Long term research has proved that there is a direct link between schizophrenia and drug abuse. People suffering from schizophrenia are more prone to develop substance abuse as compared to healthy persons. Some people also emphasize upon the relation between schizophrenia and violent behavior exhibited by patient towards people present in his surrounding. But is there a link between schizophrenia and abusive and violent behavior or is it only a myth developed about this strange mental illness.   

Schizophrenia and Substance Abuse

If a person is not diagnosed for having schizophrenia and he is also involved in some kind of drug addiction then this abusive behavior is taken as normal case of drug abuse not as a symptom of schizophrenia. Such patients are often found to be addicted by specific drug particularly marijuana which is mostly found in substance abuse tendency of schizophrenics.      

Nicotine comes next in the list of those drugs schizophrenics wants to be addicted to reduce their tense physical and mental state. Research has proved that a schizophrenic is three times more likely to develop severe tendency towards smoking as compared to general population. Researchers are also trying to find out the presence of physiological need for extreme smoking in most of the persons suffering from schizophrenia.          

Though such abusive behavior can lessen the effect of antipsychotic drugs but this substance abuse cannot be stopped by force because it can reverse the symptoms of illness with more severity. Therefore proper replacement strategy is applied rather than quitting smoking at once. The affect of antipsychotic drugs is also an important factor in deciding that such abuse should be continued for sometime or should be stopped as soon as possible.    

Schizophrenia and Violence

According to some people schizophrenics show more violent behavior than other persons but it is not a complete truth. Though hallucinations and delusions make them violent at specific moments but violence can not be attributed to schizophrenia only. There could be some other disturbing issues behind violent behavior of a person suffering from mental problem.    

In case a schizophrenic becomes violent due to severe feeling of fear or anxiety then he attempts to kill himself rather than harming other persons. In such condition family members can play important role to prevent such tragic moment and can safe his life along with protecting themselves as well because sometimes such violent schizophrenics can become dangerous to people around them. Though such mental condition is hard to predict but if you find someone talking about suicide then take it serious and try to find out the actual cause behind such negative way of thinking. It will help to trace out schizophrenics living around you in a miserable condition of life with no proper diagnosis and treatment at all.

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