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A study carried out by The University of Western Australia has provided compelling evidence that congenital/early cortical blindness – that is when people are blind from birth or shortly after—is protective against schizophrenia.
The unusual discovery has fascinated scientists and may lead to a better understanding of what causes schizophrenia – a question that has baffled scientists for decades.
Schizophrenia is characterised by symptoms such as losing touch with reality, hearing voices and having visual hallucinations. However, despite numerous bodies of research, the exact cause still remains a mystery.
Lead author Professor Vera Morgan from the UWA Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Research Unit in the Schools of Population and Global Health and Medicine said they also found no one with congenital or early cortical blindness had developed any other psychotic illnesses.
Can being born blind protect people from schizophrenia?
British Psychological Society Digest Report
[Abstract]: Blindness, Psychosis, and the Visual Construction of the World
[Source]: The University of Western Australia
I didn't know about this nor did I make such a connection. Has anyone here observed this connection, that blindness prevents schizophrenia ??
(Score: 2) by All Your Lawn Are Belong To Us on Friday October 25 2019, @09:02PM
Which would be fine if mental health issues were purely developed from behavior. Some may be, as talk therapy helps many. But it is also known as fact that many conditions arise out of imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain. Or at least, when the right neurotransmitter is found by trial-and-error there are patients who make good recoveries. If they are medication-compliant. This article [psychologytoday.com] suggests that this aspect - medication compliance - may be what caused 1970's and 1980's disparities between better recovery rates. (i.e. third world countries may be able to compel medication compliance instead of the United States cycle of 'put them on it, they get better, they get released, they stop taking the meds, they come back in again.') Although Psychology Today is a popular source, the argument sounds interesting.
And a lot of people develop schizophrenia in 3rd world countries. Interestingly, these numbers suggest [wikipedia.org] that the United States ranks 181st in terms of disability-adjusted life years. There is a lot of debate concerning actual prevalence rates. Not for the least that in many countries admitting to a mental illness means one is immediately stigmatized. If you lived in a country where acknowledging your problems (like being schizophrenic) would mean a lifetime of commital to an insane asylum (if not just being shot) you might not want to admit you have problems either.
At any rate, I'd have to say that your theory that mental disability develops because of lack of challenges is flatly wrong, unless you have proof otherwise. Until then, I'll just chalk up your thoughts to that same stigmatism that keeps people quiet about the subject instead of getting needed treatment.
This sig for rent.