Complete 4 page APA formatted essay: Psychotic illness-schizophrenia.Download file to see previous pages... It has been estimated that about 1 to 1.5% of the population in most countries suffer from s

Complete 4 page APA formatted essay: Psychotic illness-schizophrenia.

It has been estimated that about 1 to 1.5% of the population in most countries suffer from schizophrenia. According to reports schizophrenia affects nearly 51 million people worldwide (Schizophrenia facts and statistics). This paper explains the major causative factors, symptoms, treatments offered and how to generally cope with the condition. Occurrence and major causative factors of Schizophrenia The age of the first onset for schizophrenia has been estimated to be 15 to 25 with men slightly at a higher risk than women (McGorry 319. Department of Health and Ageing. Mental Health Association NSW Inc). However reports also claim that schizophrenia affects both men and women equally. It can occur as few brief episodes or as a recurrent health condition. The onset may be rapid with the symptoms appearing progressively (Department of Health and Ageing). Both genetic and environmental factors such as stress and substance abuse have been recognised as causative risk factors. Research indicates an alteration in the brain that includes structurally enlarged lateral and third ventricles, decreased cortical volume and decreased volume of the temporal lobes and thalamus are some of the changes which lead to altered cognitive development and behaviour much earlier than the onset of the symptoms. Genetically multiple genes has been considered to increase susceptibility to the disorder. If one parent has the condition the children have a 10-15 percent chance of inheriting the disorder. In case of siblings the chance is 8-10 % and in case of identical twins it is about 50% (McGorry 318-319. Department of Health and Ageing. Mental Health Association NSW Inc). The risk of developing schizophrenia genetically is graphically represented below Source: Schizophrenia Facts and Statistics. 5 Nov. 2008. http://www.schizophrenia.com/szfacts.htm Hypoxia, ischaemia and prenatal infections during pregnancy and birth or in seasons such as spring and winter increase the risk of schizophrenia. Stimulants such as cannabis, nicotine, amphetamines and cocaine increase the risk and so does stress during adolescence and early adulthood (McGorry 315). An imbalance in neurotransmitters like dopamine is likely to predispose a person to the illness and so does the use of alcohol (Department of Health and Ageing. Mental Health Association NSW Inc). A combination of two or more of the above factors increases the risk of developing the disorder. Schizophrenia statistics in the United States Statistics indicates that at a given time approximately 51 million people worldwide suffer from schizophrenia. In the U.S alone it is estimated to be over 2.2 million people. The estimate when expressed as the number of individuals affected per 1000 of the total population, it is about 7.2 per 1000 in the U.S (Schizophrenia facts and statistics). Major symptoms The onset of symptoms occurs much earlier some of which may include depression, withdrawal and reduced speech, and the mode of onset differs from one person to another. However, treatment is started only when the acute symptoms sets in (McGorry 319). The symptoms have been discussed in detail by McGorry 316-318. Schizophrenic symptoms can be divided into two type’s namely positive and negative symptoms.