Correlation Between Substance Abuse and Early Onset Schizophrenia
There are many different forms of schizophrenia and different symptoms that one may experience with the disorder they have. Symptoms of schizophrenia are generally first identified in teenage years; these symptoms may be sensory, cognitive, behavioral, or emotional. The roots of schizophrenia are unknown but many theories suggest that it is related to brain chemistry and structure. Specifically, neurotransmitters that allow connections between the brain and vital organs seem to be different, dopamine levels seem to be higher in those with schizophrenia, and tests have also shown that there are often structural differences in frontal lobes between those who have schizophrenia and those who don’t (American Addiction Centers).
More research and tests show that up to 60% of schizophrenic patients have reported substance abuse, whether that is drugs or alcohol (Häfner, Hambrecht). Based on their molecular chemistry, many substances may be used to cope with schizophrenia. Specifically, cocaine, metaphetamine, and amphetamine can make the minds of schizophrenic patients feel more focused, sustaining their higher energy phases in their disorder. Additionally, alcohol and marijuana, both central nervous system depressants, can calm overactive minds (American Addiction Centers). Although we are aware of how substance abuse disorders and schizophrenia can both affect patients, more research is being done to explore the correlation between the two.
The first thesis being studied is the “reward deficiency hypothesis” which states that both disorders share overlapping neural circuits and the reward circuits in patients who have schizophrenia may be dysfunctional causing these patients to be more susceptible to substance abuse disorders. Additionally, there is the diathesis-stress model which explains the correlation between substance abuse and schizophrenia is that those with substance abuse disorders may be neurobiologically vulnerable to them and this interaction between neurobiological vulnerability interacts with environmental stressors to cause schizophrenia. One final hypothesis that is being tested is the cumulative risk factor hypothesis which states that individuals with schizophrenia experience poor functioning symptoms which causes them to be more prone to using substances and developing substance abuse disorders.
By Devangi Rathi