"Columns.

" ON MENTAL ILLNESS: People with Schizophrenia Lack Impulse Control, and How to
Deal with This. Category: From The Berkeley Daily Planet. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2016.

Scientist believe that schizophrenia could be caused by an abnormal brain structure.

About a third of people affected by schizophrenia have enlarged ventricles or empty places in
their brain. Though others with this mental illness have brains much like a normal brain and are
able to achieve brilliance, in these cases smaller parts of the brain that allow for mental
equilibrium are smaller and less developed. Because of these theories it is obvious that people
battling with schizophrenia grapple with a lack of impulse control.

"Articles." Alternative Mental Health. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 May 2016.

There are many potential causes of Schizophrenia such as Heavy metal toxicity, Sleep
deprivation, Folic acid/B12 deficiency, Homocysteinuria, Hypothyroidism, Porphyria, Pellagra,
and Dementia paralytica. Metal toxicity can be caused by metals such as mercury, lead, and
arsenic. Large amounts of contact with these can lead to schizophrenia. Hallucinations that are
connected with this mental illness can be caused by sleep deprivation. A Folic acid/B12 is needed
to form protein and hemoglobin, and a deficiency can cause pernicious anemia which is defined
as the gradual reduction of red blood cells. Homocysteinuria is a metabolic disorder that is
caused by excess amounts of homocysteine blood stream and urine. This can lead to
schizophrenia as well. Hypothyroidism is an insufficient production of the thyroid gland, which
in turn slows the metabolism. It leads to terrifying dreams and hallucinations associated with
schizophrenia. Porphyria is an inherited disease that prevents the synthesis of heme, which is
essentially what brings oxygen to the blood. Pellagra is a disease caused by the lack of vitamin
B3 which can be caused by a lack of protein in ones diet and can lead to mental disturbances.
Dementia paralytica is a form of syphilis and leads to increased behavioral deterioration. There is
also a link between schizophrenia and drug use.

"Antipsychotics." Antipsychotic Medication. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 May 2016.

Antipsychotics can be used to help Schizophrenia by altering the amount of
neurotransmitters in the brain. Such chemicals are dopamine, (which is the primary
neurotransmitter that is targeted by these drugs) serotonin, noradrenaline and acetylcholine. If
dopamine becomes too overactive it can cause hallucinations, delusion and thought disorder.
Antipsychotics can also help with the control of muscles, hearing voices, extreme mood swings
and even depression. Mental equilibrium can be achieved through these drugs, though typically
symptoms will never completely disappear. Other things to help with schizophrenia are getting a
proper amount of sleep, cutting out drugs and alcohol, and keeping a healthy well balanced diet.