Schizophrenia is a disease caused by the interaction of genetic factors and environmental influences. Schizophrenia tends to begin at an earlier age in men and has a more severe course in men than in women.
Risk factors include being born in the winter or spring, living in an urban area, being the child of an older father, and the mother experiencing stress during pregnancy.
Assistant Professor Dr. Ahmet Yosmaoğlu, a psychiatrist at Üsküdar University NPİSTANBUL Hospital, stated that schizophrenia arises from the interaction between genetic makeup and environmental factors. Noting that no single gene responsible for schizophrenia has been identified, Yosmaoğlu said, “The genetics of schizophrenia involve the interaction of many genes with one another. If the number or activity of genes that increase susceptibility to schizophrenia is higher, the individual’s risk of developing the disease is greater; the person will develop the disease with fewer environmental triggers (such as stress, trauma, or life events)," he said.
Noting that the word “schizophrenia” is derived from the ancient Greek words “s’chizein,” meaning to split, cleave, separate, or fragment, and “phren,” meaning mind or spirit, Yosmaoğlu said, “Schizophrenia has historically been regarded as a ‘splitting of the mind.’ It is a subset of a type of mental disorder called psychosis, which impairs a person’s ability to assess external reality and exercise sound judgment. The illness causes impairment in the areas of emotion, perception, thought, and behavior in those affected, to the extent that it reduces their ability to function in daily life. The patient withdraws into himself and begins to live in a reality of his own,” he said.
THEY SAY THEY HEAR VOICES FROM NOWHERE!
Noting that the symptoms of schizophrenia are evaluated by dividing them into two categories, Ahmet Yosmaoğlu said, “Positive symptoms include characteristics that are not present in a healthy person but are found in the patient: hearing voices from nowhere, seeing nonexistent people and objects, suspecting those around him, and receiving messages from the television, for example. Negative symptoms, on the other hand, are characteristics that should be present in a healthy person but are eliminated by the disease process: social withdrawal, loss of willpower, decreased speech, and poor personal hygiene,” he said.
HIGHER RISK AMONG MEN
Assistant Professor Dr. Ahmet Yosmaoğlu noted that those born in winter or spring, city dwellers, and immigrants are at higher risk, adding “Children of older fathers, those exposed to infection in utero, children of mothers who experienced stress during pregnancy, those exposed to adverse life events and trauma, socially isolated individuals, alcohol/substance users, and those with a family history of schizophrenia are at higher risk. Additionally, being male increases the likelihood of early onset and severe course of schizophrenia,” he said.
SCHIZOPHRENIA IS A TREATABLE DISEASE
Noting that schizophrenia symptoms can be managed with medication and other biological treatments, Assistant Professor Dr. Ahmet Yosmaoğlu said, “Some patients regain functionality in areas such as work, family life, and social life. However, in some patients, despite all treatments, the disease progresses, and mental functions gradually deteriorate to the point where ‘thought ceases to exist.’ In such patients, medication is crucial for behavioral control,” he said.
AGGRESSION RATE IS LOW
Noting that schizophrenia also causes disruptions in the emotional system and that suicide is common among schizophrenia patients due to depressive mood, Yosmaoğlu said, “In some patients, fatal incidents may occur as a result of behaviors based on delusions—for example, a patient who believes he can fly jumping from a great height. “While there is a certain risk of aggression in paranoid patients who believe that people around them will harm them, when schizophrenia is considered as a whole, the rate of aggression is lower than that seen in the ‘normal’ population,” he said.
THOSE RECEIVING REGULAR TREATMENT CAN LIVE INDEPENDENTLY
Since schizophrenia is a disorder characterized by periods of remission and relapse, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yosmaoğlu noted that patients with schizophrenia may occasionally need help from their loved ones to manage their daily lives. “During relapse periods, the individual’s awareness of his mental illness may be diminished, he may refuse treatment. During these periods, daily activities will also be disrupted, and the patient will need support.
Schizophrenia patients who are receiving regular treatment and are not experiencing a relapse can manage their work and daily lives without assistance,” he said.
NOT JUST TREATMENT, BUT COMPASSION AND CARE ARE ALSO NEEDED
Noting that schizophrenia treatment involves antipsychotic medications, electroconvulsive therapy, and other biological treatments, as well as family therapy, individual therapy, and social work approaches, Assistant Professor Dr. Ahmet Yosmaoğlu said, “Placing emphasis solely on biological treatments while excluding the psychosocial approach reduces treatment success. “Because people with schizophrenia need interaction, attention, and compassion just as much as the rest of us do. Even patients who are most severely mentally impaired can perceive positive emotions quite well,” he said.
A BALANCED APPROACH IS NECESSARY
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Yosmaoğlu, advising families to first remember that the patient is an individual before being a person with schizophrenia, said, “Criticism related to the symptoms caused by the illness not only serves no purpose but also increases the patient’s stress level, thereby leading to more frequent relapses. An overly protective approach also hinders the patient’s ability to function. A balanced combination of protection, giving the patient space, and providing support from a distance helps patients maintain their well-being,” he advised.