Why left-handed people are more prone to mental illness?

Left-handed people make up only 10% of the world's population. Despite this small number, 40% of all serious mental illnesses can be traced back to left-handed people.

Scientists don't know why mental illness appears more frequently in left-handed people, but they think it may be directly related to how the brain is wired. Most of us experience some kind of mental disorder or illness at some point in our lives, whether it's a psychotic disorder or depression, but the fact that left-handed people were always more likely to be associated with these more serious mental illnesses was surprising.

We need to look at differences in left-handed brains to understand why mental illness appears more in left-handed people. Our brains rely on a process called lateralization that allows our bodies to create areas of "specialization." This separation allows for more efficient processing. Some also believe that left-handed people may be more likely to suffer from mental illness. The causes of left-handedness in the brain can be traced to several possibilities. Like genes, environmental stressors, etc.

Recent studies on genetics important for brain development have shown that certain genes are associated with left-handedness. As a result, these genes may also play a role in why left-handed people suffer from more serious mental illnesses.

However, as Big Think points out in its report, these theories have not been proven and there may be other reasons why left-handed people are more likely to suffer from more serious mental illnesses. But for now, some of the stressors that can cause left-handedness are minor brain damage or even less lateralization of the brain, which can put you at higher risk for mental disorders.

Being left-handed need not be a disadvantage. Left-handed people can take several advantages, including improved fighting and competitive skills. According to some academics, left-handed people have a higher likelihood of becoming exceptional sports than right-handed people.