What+is+Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a set of psychotic conditions associated with poor emotional responses and thought processes. An individual suffering from schizophrenia can experience a wide range of positive and negative psychotic symptoms. Positive symptoms are which the individual experiences any delusions, auditory or visual hallucinations, or disorganized behaviour (National Health Service, 2012). On the other hand, negative symptoms are associated with disruptions to normal emotions and behaviours, including flat affect, lack of pleasure in everyday life, and lack of ability to sustain or begin planned activities. Schizophrenia is a major psychiatric disorder affecting approximately 1% of the general population (Saha, Chant, Welham, & McGrath, 2005). The burden on the individual, their families, and society is immense and roughly half of people diagnosed with schizophrenia have a co-occurring disorder. The onset of symptoms usually starts between ages 16 to 35, where men tend to experience symptoms earlier than women (National Health Service, 2012). Though schizophrenia rarely occurs in children, more recently the awareness of childhood-onset schizophrenia has been increasing (Masi, Mucci, & Pari, 2006). The first signs of schizophrenia include a change of friends, a drop in grades, sleep problems, and irritability. Likewise, these behaviours are common amongst teenagers. A combination of factors such as isolating oneself and withdrawing from others, an increase in unusual thoughts and suspicions, and a family history or psychosis can predict up to 80 percent of youth at high risk of developing this disease (Cannon, et al., 2008). Among young people who develop schizophrenia, this stage is called the prodromal period. Alas, regardless of any treatment provided, approximately two-thirds of individuals will have persisting or fluctuating symptoms of schizophrenia. Though the exact causes of schizophrenia are unknown, the following factors have been found to have an increased risk for an individual to develop schizophrenia
 * Genetics: Schizophrenia occurs in one percent of the general population, but an individual who has a first-degree relative with the disorder has a ten fold increased chance in developing the disorder (National Institute of Mental Health, 2009). In addition, the highest risk for developing this disorder is for an identical twin of a person with schizophrenia, a 40-65% of prevalence. No single gene has been identified to cause this disease. Rather, research has found that people with schizophrenia have higher rates of genetic mutations that involve hundred of different genes that may have a profound effect on brain development (Walsh, et al., 2008).
 * Environment: An interaction between an individuals genes and environment is believed to be necessary for schizophrenia to develop. Environmental exposures prior, during, and after birth are risks associated with developing schizophrenia. This ranges from social, nutritional, hormonal and chemical environment in the womb of a mother during pregnancy to the individuals preferred social environment as an adolescent to adult are all contributing factors in developing schizophrenia.
 * Brain Chemistry and Structure: Schizophrenia has been linked with an imbalance in chemical reactions of two neurotransmitters in the brain, dopamine and serotonin. In additional to imbalances of neurotransmitters, a schizophrenic’s brain differs than those of healthy people. Scientists have studied the brains of schizophrenic patients, concluding that ventricles are larger in some people with schizophrenia and have less gray matter than healthy persons (National Institute of Mental Health, 2009).

In addition to factors contributing to an individual developing schizophrenia, there are triggers that may cause schizophrenia to develop for those people at risk. These triggers do not cause schizophrenia directly, but can increase the onset of this disease for a vulnerable person. Such triggers may include:
 * Stress: Stressful events are psychological triggers of schizophrenia. Major life events such as bereavement, losing your job or home, divorce, or physical, sexual, emotional, or racial abuse can exacerbate the onset of schizophrenia (National Health Service, 2012).
 * Drug Abuse: Drugs do not directly cause schizophrenia, but drug misuse can increase the risk of developing schizophrenia or other mental illnesses. People who have schizophrenia are more likely to have a substance or alcohol abuse problem compared to the general population (Blanchard, Brown, Horan, & Sherwood, 2000). In fact, some drugs can make treatment for schizophrenia less effective and symptoms worse for the individual. Such drugs like cannabis, alcohol, hallucinogens, stimulants and inhalants have been studied for their effects on individuals predisposed or have schizophrenia.

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