Misunderstood Mental Illness: Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a very complex and often misunderstood mental illness that affects both sexes equally, and is found among all races. According to Myers (2013), it means “split mind” (p. 631). It “affects as many as 1 in 100 Americans over their lifetime, and is twice as common as HIV/AIDS” (Levine & Levine, 2009, p. 1). As a member of the health care team I come into contact with people who suffer from mental illnesses on a regular basis. To better understand them, I believe this is a good place to start. Schizophrenia is characterized by a variety of symptoms that dramatically affect an individual’s way of thinking, and ability to function. They have trouble distinguishing what’s real from what’s not, and suffer from hallucinations, delusions,

and paranoia. “In the days of Hippocrates (about 460 b.c. to 370 b.c.), it was believed that people with mental illnesses were possessed by the devil because they heard voices and saw visions” (Levine & Levine, 2009, p. 27). Experts believe that schizophrenia is caused by several different factors, including genetics, and environmental. There are five subtypes, and most people display three types of symptoms: positive, negative, and cognitive (Levine & Levine). Without proper treatment schizophrenia affects the ability the think clearly, manage emotions, and interact appropriately with other people. Treatment is aimed at relieving symptoms, but there is no cure. Schizophrenia is shrouded with deep, and profound mystery. To make sense of it, we need to approach it in a different way. What causes schizophrenia?
Many people believe that schizophrenia is a result of bad parenting, but that is not the case. Schizophrenia is an equal-opportunity illness caused by both genetic and environmental factors. Scientists now believe in the “two-hit theory” which suggests that genetic susceptibility is compounded by one or more environmental factors (Levine & Levine, 2009, p. 12). According to the National Institute of Mental Illness (NIMH), based on family genetics, some people are more vulnerable to the disorder, and it occurs in 10 percent of people who have a parent with the disorder (para. 1). When both parents have schizophrenia, the chances of the child developing it increase to between 30 to 40 percent (Levine & Levine, 2009, p. 30). Studies show that the genetic risk is highest for identical twins. If one twin has schizophrenia, the other twin has a 40 to 50 percent chance of developing the illness as well (NIMH, 2015). Although family history is a risk factor, many of the people that have schizophrenia have no family history of the disease. No one environmental factor alone has been proven to cause the disorder. There are many environmental factors may come into play, such as: physical trauma that occurs to the fetus during childbirth, oxygen-deprivation of the mother during pregnancy, maternal starvation, and emotional stress (Levine & Levine). One or more of these factors combined with family history, and schizophrenia may occur. It remains clear that the cause or causes are still unknown, but it’s vital to keep researching in the event that it can be prevented, and lead to improved treatments. What are the types of schizophrenia?