Schizophrenia and Alcohol Abuse

The following factors for comorbid alcohol use disorder in schizophrenia:

• low educational achievement
• violent offending
• a family history of alcohol use disorder

Other factors that might also be risk factors for development of alcohol use disorders in schizophrenia:

• The obvious relationship between alcohol use and schizophrenia is that patients consume alcohol to relieve the positive symptoms of schizophrenia or to combat the side effects of the medication.
• Dysphoria and insomnia, as in the non-schizophrenia people, can also lead to increased alcohol consumption.
• Factors related to the illness itself such as unemployment, loneliness and poor self esteem, can also be risk factors.

Causes of Schizophrenia

It's not known what causes schizophrenia, but researchers believe that a combination of genetics and environment contributes to development of the disorder.

Problems with certain naturally occurring brain chemicals, including neurotransmitters called dopamine and glutamate, also may contribute to schizophrenia. Neuroimaging studies show differences in the brain structure and central nervous system of people with schizophrenia. While researchers aren't certain about the significance of these changes, they support evidence that schizophrenia is a brain disease.

List of Famous People with Schizophrenia

• Lionel Aldridge
• Parveen Babi
• Syd Barrett
• Buddy Bolden
• Clara Bow
• Camille Claudel
• Philip K. Dick
• Eduard Einstein
• Will Elliot
• Roky Erickson
• Zelda Fitzgerald
• Vincent van Gogh
• Andy Goram
• Jim Gordon
• Peter Green
• Darrell Hammond
• Tom Harrell
• John Hinckley Jr.
• Adele Hugo
• Daniel Johnston
• Veronica Lake
• Ash Lieb
• Mary Todd Lincoln
• Rufus May
• Joe Meek
• William Chester Minor
• Bob Mosley
• John Nash
• Vaslav Nijinsky
• John Ogdon
• Jeremy Oxley
• Katherine Routledge
• Elyn Saks
• Alexander "Skip" Spence
• Gene Tierney
• Louis Wain
• Wesley Willis
• Brian Wilson

Types of Schizophrenia - A day in the life of (Scary)

Latuda vs Zyprexa

For a while I was on Zyprexa. With Zyprexa and when you are a woman that worries about her weight like I do I went to the extreme to loose weight but I don't recommend anyone else to do this. What I did was exercise for at least 3 or more hours a day and sometimes I would not take my Zyprexa because of the chance of gaining weight. But so that I would take my medicine for Schizophrenia they decided to switch me to Latuda. Now I will say that Latuda doesn't minimize hallucinations such as auditory hallucinations as much as Zyprexa did but I will say that I am still able to function no matter what. With Latuda I do not gain weight as easily like I did with Zyprexa. Now I feel good about taking my medication so that I can stay out of the hospital.

Talking about my schizophrenia

Four Patients with Schizophrenia

How To Cope With Schizophrenia

• Admit you have a mental illness.
• Seek help when needed.
• Take medication as directed.
• Go to mental health support groups.

Now I will say that even if you have Schizophrenia you can still accomplish a lot of things in life. I was once told that even if you have Schizophrenia you can still have a job or be a parent or husband/wife. So that you can have those things and maintain those things you must seek help when needed so that your mental health counselor can help you with the problem you are having. If you are planning on having a family make sure you discuss it with your Psychiatrist.

I used to feel like having Schizophrenia meant my life was over. But the things I have been through actually gives me a chance to encourage other who have that same problem. I know sometimes that when you have a mental illness like Schizophrenia means that sometimes people think you are delusional or even making up things, but that is not true in every case. I can tell you that I have been through that stage where no one believed me, but now my life is no longer like that. I have improved a lot from the way I was. I am still trying to be the best I can be no matter what. Actually I have always been the one with the high ambitions.

Now there are medications out there that can really help you. I wouldn't say that they can cure Schizophrenia but they can help get you to the point where you can function in this society. Medications that I know of that can be prescribed for Schizophrenia is Zyprexa, Latuda, Geodon, Abilify and there might be a few more that I am not exactly familiar with.

Now mental health support groups really come in handy for those who are frustrated about having a mental illness. Your peers in your support group can really make you feel good about yourself and you might discover ways you can motivate each other.