What causes schizophrenia?

The following factors and events can cause you to develop schizophrenia:

Genetics. Schizophrenia can be passed down through your family. If you have a family history of schizophrenia, you may be more prone to the condition. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll get it.

Complications when giving birth. When complications happen during or before childbirth, the child may be more likely to get schizophrenia later in life. If you have schizophrenia, there may have been complications with your birth.

Problems with brain development. If your brain didn’t develop as it was supposed to, it may lead you to develop schizophrenia without any other mental health condition. In this case, schizophrenia is linked to issues that occurred when your brain was developing. People with schizophrenia have slight differences in their brain structure.

Brain neurotransmitter abnormalities. Neurotransmitters are chemicals in your brain that allow your brain cells to communicate with each other. Examples of neurotransmitters are serotonin and dopamine. You can develop schizophrenia if your body’s sensitivity to these chemicals changes.

Stressful, life-changing events. While stress is not a direct cause of schizophrenia, it can trigger an episode of schizophrenia in an already vulnerable person. Some stressful events that may trigger schizophrenia are the loss of a loved one, job, or home. Sexual, emotional, or physical abuse could lead to schizophrenia as well.

Drug or substance abuse. Drug abuse and misuse don’t cause schizophrenia directly. However, they can trigger episodes in an already vulnerable individual. Examples of drugs that may trigger symptoms of schizophrenia include cocaine, amphetamines, and cannabis.

If you regularly used cannabis in your teen years, you’re more likely to get schizophrenia in your adult years. Cocaine and amphetamines are known causes of psychotic episodes. They can also cause relapses in people recovering from a previous psychotic episode.