Exploring the principles of the influence of mental illness on decision-making

¹ Cardiff Sixth Form College, Cardiff, Wales, UK
² Xianda College of Humanities and Economic, SISU, Shanghai, China

^* Corresponding author: 2011030@xdsisu.edu.cn
^† These authors contributed equally

Abstract

Much of the literature has focused on how emotions affect decision-making, but little has been written about the impact of specific mental illnesses on decision-making. However, this is a serious and relevant topic because people living with mental illness tend to make impulsive or bad choices because of their symptoms and mood. It is hoped that this literature will help people with mental illness or their families to have a better understanding of their behaviour and decisions. This paper attempts to answer the two questions. What cognitive and physiological factors influence the decision making of people with depression and how does depression influence people to make the decision to commit suicide. We used mainly a literature-based approach to our research and conclude that the areas of the brain affected by depression are strongly associated with decision-making and thus contribute to the tendency of depressed people to make poor decisions. For example, the areas of the brain affected by depression are strongly associated with decision-making and thus contribute to the tendency of depressed people to make bad decisions.