These Are the Potential Causes of Schizophrenia

Get access to hundreds of LIVE workshops with the MedCircle psychologists & psychiatrists: watch.medcircle.com
Schizophrenia is misunderstood by most. In fact, the causes of schizophrenia are a little more complex than most people realize. There are many causes at play, and the better you understand them, the better equipped you are to help a loved one who may be diagnosed with the disorder.
In this video, double board-certified psychiatrist Dr. Dom Sportelli and MedCircle Host Kyle Kittleson answer...
What is schizophrenia, from the in-depth perspective of a psychiatrist?
What do people get wrong about schizophrenia?
What's the #1 thing people need to remember about schizophrenia?
What are the causes of schizophrenia, based on actual research?
What are the causes of a schizophrenia episode?
And much more.
#Schizophrenia #Mental Health #MedCircle​
*MedCircle is not a referral service and does not recommend, endorse, discourage, screen, or approve any providers, medical procedures, products, or services; nor does MedCircle provide medical advice of any kind. This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your healthcare provider. You must talk with your healthcare provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. Only your healthcare provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you.

[@MedCircle]

This was just one video from the MedCircle all-day Mental Health Summit.

[@pisterella]

It is way more than 1% of the population. Trust me.

[@Thinkoutsidedabox1]

This needs more attention. The stigma of schizophrenia is terrible. If I knew about this information I could of helped my younger brother better. He took his life 3 years ago and I have never been the same.

[@mrs.doubtfire9335]

I was diagnosed schizoaffective this year. Trying my best to understand myself

[@justcallmesuzzie]

I want to thank you for this series. I grew up with an older brother who suffered from this condition. Neither of my parents had this, no environmental issues, no drug use. We did look back to see where it might have come from as the doctors worked with my brother and my mother's brother was "an odd" man who spent his time alone, never got married or dated, lived a full life and had a career, and later in his life he became a hermit with very instilled routines. Once the doctors heard his symptoms, it was believed he developed the beginnings of the condition but never full blown Schizophrenia. My uncle never went into the doctor to be evaluated because he had a fear of doctors and the family did not want to push him and maybe cause further damage mentally. The only "trigger" for my brother we could come up with was his engagement to his girl friend. We think he realized that he was going to be responsible for his wife and potential children which scared him into going deeper into his head space triggering the "voices" he started to hear only a month or two after he was engaged. As an adult, I managed my brother's care with doctors and halfway homes or apartments and he lived a full life as long as he was on his medications. I remember fighting for his right to go to college and study the field of his choice. The college did not want to admit him into nursing school because of his diagnosis. Once I confronted them with the knowledge that it was illegal for them to deny him the right to his education they admitted him into nursing school. He went on to nursing school and graduated at the top of his class but was never allowed to practice because of his condition. He did tutor other nursing students for several years helping them get their nursing license because of his extreme knowledge in the field (He was the only "graduate" to ace all the exit exams with 100% on ALL exams in the history of the program.) It was difficult explaining to him why he would never be able to practice as a nurse. He had a tendency to stop taking his medications periodically and that was the reason he would never be able to practice nursing. Yes, he had his moments but 90% of the time he was an amazing brother. When I got phone calls from him, I could always tell when he had stopped taking his medications within the first 3 minutes of our phone conversations. Once off the phone with him and I knew he was off his medications, I would call his care team and ask them to head to his apartment for a wellness check and get him back on his medications. His care team were so good at convincing him to take his medications. He only ended up in the hospital 3-4 times in his entire life. I have to admit I was really tough on him when he decided to get off his medications by giving him 2 choices. Either you take the medications or you go to the hospital. He hated the hospital so he chose to take them on his own most of the time.

[@trolloftheyear7963]

I know a very talented painter who smoked pot, then took some LSD. 10 years later he is still hearing voices. You never know what drugs can do to you.

[@39zhanna]

That’s what happened to my son at age 18 when he started college , he was so smart and so talented in sports, music, art, very intellectual. At age 18 he started to have all symptoms of schizophrenia , doctors put him on medication to control his psychosis symptoms . Now he is 29, no more psychosis or voices since he started medication but he is not the same person as he was before 18, he is like a child with very low functioning . He still has little paranoia. Able to go to work 5 days a week at the Peter Piper Pizza for a last 7 years.

[@sourcherri3750]

I randomly developed schizophrenia one day when I was 25. I don't even drink or do any drugs whatsoever. I started showing symptoms when I got in a relationship and I was highly stressed out.

[@beejoy6153]

Excellent explanation. My brother had this awful disease and died at the age of 49 in 2019 while living homeless. I tried to help him but was unsuccessful. What the Doctor said is factual and my brother was unfortunately exposed to all of the causes. We had an extremely abusive upbringing and my brother took the brunt of our fathers abuse. He was exposed to drugs and alcohol at an early age and used until the day he died. He also had head trauma and I believe that the gene runs in our family. He was such a beautiful soul, despite this terrible disease. He was taken too soon and suffered unjustly. Thank you for the video and I subscribed and liked.

[@Loyal.Laika.Dog13]

My best most beloved friend struggles with Schitzophrenia & Bipolar Disorder and he is a genius.

[@normasarsby1350]

Thank you for producing this website. My son was diagnosed with this condition over 25 years ago. At the time the doctors blamed his upbringing. I never used drugs or drinker alcohol. I tried to tell them that this was proliferate in the male side of my family but they dismissed it. My son lives a full life. At the i e of my sons’ emerging symptoms the doctors refuse to give him a diagnosis because they thought it would create stigma. However, it meant that he went years without the right treatment. I changed doctor and found someone who really cared. That was the turning point for my son’s care.

[@juanitaross5492]

My nephew has been living with schizophrenia for 40 years. He came down with it at 18 while in college.

[@TheNomad2727]

My best friend in my high school days is schizophrenic and he is pretty much a text book example of what they said in this video... his mother suffered from something (im unsure from what exactly) then from his mid teens he started smoking Pot, his brain would not have been fully develpoed at that age and then when being 20, he started showing signs of something being wrong. Not long after his 21st birthday he had some sort of breakdown and was diagnosed with schitoprenia. The scary thing is, I started hearing voices from smoking pot around the age of 17 the last few times

[@christinemurphy4367]

I REALLY appreciate the professionalism and compassion even more that you both have around this topic. It’s sad and scary to experience these things and symptoms in life regardless of the age or cause. It’s terrifying and very upsetting both to the individual and family, but the ignorance, mocking, insulting and belittling is truly sad and worsens the condition of the patient.

[@janetlieb2507]

I went through the nightmare of becoming ill in college. My grandfather had this and was hospitalized several times. I experienced abuse from both parents.

[@BeanDar]

I wonder if the people who have schizophrenia are more likely to try drugs, and weed because they are trying to cope or are not thinking clearly.

[@rochelledunk5163]

They didn't discuss alcohol much. Being from an area where alcohol is used heavily, I know of numerous people who drink a lot everyday. Some of them seem to be damaged emotionally and mentally. I wish alcohol had been more of the discussion.

[@jacquelinejohnson2956]

I got schizophrenia at 21 yrs. Old. It was in 1986 that i was having severe symptoms. It is 2023 and through working with psychiatrists and counselors they put together the blessed cocktail to make me better. There is defianetly hope:)

[@macpduff2119]

God thank you for protecting me. My mother was a life time institutionalized patient with Schitzophrenia. When in College i foolishly experimented with many drugs during the 1960's.

[@carilynjurgeson6178]

My mother has paranoid schizophrenia and now dementia. She was severely abused as a child. Her mother who was an alcoholic tried to abort her unsuccessfully, then told her as a child that she wasn't wanted. She was tortured and constantly in and out of orphanages. They didn't have much to eat and would ask the butcher for bones for the dog, but it was to make soup. My older brother is also mentally ill. Thankfully me and my younger brother are not mentally ill, but being raised by a schizophrenic mother and a father who was not home much had some negative effects. It was like we were kids trying to take care of ourselves. Now my mom is bedridden and I care for her 24/7. Some of the psych meds cause permanent damage and they don't work forever. Do your research.