Looking at My Genes:

WHAT CAN THEY TELL ME 

ABOUT MY MENTAL HEALTH?

From the NATIONAL INSTITUTE of MENTAL HEALTH

Overview

Mental disorders are health conditions that affect 

how a person thinks, feels, and acts. These disorders 

can impact a person’s life in significant ways, including 

how they cope with life events, earn a living, and 

relate to others.

“Why did this happen?” That is a common question 

that patients and their families have following a 

psychotic episode, a suicide attempt, or the diagnosis 

of a mental disorder.

Research conducted and funded by the National 

Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has found that 

many mental disorders are caused by a combination 

of biological, environmental, psychological, and 

genetic factors. In fact, a growing body of research 

has found that certain genes and gene variations 

are associated with mental disorders. So, what is 

the best way to “look at your genes” and 

determine your personal risk?

Your Family Health History

Your family health history may be one of your best 

clues for determining your risk of developing a 

mental disorder and many other common illnesses. 

Certain mental disorders tend to run in families, and 

having a close relative with a mental disorder could 

mean you are at a higher risk.

If a family member has a mental disorder, it does 

not necessarily mean you will develop one. Many 

other factors also play a role. But knowing your 

family’s mental health history can help you 

determine whether you are at a higher risk for 

certain disorders, help your doctor to recommend 

actions for reducing your risk, and enable both you 

and your doctor to look for early warning signs.

To gain a better understanding of your family health 

history, it may help to talk to your blood relatives, 

keep a record of your family history, talk with a mental 

health professional, or visit a genetic counselor.

Talk to Your Blood Relatives

The first step in creating a family health history is to 

talk to your blood relatives. The most helpful 

information comes from “first-degree” relatives—

parents, brothers, sisters, and children. Information 

from “second-degree” relatives—such as nieces, 

nephews, half-brothers, half-sisters, grandparents, 

aunts, and uncles—also can be helpful.

Don’t worry if you cannot get complete information 

on every relative. Some people may not want to 

talk. Others may be unable to remember 

information accurately. That’s okay. Whatever 

information you can collect will be helpful.

Keep a Record of Your Family History

Free print and online tools can help you create a 

family health history. One tool, created by the U.S. 

Surgeon General, is “My Family Health Portrait” 

(https://phgkb.cdc.gov/FHH). It helps organize the 

information in your family health history. You can 

download and print “My Family Health Portrait” and 

use it to record information about your family’s 

health. Once you fill in the information, you can 

keep it for your records, share the completed form 

with your doctor or other health care provider, or 

share it with family members. 
As a family grows or family members are diagnosed 

with health conditions, new or updated information 

can be added. It may take a little time and effort, but 

this legacy can improve the health of your family for 

generations to come.

Talk With a Mental Health Professional

If you have mental illness in your family, you may 

want to consult with a mental health professional 

who can help you understand risk factors and 

preventive factors. Asking questions and providing 

information to your health care provider can improve 

your care. Talking with your doctor can build trust 

and may lead to better results, safety, and satisfaction. 

For tips and information about speaking with your 

doctor, visit the NIMH Taking Control of Your Mental 

Health webpage (www.nimh.nih.gov/talkingtips) 

and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 

webpage for patients and consumers (www.ahrq.

gov/patients-consumers).

Visit a Genetic Counselor

Genetic counseling can give you information about 

how genetic conditions might affect you or your 

family. The genetic counselor or other health care 

professional will collect your personal and family 

health history. They can use this information to 

determine how likely it is that you or a family member 

has a genetic condition. Based on this information, 

the genetic counselor can help you decide whether 

a genetic test might be right for you or your relative. 

Genetic testing often is done before or during 

pregnancy and soon after the birth of children, or if 

your doctor suspects you may have a rare disease 

for which specific genes are known to be the cause. 

To learn more about genetic counseling, visit the 

Genetic Counseling FAQ page of the National 

Human Genome Research Institute website 

(www.genome.gov/FAQ/Genetic-Counseling) and 

the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 

Genetic Counseling webpage (www.cdc.gov/

genomics/gtesting/genetic_counseling.htm).

Your Genes

Genes are segments of DNA found in almost every 

cell and are passed down from parents to children. 

Some diseases are caused by genetic mutation(s) 

or by a permanent change in one or more 

specific genes.

In other diseases, including many mental disorders, 

gene variants play a role in increasing or decreasing 

a person’s risk of developing a disease or condition. 

Research is advancing our understanding of the 

role of genetics in mental health. Although there are 

common genetic variants associated with rare 

disorders, no gene variant can predict with certainty 

that a person will develop a mental disorder. In many 

cases, even the most well-researched genetic variant 

may contribute to a person’s risk only by very small 

amounts. Knowing that you have one of these gene 

variants won’t tell you nearly as much about your 

risk as your family history can. For more information, 

visit the website of the National Human Genome 

Research Institute (www.genome.gov/health). 

Can Genetic Testing Help Predict My Risk 

of Developing a Mental Disorder?

The short answer to this question is no. Currently, 

genetic tests cannot accurately predict your risk of 

developing a mental disorder. Although research is 

underway, scientists don’t yet know all the gene 

variations that contribute to mental disorders, and 

those that are known, so far, raise the risk by very 

small amounts. 

One day, genetic research may make it possible to 

provide a more complete picture of a person’s risk 

of getting a particular mental disorder or to 

diagnose it, based on his or her genes. Although 

recent studies have begun to identify the genetic 

markers associated with certain mental disorders 

and eventually may lead to better screening and 

more personalized treatment, it is still too early to 

use genetic tests or genome scans to diagnose or 

treat mental disorders accurately.
Genetic Testing

Versus 

Genome Scans

Clinical or Diagnostic Genetic Testing

Doctors order clinical or diagnostic genetic 

testing for people they think are at high risk of 

one of the rare diseases for which specific 

genes are known to be the cause. In clinical or 

diagnostic testing, doctors search for a single 

gene or a few genes that research has strongly 

associated with a specific disease. The results 

enable patients and their doctors to make 

informed health care decisions together. There 

are many different types of genetic tests. 

Genetic tests may help to:

⊲ Identify gene changes that may increase 

the risk of developing a disease.

⊲ Diagnose disease.

⊲ Identify gene changes that are implicated in 

an already diagnosed disease.

⊲ Determine the severity of a disease.

⊲ Guide doctors in deciding on the best 

medicine or treatment to use for certain 

individuals, such as during cancer treatment.

If a disease runs in your family, your health care 

professional can tell you if it’s the kind of illness 

that can be detected through genetic testing. 

Your health care professional can help you make 

decisions about whether to be tested and can 

help you understand test results and their 

implications.

Direct-to-Consumer Genome Scans

Direct-to-consumer genome scans are 

different from clinical or diagnostic genetic 

testing. For a fee, anyone can mail a saliva 

sample to companies that sell the scan—

without a prescription or a health care 

provider’s advice. Advertisements say that the 

company then can provide information, based 

on gene variations, about a person’s risks of 

developing specific diseases.

You can learn about the various types of 

genetic tests and genetic counseling by visiting 

the National Human Genome Research Institute 

website (www.genome.gov).

NIMH Research on Genetics

NIMH, a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 

funds and conducts research to help answer important 

scientific questions about mental illnesses. Through 

research, NIMH works to determine what is promising, 

what helps and why, what doesn’t work, and what is safe.

For example, the Genomics Research Branch in the 

NIMH Division of Neuroscience and Basic Behavioral

Science (www.nimh.nih.gov/dnbbs) and the Human 

Genetics Branch in the NIMH Intramural Research 

Program (www.nimh.nih.gov/hgb) are currently 

studying and supporting research on the human 

genetic variations that contribute to the risk for mood 

and anxiety disorders, such as bipolar disorder and 

panic disorder, so that better ways to diagnose and 

treat these disorders can be developed. 

Research investigating these topics will help the field 

take steps toward better screening and personalized 

treatment. You can learn more about ongoing research 

efforts by visiting the NIMH website at www.nimh.nih.gov

(search term: Genetics).

Federal Resources

For information about how genes affect your risk for 

developing a disease or disorder, visit:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: 

Family Health History

www.cdc.gov/genomics/famhistory

National Human Genome Research Institute

www.genome.gov/health

MedlinePlus: Genetic Disorders

https://medlineplus.gov/geneticdisorders.html
Participating in Clinical Research

Clinical trials are research studies that look at new 

ways to prevent, detect, or treat diseases and 

conditions. Although individuals may benefit from 

being part of a clinical trial, participants should be 

aware that the primary purpose of a clinical trial is to 

gain new scientific knowledge so that others may 

be better helped in the future.

Researchers at NIMH and around the country 

conduct clinical trials with patients and healthy 

volunteers. Talk to your health care provider about 

clinical trials, their benefits and risks, and whether 

one is right for you. For more information, visit 

www.nimh.nih.gov/clinicaltrials.

Finding Help

Behavioral Health Treatment 

Services Locator

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 

Administration (SAMHSA) provides this online 

resource for locating mental health treatment 

facilities and programs. Find a facility in your state 

at https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov. For additional 

resources, visit www.nimh.nih.gov/findhelp. 

Talking to Your Health Care Provider 

About Your Mental Health

Communicating well with your doctor or health care 

provider can improve your care and help you both 

make good choices about your health. Find tips to 

help prepare for and get the most out of your visit at 

www.nimh.nih.gov/talkingtips. For additional 

resources, including questions to ask your doctor, 

visit the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 

website at www.ahrq.gov/patients-consumers.

Reprints

This publication is in the public domain and may be 

reproduced or copied without permission from 

NIMH. Citation of NIMH as a source is appreciated. 

To learn more about using NIMH publications, 

please contact the NIMH Information Resource 

Center at 1-866-615-6464, email nimhinfo@nih.gov, 

or refer to our reprint guidelines (www.nimh.nih.

gov/reprints).

For More Information

NIMH website

www.nimh.nih.gov

MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine)

https://medlineplus.gov

(En español: https://medlineplus.gov/spanish)

ClinicalTrials.gov

www.clinicaltrials.gov

(En español: https://salud.nih.gov/investigacion-clinica)

National Institute of Mental Health

Office of Science Policy, Planning, 

 and Communications

Science Writing, Press, and Dissemination Branch 

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Room 6200, MSC 9663 

Bethesda, MD 20892-9663 

Phone: 301-443-4513 or 

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Email: nimhinfo@nih.gov

Website: www.nimh.nih.gov

NIH Publication No. 20-MH-4298

Revised 2020

www.nimh.nih.gov