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Melody Escamilla

Psychology

March 21, 2018

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that affects people usually between the ages 16 and

30. There are 3 different categories that these symptoms are categorized in, they are positive,

negative, and cognitive. People with positive symptoms in a way “lose touch with reality” and

they experience things like hallucinations. People with negative symptoms express their

emotions differently and may talk less. People with cognitive symptoms where with some

patients they may show less than on others. These symptoms include trouble paying attention,

and not being able to fully understand some things. Schizophrenia sometimes runs in families

although some people may develop it in their own. Some biological factors are problems during

birth, malnutrition during birth, and exposure to viruses. Some experts suggest that when the

brain goes through big changes such as puberty the changes could trigger psychotic symptoms in

some people because of genetics or brain differences.

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/schizophrenia/index.shtml An expereiment was

conducted where researchers tested to see what neighborhoods where more likely to have people

with schizophrenia living in them and they found out that some environmental factors that may

trigger this illness are increased deprivation, increased population density, and an increase in

inequality. An increase in deprivation talks about employment, income, crime, and education. An

increase in inequality talks about the gap between the rich and the poor.

https://psychcentral.com/news/2012/12/18/social-factors-influence-schizophrenia/49279.html A
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biological cause of schizophrenia is in the brain. When a brain from a “normal” person is

compared to one with schizophrenia you can see that a part of the brain called the hippocampus.

It appears smaller in those who have schizophrenia. The hippocampus is part of the limbic

system which processes emotions and memories. https://www.healthyplace.com/thought-

disorders/schizophrenia-causes/schizophrenia-causes-development-of-schizophrenia/

Alcoholism

Alcoholism is an addiction to drinking alcohol. People have the inability to control their

drinking because of a physical and emotional dependence on alcohol. Some social factors of

alcoholism are the people that surround you or are in your everyday life. Whether if it was your

parents or cousins or friends, if you continuously see someone drinking it would set an

“example” for you and you'd eventually drink and may become addicted. Trauma can also lead

to alcohol. Alcohol is often looked to as a “stress reliever” where you can let go of all the

problems you have for a short amount of time. People who have experienced abuse or any other

type of trauma often go to alcohol. https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/alcohol-abuse/social-

determinants-alcohol-abuse/#gref Some biological factors include that there are chemicals in

your brain that can make you more vulnerable to alcohol abuse. Scientists have shown that

alcohol dependence may be associated with up to 51 genes in various chromosome regions. If

these genes are passed down through generations, family members have a higher chance to

develop drinking problems. https://www.alcoholrehabguide.org/alcohol/causes/

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Bibliography

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/schizophrenia/index.shtml

https://psychcentral.com/news/2012/12/18/social-factors-influence-schizophrenia/49279.html

https://www.healthyplace.com/thought-disorders/schizophrenia-causes/schizophrenia-causes-

development-of-schizophrenia/

https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/alcohol-abuse/social-determinants-alcohol-

abuse/#gref

https://www.alcoholrehabguide.org/alcohol/causes/