GENES VS. ENVIRONMENT ON THE CAUSE OF SCHIZOPHRENIA.
Before I clarify my stand on whether Schizophrenia is something caused by genes or environment, Let me introduce the term first for those who are not familiar with it. The term Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that is characterized by a person’s abnormalities in the perception or expression of reality.
Most of us believed that this is something that is caused by emotional disturbances on one’s mind. Emotional disturbances may be caused by people surrounding them who may not be satisfied by what he is doing, people who always contradicts his plans, or parents showing unequal love to their offspring. Other’s blame it to the immediate family’s not paying attention , not showing affection, much love, care, trust and others that may affect one’s emotional stability.
Studies about the causes of Schizophrenia suggest that genetics and early environment are both contributory factors as well as social and psychological process of a person. According to a research, those children born during winter months in the Northern hemisphere as well as those who are born in an urban environment is associated with increased risk of Schizophrenia than the average kids. Children born from mother who had genital infections, exposed to alcohol and x-ray radiation, suffer from great stress, used pain killers, had low folic level, and lacked vitamin D from the sun during pregnancy are all associated with a higher risk of Schizophrenia.
Complications during baby’s delivery, old age of the father, are also associated to a child’s higher risk of Schizophrenia. Others associated to a child’s higher risk to Schizophrenia are social isolation, stress, and head injury early in life.
On the other hand, breast feeding your baby, less stress on the child, exposure to the sun’s vitamin D, proper nutrition, antioxidant supplements and enriched social environment, may lower the risk of Schizophrenia.
