If one parent has schizophrenia, the children have a 10 percent chance of developing the condition

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/mental-pubs-w-whatschiz-toc~mental-pubs-w-whatschiz-cau

“It is well recognised that stressful incidents often precede the onset of schizophrenia. These may act as precipitating events in vulnerable people.”

“People with schizophrenia often become anxious, irritable and unable to concentrate before any acute symptoms are evident. This can cause problems with work or study and relationships to deteriorate. Often these factors are then blamed for the onset of the illness when, in fact, the illness itself has caused the stressful event. It is not, therefore, always clear whether stress is a cause or a result of schizophrenia.”

It almost seems if you are a schizophrenic parent you wouldn’t want your kids to experience anything stressful because they might be vulnerable to mental illness. The kids have to learn though one way or another. This is probably why I’d be a bad parent.

My mental illness probably caused me to deteriorate to where I couldn’t function. I always blame the meds, but it may be misguided.

1 Like

Part of the reason I don’t want kids

1 Like

10 percent is pretty high. One of the reasons I don’t want kids. Plus, I can barely take care of myself. Plus, I never had a girlfriend. I suspect Aspergers.

I’m poor and wouldn’t want to bring someone into this world without the best possible support. I think it is selfish to have kids just to have kids.

This illness has caused an unreasonable amount of pain for me.

Neither of my parents had schizophrenia and I got it. I only have one cousin with a severe mental illness and she has a very low IQ ( don’t want to say the R word).

3 Likes

Isn’t it like 50 percent if both parents have schizophrenia?!

1 Like

It might be 40% for both parents.

A part of me wants to have kids someday, but I’d want a “normal” girl to be the mother. The risk of a child getting schizophrenia, with two schizophrenic parents, is pretty high

1 Like

My mom has schizophrenia and my sister has schizoaffective bipolar type like me. I got my fallopian tubes removed because I don’t want to pass my illnesses onto my children. I plan to adopt instead.

2 Likes

The 10% is high, but you have to interpret it along with other information, like the very high incidence of childhood traumatic experiences in people with sz. The real risk of passing on sz would most likely be much lower if you provide a stable and nurturing environment for your kids.

2 Likes

I couldn’t handle kids. I am just not dependable and consistent enough

1 Like

A kid is a lot of work, I have a 10 month old. I hope he grows up healthy and with no MI. I wouldn’t trade him for the world

1 Like

One of my parents has schizophrenia.

1 Like

For those of you who decide to have kids don’t put your kid in a bubble. It is nearly impossible to prevent bad things from occurring and kids need socialization. You rolled the dice when you had them. Live with the result. There’s a high chance it won’t be terrible anyway.

3 Likes

I dont want my son to inherit this, that would be worse than having it myself.

2 Likes

This topic was automatically closed 95 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.