Among the many differences between schizophrenia and the common cold, one of them includes the fact that a cold will subside. Schizophrenia is not an ephemeral disease. It will not go away as time progresses. Rather, it is a disease that lasts a lifetime.

            Schizophrenia is special in that it is not acquired by physical contact, viruses, air pathways, or bacterial infections. Diagnosis of schizophrenia can occur at any age in all ethnicities and in both genders, with the majority of diagnoses occurring in the 16 to 30 year age range. Schizophrenia is rarely diagnosed in people over 45 years old and in young children. However, diagnosing schizophrenia in teenagers is more challenging than in other age groups. This is due to common teenage behavior, such as poor grades, mood swings, and choices in companions, being dismissed as normal teenage behavior instead of schizophrenia. (“What is Schizophrenia”).

             One of the highest risk factors of schizophrenia is linked to a family history of the disease. From research, it is well understood that there is a high correlation between family history and schizophrenia. Those highest at risk for schizophrenia are identical twins having a 48 percent likelihood. First degree family members have the second highest chance, ranging from 6 to 17 percent likelihood. The more distant a relative is, the less likely a person related to him will be at risk for schizophrenia. This is due to the shared genes between the two individuals decreases as distance from a relative increases (“Genetics of Schizophrenia”).

            In conjunction with genetics, the environment one lives in can trigger schizophrenia. Studies have shown that stress effects children and adolescents more severely than their adult counterparts. These levels of stress that one grows up in can have long lasting impacts which can lead to a higher risk of acquiring schizophrenia. Another environmental factor that can significantly increase the risk for schizophrenia by 30 percent is the use of common street drugs like LSD, methamphetamines, and cannabis (“Schizophrenia.com – Marijuana Cannabis and Schizophrenia,”). This significant risk factor is a great reason to tell kids not to engage in drugs.

           It is important to note that acquiring schizophrenia is not solely based on genetics or environmental factors. However, an equally important fact to remember that no matter how many precautions, daily ritualistic behavior, or actions one takes, there is always a possibility to be a schizophrenic.

References:

Heredity and the Genetics of Schizophrenia . (n.d) retrieved March 18 2014, from schizophrenia Web Site: http://www.schizophrenia.com/research/hereditygen.htm

Cannabis / Marijuana (and other street drugs) Have Been Linked to Significant Increases in a Person’s Risk for Schizophrenia . (n.d) retrieved March 18 2014, from schizophrenia Web Site: http://www.schizophrenia.com/prevention/cannabis.marijuana.schizophrenia.html

What is Schizophrenia?. (n.d) retrieved March 18 2014, from National institute of mental health Web Site: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/schizophrenia/index.shtml?utm_source=wordtwit&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=wordtwit#pub3