Questions regarding schizophrenia?!
Question: I'd really like some info from people out there who are knowledgeable on this subject. My father, who I only knew when I was very little, and who passed away a couple of years back, was schizophrenic. I am a 26, almost 27 year old female, and I am scared I could inherit this illness from him. I don't know what the most recent research shows, honestly, on whether the disease is inherited, how long it takes to show up, and if it appears at different ages for women than men, etc. In addition my mother has very antisocial and anxiety ridden behaviors, and has a diagnosis of some sort as well, which she wil not share with anybody. I have a feeling maybe something like borderline personality disorder, based on her actions in the past. At the moment I am a healthy happy person-I am engaged and have a job I love-I have had some issues with anxiety in my life but that is all. But I live with this fear that down the road when I have children, etc, I'll begin to hallucinate or something. Ideas??
Answers: I'd really like some info from people out there who are knowledgeable on this subject. My father, who I only knew when I was very little, and who passed away a couple of years back, was schizophrenic. I am a 26, almost 27 year old female, and I am scared I could inherit this illness from him. I don't know what the most recent research shows, honestly, on whether the disease is inherited, how long it takes to show up, and if it appears at different ages for women than men, etc. In addition my mother has very antisocial and anxiety ridden behaviors, and has a diagnosis of some sort as well, which she wil not share with anybody. I have a feeling maybe something like borderline personality disorder, based on her actions in the past. At the moment I am a healthy happy person-I am engaged and have a job I love-I have had some issues with anxiety in my life but that is all. But I live with this fear that down the road when I have children, etc, I'll begin to hallucinate or something. Ideas??
if you had an identical (monozygotic) twin with schizophrenia, you would have an approximately 50% chance of developing schizophrenia (and 50% of not developing the illness). In your case, you have one parent with schizophrenia and studies show that the probability of developing schizophrenia is only 10 to 20%.
These data suggest that some non-genetic factors, i.e. lifestyle, may play a role, and if you try to avoid "inheriting" unhealthy habbits of your father, then you should be fine. For example, studies show that 75-90% of schizophrenic patients are smokers, and also they are more likely to consume an unhealthy diet compared to the general population.
The cut off for adult onset is usually mid 20's, so I wouldn't be that worried. Try lokoing it up on webmd.com
You definitely have a predisposition to it because of your genes. But it is how your environment and disposition is that will dictate whether you'll get it.
Too much stress or trauma can bring out the disorder in you. So you gotta make sure to have appropriate coping strategies to deal with negative stressors.
if your happy.. ENJOY IT, do NOT linger on something like this, schizophrenia is the RAREST disorder/disease! schizophrenia COULD form later in a brain, but you really have nothing to worry about. go to a doctor to have him confirm that you are fine.. even have an MRI taken if ur that worried to see if anything is developing or potentially upcoming.. good luck! enjoy your life!!!
mitch