Study Shows Strong Correlation Between Domestic Violence and Mental Health Issues

Photography by NHOPHOTOS.com

A new study suggests there is a correlation between mental illness and domestic violence. The study is the first of its kind to examine a wide range of mental health problems in men and women. ”The evidence suggests that there are two things happening,” says senior author Louise Howard. “Domestic violence can often lead to victims developing mental health problems, and people with mental health problems are more likely to experience domestic violence.”

In the past, studies narrowly focused on depression. “In this study, we found that both men and women with mental health problems are at an increased risk of domestic violence,” says Louise Howard, Head of the Section of Women’s Mental Health at King’s Institute of Psychiatry. “The evidence suggests that there are two things happening: domestic violence can often lead to victims developing mental health problems, and people with mental health problems are more likely to experience domestic violence.”

Compared to women without mental health problems, women who suffer from anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), eating disorders, common mental health problems, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder are at an increased risk of domestic violence compared to women without mental health problems. Men with all types of mental disorders were also at an increased risk of domestic violence. However, prevalence estimates for men were lower than those for women, indicating that it is less common for men to be victims of repeated severe domestic violence.

To read more details about the study, click here: https://www.futurity.org/health-medicine/mental-illness-linked-to-domestic-violence/ 

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