What is schizophrenia?
What is schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is one of psychotic disorders, characterised by difficulties in distinguishing reality from the unreal. The person can have sensations, feelings or thoughts that distort the view on what is going on around or within him/her. This can cause difficulties in the management of emotions, the relation to other people and in normal functioning.
Factors that play a role in the occurance of schizophrenia
- having particular genes;
- traumatic experiences especially in the earliest period of life;
- damage of the brain that could happen any time during the life span.
Probably, it is caused by an interplay of various biological, psychological and societal factors. This results in impaired function of neurotransmitters.
Schizophrenia can develop suddenly or gradually.
Most commonly it occurs between the age of 15 and 25. It occurs in about 1% of the population everywhere in the world.
Risk factors include lower socio-economic status, lower education, family history of schizophrenia, stressful situations such as the loss of a loved one, or violence in the family or the environment.
Consumption of psychoactive agents can trigger a psychotic episode as well.
A treatment that encompasses both biological and psychosocial methods is the best choice.
www.pixabay.com