood disorder characterized by severe mood swings alternating between abnormal "depressive" lows and abnormal "manic" highs. The highs include symptoms of greatly increased energy, severe positive bias, increased industrious behavior, increased risk-taking behaviors, increased spending, increased sexuality, racing thoughts, decreased need for sleep, grandiosity, and rapid speech. Without treatment, Bipolar Disorder can be disruptive in the organized modern world. Individuals with this condition can function at very high levels with proper treatment, though, and can have a very good prognosis. Several of the common traits of mania can actually confer significant functional and performance advantages in the academic and professional worlds. The ability to "hyper-function" can enable someone to study or work much harder, longer, faster, and with greater overall intensity than a mere mortal. Many highly successful and famous people have been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. The long list includes owners of large corporations, artists, actors and actresses, musicians, inventors, the founder of an iconic adult magazine, and the owner of a major television network. Joan of Arc, the patron saint of France, is also believed by many to have been bipolar. The accomplishments have been great, and the feats nothing short of amazing. So how did this work out during the earlier periods in human history?

Dr Rodriguez is the founder and Medical Director of the Delray Center for Healing. He is Board Certified in both Adult Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine, with a clinical focus in the treatment of mood disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, addiction, and trauma.