What is schizophrenia - and what other illnesses cause psychosis?

Schizophrenia is an illness that interrupts the functioning of the brain, interfering with the ability of the affected person to carry out day-to-day activities. It is treatable. Schizophrenia affects about one in a hundred people at some time in their lives, often beginning in the early teens and twenties. It's one of a number of illnesses that cause what doctors call "psychotic" symptoms or "psychosis". The real meaning of "psychosis" - often distorted by the media - is simply that someone's thoughts have become disordered and they have difficulty knowing what's real and what's not. They may have delusions (false beliefs) or hallucinations - seeing, hearing, smelling, feeling, or even tasting things that are not there. If someone with schizophrenia behaves in a way that seems strange, it's because of a problem with the way different parts of the brain communicate with each other. This affects the way the person thinks, jumbling their thoughts and creating hallucinations such as hearing voices that aren't there. There are many myths about schizophrenia. One of them, the idea that it means "split personality", originates in a misunderstanding of the word itself. It is made up of two Greek words: schizo (meaning "fractured" or "broken") and phrenos (meaning "mind"). This was meant to convey that different functions of the brain, such as thinking and feeling, have trouble relating to each other. Another myth is that people with schizophrenia are violent. In fact, research shows that they are more likely to be victims of violence than to commit violent acts themselves. What's the outlook for people with schizophrenia? The outlook for people with schizophrenia is better than many realise - especially when the person affected receives consistent treatment that starts as early as possible after symptoms are detected. About 20% of people with schizophrenia have one or two psychotic episodes and never have symptoms again. Another 60% improve with treatment and time and, with support, can live independently. For a further 20%, treatment is less effective and they need more support. What causes schizophrenia? The causes are likely to include a combination of factors, including an inherited vulnerability to schizophrenia and a range of environmental factors. It's thought that these affect the chemical messengers which help different parts of the brain communicate with each other. Symptoms may be triggered by a number of factors. These include stress (the teens and early twenties can be a stressful period), and use of recreational drugs such as cannabis.Research suggests that cannabis contributes to the onset of schizophrenia in people who have a genetic vulnerability. Many young people with early signs of schizophrenia also use cannabis to help them cope with the symptoms. This means it's hard to know which came first - the symptoms or the drug use. It's also true that recreational drugs can trigger temporary psychotic symptoms - but this is usually a short term problem that doesn't last, and isn't the same as schizophrenia. Some people worry that family relationships are to blame when a person develops schizophrenia, but this is definitely not true. Families do not cause schizophrenia, and they are now recognised as having an important part to play in supporting the person with the illness. The next post will look at the symptoms of schizophrenia. This information on schizophrenia is from the Sane Australia Guide to Schizophrenia 2005, produced with a grant from Bristol Meyers Squibb Pharmaceuticals. The source is gratefully acknowledged - www.sane.org.