Schizophrenia: Can Genetics be the Reason Behind it?

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder in which a person’s mood, knowledge, thought and several other characteristics gets disturbed. We can notice most of the adults and old people with few symptoms of schizophrenia, which are most commonly left unidentified. The exact cause of schizophrenia is not yet known. The person feels that they are being constantly watched, they feel the presence of someone or something, which is not actually there. They are always suspicious and think that other people are gossiping and thinking about them.

Possible causes of Schizophrenia
Though the exact cause of schizophrenia is not known there are few factors, which contribute to the cause of schizophrenia.

1. Genetic factors: People with a family history of schizophrenia are at higher risk of getting schizophrenia.
2. Environmental factors: Environmental factors include excessive stress during pregnancy or later stages of life. Several other factors during pregnancy and childhood are responsible for causing schizophrenia. These factors are:
   1. Decreased oxygen level during delivery due to premature birth or prolonged labour
   2. Parental loss or separation in early stages of life
   3. Parental exposure to virus or during infancy
   4. Childhood physical or sexual abuse
   5. Abnormal brain structures and brain chemistry

Signs and symptoms of schizophrenia

1. Hallucination: To see, feel or hear anything that really does not exist is known as hallucination.
2. Delusion: A thought or belief of a person, which is either false or impossible in reality is known as delusion.
3. Thought and speech disturbances: The thought process and speech of a schizophrenic will be disorganized, due to which he or she  will fumble or is distracted as they are unable to align their thoughts.
4. Difficulty in concentrating: It is difficult for people suffering from schizophrenia to concentrate on the task at hand.
5. Erratic behaviour: People suffering from schizophrenia tend to behave erratically, either they will be too jumpy or will be perfectly still for hours at a stretch. Most people belief that those who are suffering from schizophrenia are often violent in nature, which actually is not the case.

Treatment for schizophrenia
Schizophrenia can be treated, if identified at an early stage. It is best advised to consult a psychiatrist the moment you spot the symptoms. Anti psychotic drugs, self help behaviour change, counselling and rehabilitation are few treatment modalities available for schizophrenia.