|
History tells us that for very long periods that took centuries, people have argued about the causes of mental illnesses like schizophrenia. Those who had mental illnesses were categorized as being insane or mad, but there were cases when it was thought even that they were possessed by evil spirits. It is known that in many situations, these persons suffering from mental illnesses were beaten, tortured, or locked up in special facilities. Some time ago, scientists believed that mental disorders could appear because of stressful or traumatic conditions in a person’s life, and psychiatrists said that a neglected or abused child for example can have a higher risk of developing some mental disorders. Nowadays, scientists generally agree that the disease is biological and not caused by life experiences, but there are several theories about what does cause the illness. It was seen that if someone has schizophrenic relatives, it has a ten time bigger chance to develop schizophrenia too, compared to a person who has no history of the disease in the family; the condition tends to run in families. A cause of the schizophrenia was suspected to be a viral infection. Some researchers said that a virus attacks the brain, more precisely the part of the brain that interprets messages from the senses. This can be the reason why delusions and hallucinations appear. It is also suspected that schizophrenia can be caused by an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that carry electrical messages between nerve cells and if there is too much or too little of a neurotransmitter, this may lead to various mental disorders, including schizophrenia. However, scientists did not reach to an agreement if these theories are correct, or if schizophrenia is caused by a combination of factors. It is known that most schizophrenic patients have symptoms, even if there are a few which haven’t. Very often there can appear delusions and hallucinations, and these can also include hearing imaginary voices. Insertion, also known as withdrawal of thought is another common symptom; the patients often believe that someone or something can put thoughts in their head, or take them out. They can also have other strange beliefs, like the aliens talk to them and tell them how to behave. A schizophrenic patient may also show no emotions, or be unable to speak, or may avoid taking any action at all. Characteristic to schizophrenia is also disorganized thinking and behavior: the patient may have trouble answering a question clearly, completing a sentence or thinking through an idea. For more information about schizophrenia or even about history of schizophrenia please review this page http://www.schizophrenia-info-center.com/history-of-schizophrenia.htm
Related Articles -
schizophrenia, history of schizophrenia,
|
