[SophiaG]

I read somewhere that the brain keeps developing until you're 25 years old.

So, by that logic, can you "grow out of" certain mental illnesses?

[madisgram]

well that i don't know. i do know however that bipolar disorder doesn't work that way. so i'll keep taking my meds. i do think therapy can ease the symptoms of some MI but be cured, i don't think so. for some of us it just becomes manageable and for that i am grateful.

[lynn P.]

The answer is yes and no, but not in relation to development in the up to 25 yrs. I also want to point out that our brains aren't constantly changing - making new brain cells and new connections all our life. Unfortunately when we get really old, we don't replenish those brain cells and make new neuro transmitters as much. I agree with madisgram that once you're bipolar, you basically stay this way with the help of therapy and meds.

I think some forms of depression can get better as they learn better coping techniques and also circumstances change. There is one disorder called Schizotypal Personality Disorder and this can improve with lessening of symptoms one the person reaches 40-50 yrs old.

[Travelinglady]

I quickly point out that I'm no expert, but I have actually read that some people "grow" into mental illness--e.g., schizophrenia is most likely to develop in the teens/twenties, as the brain is developing. I have read that borderline personality disorder can sort of tame down during middle age.....

I would definitely like to hear from anybody else who knows about this subject. A very interesting question!

[Sabrina]

I don't know much but believe I outgrew my depression. I have been in remission for 5 years now and am still not sure to this day what made the depression go away. It wasn't the meds, they didn't work. It wasn't ECT because I got worse after that. But something happened one day and I slowly started to leave depression behind. I think I just started to outgrow it. But I have no explanation. Now if only I could do the same with my anxiety.

[Lilleth]

If only that were true. I have been like this since I was aware I'd say i have been depressed since child hood as I remember alway crying and being afraid. It was not until I was in my 20s after having my 3rd child that I was told what I was depressed all those years I just thought that something was badly wrong with me it didnt help my parents calling me crazy. I am in my 50s now oh if only it were true and I could have grown out of the awful episodes I have had. The last 9 months have been hell for me its only in the last week I have been able to feel as if I am comming out of it. I am able to bare how I feel but am anxious and weepy but can control it to a certain extent I just dread sinking in that deep mire again. Worst of all is the lonelyness and the feeling of failure and being overcome by feeling that i dont want and cant stop. It makes everything seems worse and larger than it is even the simplest things seem to big for my mind to cope with. I keep myself going by thinking right here right now you are coping it was worse before and you never know there are better days on the way. I do remember short phases of my life where I coped well but they are so few. Someone sent me a poem when I told them how I had been feeling and they said they didnt understand then send me a poem with music. It was about choosing Happyness. If only it was that easy. If I could I would choose Happiness but how do you do that?

[lynn P.]

Originally Posted by PAYNE1

I quickly point out that I'm no expert, but I have actually read that some people "grow" into mental illness--e.g., schizophrenia is most likely to develop in the teens/twenties, as the brain is developing. I have read that borderline personality disorder can sort of tame down during middle age.....

I would definitely like to hear from anybody else who knows about this subject. A very interesting question!

Yes that's true, schizophrenia usually starts in the late teens, early twenties. PTSD is another one, that can pop up due to a traumatic experience, then get better with therapy/meds. I think it depends on the mental illness and the person but there are surely some (like bipolar etc) that stay through out their lives.

[embracinglife]

I don't know. I've never really heard of this hypothesis myself...but I suppose that with time and effort one can improve one's mental health. By making better choices, surrounding ourselves with better people, and who knows what else, maybe with time our mental health would naturally improve. I'm not totally sure though.

[cocoa58]

Sabrina,
I like that you use the phrase "in remission" - I understand "in remission" because I am a cancer survivor and I am "in remission" from that. So I can easily transpose the idea/concept to improvement in mental health - thanks! It was helpful.
Cocoa58 - BTW - I'm new here.

Originally Posted by Sabrina

I don't know much but believe I outgrew my depression. I have been in remission for 5 years now and am still not sure to this day what made the depression go away. It wasn't the meds, they didn't work. It wasn't ECT because I got worse after that. But something happened one day and I slowly started to leave depression behind. I think I just started to outgrow it. But I have no explanation. Now if only I could do the same with my anxiety.

[Sabrina]

Thank you cocoa, and a warm welcome to you.

[Princess_Obsidian]

Greetings,

From my understanding, mental illness, will always be apart of one. Though, with much positive effort and proper medical treatment, one can function as if he/she truly is not affected by his illness. In fact, many have their diagnosis's change to less severity later on because of such. Yet, it is not something one can simply wish for.

Therefore one cannot "grow out" of the mental illness he/she is afflicted with, though, one most certainly can positively grow, not to mention, flourish, in life, with one.

Have a good one.

[sunsetsunrise]

I am so glad that you are " in remission" Excellent and yay

I do think that some people can heal from some conditions by working on healing some underlying issues. Perhaps if the therapy is successful enough, some conditions can be resolved.

Maybe even outgrowing it in some cases is possible. If someone feels isolated growing up, thus depressed. And then finds support and healing with a group of people in college, as an example. Or finds the work they were always meant to be doing and their life takes on great meaning. Or perhaps as Lynn pointed out, some peoples neurotransmitters may become balanced. Seretonan levels, gaba levels etc become optimal. There are many reasons why its possible to seemingly grow out of certain psychiatric conditions. Although I surely did not. The depression and anxiety etc never spontaneously resolved. And I have yet to heal them.

I agree about Bipolar, its important not to go off the meds that can be stabalizing the condtion.

[Rhiannonsmoon]

Hello everyone,

I have never heard of or known anyone who has grown into or out of a mental illness. I agree with remission and was in that for a number of years myself. The physical growth of the brain does not create mental illness, it is the chemical and physiological makeup that causes mental illness and some developmental disability. Traumatic Brain Injury can cause mental illness which sends the brain into emergency mode to try to maintain some control or respond to the injury, but that is not growth connected.

Physioligically one part of the brain may be more active or less active than another and this can lead to over or underactivity in that part of the brain; for instance as is physically shown by the Serotonin Excretion and Re-uptake which causes problems if out of sync with what the brain needs to keep depression at bay.

It is possible to out grow neurological symptoms (which are not mental illness symptoms), in syndromes such as Tourettes, but it is also possible that the symptoms can intesify throughout the teenage years and into the 20's. After that times it is possible for symptoms to reduce markedly. But the symptoms of mental illness that can accompany Tourettes Syndrome are rarely influenced by growth or stunted growth.

Hope this helps and is clear enough, I do get tangled in my words, their intention and the way they end up on the page at times,

Rhiannon

.

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by SophiaG

I read somewhere that the brain keeps developing until you're 25 years old.

So, by that logic, can you "grow out of" certain mental illnesses?

yes it is possible to grow out of having mental disorders. many USA states that do not label children under the age of 18 with having certain mental disorders because it is possible for mental disorders to appear in childhood and then after the child has gone through puberty and has entered adulthood their mental disorder symptoms lessen until the mental disorder is no longer. one such example is childhood schizophrenia. it can hit children as young as 4 and 5 yrs old and once the child reaches between 18 and 20yrs their schizophrenia is on its way out the door never to show its self again. another example is depression. some forms of depression his school aged children as young as 4 and 5 yrs old but by the time JR high rolls around their depression symptoms sometimes lessen and then go away never to be seen again. some children end up having eating disorders, adhd, add in early childhood but once adulthood hits their symptoms lessen and go away never to be seen again.

there are many documented cases where childhood mental disorders are prevalent during childhood but once the child becomes and adult their mental disorders are no more.

there are many documented books about children with mental disorders in public libraries in the psychology, mental health, and non fiction sections. college libraries too have many books about mental disorders and some of them have information and autobiographies about childhood mental disorders.

you can find out if your mental disorders are the kind that are going to fade and go away by talking to your treatment professionals. they can look at your history, family background, and other aspects of your mental disorders and give you an approximate idea. they cant tell you a guarantee that your mental disorders will go away or not because each person is different but they can take an educated guess. like doctors do when predicting approximate genetic mental and medical problems when a person is pregnant based on family history and the persons own mental and medical history.

[Typo]

I don't think we can out grow mental illness, I think however over time we learn proper coaping skills and learn how to not let it control our lives. We learn how to work with it and manage it so we can live full happy healthy lifes.

[mamma4]

being depressed is here and is gone everyday i wonder will this and the panic attacks and the anxiety i have ever go away tired of meds tired of being tired tired of doctors i live every day to the fullest and pray and count on god to help me thru and with the support of my loving husband who has been dealing with me for over 20 yrs i am thankful and know finding people who are in the same place and have same feelings has i do i dont feel alone

[sunsetsunrise]

hugs for (((((mamma4))))) You are not alone when you are here. As you have already read, many brave and wonderful souls here deal with depresssion and anxiety. I am glad you joined this community

[Rhiannonsmoon]

Originally Posted by amandalouise

you can find out if your mental disorders are the kind that are going to fade and go away by talking to your treatment professionals. they can look at your history, family background, and other aspects of your mental disorders and give you an approximate idea. they cant tell you a guarantee that your mental disorders will go away or not because each person is different but they can take an educated guess. like doctors do when predicting approximate genetic mental and medical problems when a person is pregnant based on family history and the persons own mental and medical history.

They do not label because they have not the knowledge to forsee whether it will worsen or improve. This was one of the first things I learned as a therapist. Fading is not out growing, healing is not outgrowing it is actually healing. It is not possible to outgrow mental illness. Syndromes however are a different class of problem and is not considered an illness. Syndromes have a known cause which is possible to not just go into remission but to right itself. Again this is not outgrowing.

With all due respect, children who show symptoms of depression are many times more likely to develop teen or adult onset depression or any other mental illness, in particular anxiety and depression. Childhood schizophrenia does not abate completely and there are no numbers to show that it does. Having worked extensively with children in my supervised licensing hours we were schooled in answering questions asked by parents in regard to if their child would ever get better and be free of the illness. If an educated guess were formed and then turned out to be incorrect the possibility of being sued by the parents is very high.

In particular regard to asking a therpaist to look at everything including "they can take an educated guess" this is guesswork only and not proof that a mental illness will go away. Looking at background and family history does not indicate one way or another what might happen. This leaves the door open to litigation and no therapist is going to tread the water in a minefield; this was one of the areas covered in "Establishing A Practice".

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by Rhiannonsmoon

They do not label because they have not the knowledge to forsee whether it will worsen or improve. This was one of the first things I learned as a therapist. Fading is not out growing, healing is not outgrowing it is actually healing. It is not possible to outgrow mental illness. Syndromes however are a different class of problem and is not considered an illness. Syndromes have a known cause which is possible to not just go into remission but to right itself. Again this is not outgrowing.

With all due respect, children who show symptoms of depression are many times more likely to develop teen or adult onset depression or any other mental illness, in particular anxiety and depression. Childhood schizophrenia does not abate completely and there are no numbers to show that it does. Having worked extensively with children in my supervised licensing hours we were schooled in answering questions asked by parents in regard to if their child would ever get better and be free of the illness. If an educated guess were formed and then turned out to be incorrect the possibility of being sued by the parents is very high.

In particular regard to asking a therpaist to look at everything including "they can take an educated guess" this is guesswork only and not proof that a mental illness will go away. Looking at background and family history does not indicate one way or another what might happen. This leaves the door open to litigation and no therapist is going to tread the water in a minefield; this was one of the areas covered in "Establishing A Practice".

that may be so where you are. In my home state as a child I was not diagnosed with certain problems the reasons given on my file stated "this state does not recognize amanda's diagnosis of childhood schizophrenia, in minor children due to the fact that this is a mental disorder in which can be outgrown and disappear once a child with this diagnosis reaches adulthood, therefore we must call it PTSD with psychotic features of hallucinations and delusional thoughts, in order that she may receive the appropriate funds and treatment options that will maximize her healing process."

here in the state that I am we have been told by insurance, the state board that governs mental health agencies and their therapists, psychiatrists and interns and our supervisors and bosses that this state does not recognize any forms of schizophrenia and any personality disorders in children, the reason given by all is that these mental disorders can be outgrown by children once they reach adulthood.

yes I know its guesswork. if you reread my post you will see I did say they cannot guarantee. they can only make an educated guess based on family history and the persons own mental and physical health history. it only leaves the therapist open to litigation if the therapist states the person will be cured without a doubt. here we dont state that. when a client asks anyone here if they will ever outgrow or be cured, we look at their family history and their own background with them and tell them whether its a possibility, no guarentees. this does not leave the agency nor the therapists, psychiatrists and interns here open to any litigations. we dont say yes you will be cured on such and such a date. we just tell them the truth based on their family history of so and so and so and so who had these same problems and theirs went away theres a *possibility* anything is possible.

You need to remember that here on psych central we dont all come from the same states, countries or continents. not every state, nor country nor continent follows the same rules. what goes on for me and the state Im in or the state I come from may not be what your experience and your state is like.

here it is believed children do outgrow certain mental disorders.

[garden]

I"m in agreement with LynnP and Sabrina. There are so many things that are important and dear to us during each stage of our lives; some more intense than others. Our growth depends on learning in each stage. So, yes in that there is getting over those things that you believed caused you pain. No, in that schiz begins at a late teen age and sometimes exhibited more severely in some than others. Yes in that somewhere in it all we learn to let go, become brave about our sensitivities and make a determination to live beyond the depression. That's a good thing.

[garden]

Rhiannonsmoon, doctors are not sure, however; of the four adult children in our family two suffer from depression and one is diagnosed with schiz. Neither parent exhibitied either characteristic.