Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder denoting an often chronic, major mental illness primarily affecting thinking, with attendant difficulties in perception of reality, which in turn can affect behavior and emotion. The term schizophrenia comes from the Greek words σχίζω (schizo, split or divide) and φρενός (phrenos, mind) and can be translated as "shattered mind."

Schizophrenia and drug use

Schizophrenia can sometimes be triggered by heavy use of stimulant or hallucinogenic drugs, although some claim that a predisposition towards developing schizophrenia is needed for this to occur. There is also some evidence suggesting that people suffering schizophrenia but responding to treatment can have relapse as a result of subsequent drug use.

Related Topics:
Stimulant - Hallucinogenic

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Drugs such as methamphetamine, ketamine, PCP and LSD have been used to mimic schizophrenia for research purposes, although this has now fallen out of favor with the scientific research community, as the differences between the drug induced states and the typical presentation of schizophrenia have become clear.

Related Topics:
Methamphetamine - Ketamine - PCP - LSD - Scientific research community

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Hallucinogenic drugs were also briefly tested as possible treatments for schizophrenia by psychiatrists such as Humphry Osmond and Abram Hoffer in the 1950s. Ironically, it was mainly for this experimental treatment of schizophrenia that LSD administration was legal, briefly before its use as a recreational drug led to its criminalization.

Related Topics:
Humphry Osmond - Abram Hoffer - 1950s - Recreational drug

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There is increasing evidence that cannabis use can be a contributing trigger to developing schizophrenia. Some studies suggest that cannabis is neither a sufficient nor necessary factor in developing schizophrenia, but that cannabis may significantly increase the risk of developing schizophrenia and may be, among others, a significant causal factor{{Fn|31}}. Some previous research in this area has been questioned, however, as it has often not been clear whether cannabis is playing a role as a cause, or whether schizophrenia may cause cannabis use, or both phenomena might share a common cause. A recent review of studies from which a causal contribution to schizophrenia can be assessed, has suggested that cannabis doubles the risk of developing schizophrenia on the individual level, and may be responsible for up to 8% of cases in the population{{Fn|55}}.

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It has been noted that the majority of people with schizophrenia (estimated between 75% and 90%) smoke tobacco. However, people diagnosed with schizophrenia have a much lower than average chance of getting and dying from lung cancer. While the reason for this is unknown, it may be because of a genetic resistance to the cancer, a side-effect of drugs being taken, or a statistical effect of increased likelihood of dying from causes other than lung cancer{{Fn|22}}. Studies have shown that people with schizophrenia live on average between 15-20 years less than people without mental illness, and evidence has shown that few people with Schizophrenia have lived beyond their 60's.

Related Topics:
Tobacco - Lung cancer

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It is argued that the increased level of smoking in schizophrenia may be due to a desire to self-medicate with nicotine. A recent study of over 50,000 Swedish conscripts found that there was a small but significant protective effect of smoking cigarettes on the risk of developing schizophrenia later in life.{{Fn|28}} Whilst the authors of the study stressed that the risks of smoking far outweigh these minor benefits, this study provides further evidence for the 'self-medication' theory of smoking in schizophrenia and may give clues as to how schizophrenia might develop at the molecular level. Furthermore, many people with schizophrenia have smoked tobacco products long before they are diagnosed with the illness, and some groups advocate that the chemicals in tobacco have actually contributed to the onset of the illness and have no benefit of any kind.

Related Topics:
Nicotine - Swedish - Significant

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