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According to the National Institute of Mental Health, it is not known what causes schizophrenia. The causes of schizophrenia are thought to be a combination of genetic makeup and environmental factors. Genetically speaking, only 1 percent of the general population develops schizophrenia in their lifetime while this jumps to 10 percent for people with a parent or sibling with the disorder. In addition, if an identical twin has schizophrenia, the other twin has a 50-50 chance of developing schizophrenia. These factors point to a genetic link.
It is thought that this genetic predisposition mixed with a great environmental stressor is what ultimately causes schizophrenia. For instance, people most typically begin displaying the symptoms of schizophrenia during that stressful time in their life when they move away from home for the first time to attend college. Even young children have occasionally been diagnosed with schizophrenia after the death of a parent or some other great trauma. It is also possible that an illness can be part of the cause of schizophrenia. -
People with schizophrenia typically experience three types of symptoms; positive, negative and cognitive. Positive symptoms are those that are outwardly abnormal, including delusions, hallucinations, movement disorders or a thought disorder.
Delusions are a train of thoughts that are removed from reality. This often includes paranoia that the schizophrenic person is being controlled or harmed. People with schizophrenia may also have delusions of grandeur in which they believe they are a famous person from history.
Hallucinations can be auditory or visual. Some people with schizophrenia will see things that are not truly there while others will hear voices or sounds.
People with schizophrenia who are experiencing movement disorders will appear abnormally uncoordinated and clumsy. Often it will appear as though the affected is not moving of their own accord. Occasionally, they will even enter a catatonic state in which they will not move for hours.
Thought disorders are characterized when the person with schizophrenia stops talking in the middle of a thought and suggests that the thought has been removed from their head. They may also speak unintelligibly in a way they have never spoken before. - Negative symptoms are less obvious to most onlookers; however, these symptoms can be the most disheartening to the families of those affected by schizophrenia. These are the personality and behavioral traits that are taken away or diminished as the result of schizophrenia. They often mimic depression. For instance, many people with schizophrenia experience a loss of normal facial expressions. They become emotionally flat. They no longer smile, speak dynamically or feel much joy. The person with schizophrenia typically becomes more reserved and even begins to neglect basic hygiene.
- The cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia are typically the most acute symptoms of the disorder. Typically these symptoms can only be determined through psychological and neurological testing. The cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia impair a schizophrenic person's ability to remember basic things or process information accurately. It is these symptoms that typically inhibit a schizophrenic person's ability to make a living or retain a job.
- Thankfully, there are now many medications on the market that can help a schizophrenic person deal with the symptoms of schizophrenia. When a person is on the appropriate medications, he can often function as a normal, or near normal, person. On the other hand, if a person stops treatment for any reason, he then is at a heightened risk for suicide. It is this reason that a person with schizophrenia has a shorter life expectancy than the rest of society. This is why family is so vital to the person with schizophrenia. While someone dealing with schizophrenia is not always pleasant without their medications, it is crucial that a strong support system is available to keep the schizophrenic person on track. Family members of schizophrenic people should consider joining a support group for help finding the right way to approach the family member with schizophrenia.
