SZ: Biologically-Based and Socially-Constructed

Unusual Beliefs
1

Hi all,

Does anyone else believe that SZ is both of biological origin and rooted in social constructs?

Basically, SZ occurs organically within the brain, but positive symptoms (such as delusions and hallucinations) have a lot to do with the society in which we are raised.

For example, someone suffering from the Truman Show delusion would have to have had previous knowledge of cameras, television, etc.-- a person living deep in the Amazon rainforest with SZ would not share the same delusion, as they have no concept of the modern entertainment industry, television, cameras, etc.

What do you think?

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It makes sense to me.

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3

From my experience its purely biological.

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4

The biopsychosocial model is popular in explaining sz.

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5

So what about the subject matter of your hallucinations and delusions (if any)?

Do you believe they were just randomly generated by your brain, or do you think there’s some basis to them-- given your upbringing, culture, and societal surroundings?

6

Hallucinations and delusions themes like religion are present in normal people. Its just my brain misinterpreting that info. Why would religion trigger me but not trigger normal ppl?

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My psychiatrist says that hallucinations are rooted in an individual their fears.

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And religion didn’t trigger me before sz.

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9

Imma have to disagree.

There’s a difference between attending religious services and believing in a higher power versus actually thinking you are that higher power and acting in accordance to those beliefs.

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Right-- not saying religion was the catalyst for SZ: SZ is a biological process.

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11

Exactly, my sick brain causes me to believe this. Before sz I was a deacon and believed in Jesus. After sz I believed that I was Jesus. My old self would say this is blasphemy.

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12

There’s definitely a cultural dimension. 50 years ago voices might say you’ll get syfilis. Now they could say you might get HIV.

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13

Right. Guaranteed that no one with SZ in the 1800’s was thinking they would be followed by cameras or a government agency, as those didn’t exist yet.

I think paranoia and delusions shift with the times.

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14

Yea I agree, the themes of hallucinations and delusions can change with time.

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15

Delusions and arguably hallucinations are violations of social norms. Causality can clearly be just as biological as cognition that does not violate such norms. These are different modes of explanation that do not exclude each other.

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16

Modern schizophrenic delusions reflect the current technology and environment. I remember reading something that compared delusions from the old days before the onset of modern sci-fi fiction for example.

Back in the 1900s the delusions were based on ghosts and spirits, 1950s onwards more CIA based etc.

Schizophrenia remains the same but the context alters the delusion. The person is still delusional though as a trait, rather than being sz from social constructs per se. The sz reflects the environment.

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Thanks, that was pretty much what I was trying to convey :slightly_smiling_face:

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18

Can you give an example?

I can only think that the act of being delusional and hallucinating is the inherent violation itself.

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Delusions violate norms of sensible or rational belief and justification. Hallucinations violate the norms that constitute veridical perception.

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20

I honestly don’t care. At some point it stops mattering exactly why you got run over by a car, you just have to get on with living your best life within the new limitations resulting from a life-altering episode.

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