Can Substance Abuse Cause Schizophrenia?Schizophrenia and substance abuse combined can lead to devastating consequences for those diagnosed with this disorder. The abuse of some substances has been linked to worsening episodes of schizophrenia. And sadly enough people with schizophrenia are highly likely to have a substance abuse disorder as well. The disease of schizophrenia is possibly the most serious of the mental disorders. The process of schizophrenia is: the person will suffer from problems with their thought processes. This will then lead to hallucinations, delusions, disordered thinking, and unusual speech and/or behavior. The symptoms of schizophrenia affect the ability to interact with others, and often people with this disorder withdraw from the outside world into the safety of their own space. A study was done thinking that schizophrenia could be caused by the abuse of drugs such as LSD, PCP, amphetamines and cocaine. These particular drugs exhibit the same behaviors as seen in patients with schizophrenia, so researchers thought that these drugs may be the cause of this debilitating disorder. While this particular study did not confirm this theory it was shown that those who have schizophrenia and substance abuse issues can have much worse schizophrenic episodes. It was also found that the use of stimulants and hallucinogens can start the process of a schizophrenic episode. Schizophrenia substance abuse is, more times than not, a form of self medication. People with schizophrenia often feel listless and have the feeling that it is difficult to maintain a thought process. The abuse of stimulants is most often present in people with schizophrenia due to the fact that stimulants release dopamine. Dopamine raises confidence levels, enhances speech and increases energy. Medications for schizophrenia can also 'slow' a person down so schizophrenia substance abuse may occur in order to counteract the effects of the medication prescribed to control the disorder. This can create a vicious cycle as stimulants can induce schizophrenic episodes. As well, the use of tobacco can reduce the effectiveness of prescribed medications for those with this disorder and schizophrenics that smoke need a higher dose of prescribed medication to compensate for this. Schizophrenia can not be cured and is a life-long illness. Most patients will need some form of treatment for the rest of their lives. Because the illness is not understood in the general public, people with schizophrenia often feel isolated and stigmatized, and are mistaken for drug addicts. Schizophrenia substance abuse lessens the chance that treatments will work properly and is therefore a concern. In order for people with this disorder to have a reasonable ability to function in society it is imperative that prescribed treatment is followed and that the abuse of substances is avoided. |