Can racism cause schizophrenia? (death, Canada, vs, claim)

[The Dark Enlightenment]

This long Globe and Mail article informs us that, in Canada, the U.S. and many other countries, black people suffer more schizophrenia than others. The reasons for this are not well understood but, if you're a good person, you're hoping that it can all be blamed on white racism.

Can racism cause schizophrenia?
Decades of research has found that racialized citizens* are diagnosed with the disorder at far higher rates – and the single biggest risk factor is having darker skin than most of their neighbours
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That search led him to dig deeper into a curious, and alarming, pattern: In a number of Western countries, including Canada, migrants from Africa and the Caribbean – and their children – are more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia than either their native-born white peers or immigrants from other parts of the world. Study after study has pointed to one significant risk factor: skin colour.
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A 2014 U.S. study of 644 young, ethnic-minority adults, co-authored by CAMH’s Dr. Anglin, found the experience of racial discrimination was associated with more early, sub-clinical markers for psychosis even when researchers accounted for anxiety and depression.
Those threshold symptoms included altered perceptions, paranoia and suspicion

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/cana...schizophrenia/

So racism alters peoples' perceptions and makes them paranoid and suspicious? Or could it be that paranoid, suspicious people with altered perception see more racists than actually exist?

* "racialized citizen" is Canada-speak for "a non-white person"

[Ohiogirl81]

Any kind of trauma can trigger symptoms of mental illness if the tendency is there. There are many theories about why and when mental illness surfaces.

And yes, racism is now recognized as trauma.

[Clarallel]

One most basic principle of these situations is that correlation does not imply causation. So you can't necessarily claim that one causes the other.

I'm a little skeptical of terming it schizophrenia, though, which I think is considered a medical disease. I'm sure racism can cause ordinary suspicion and paranoia - but I don't know about schizophrenia.

[rjshae]

Stress can make schizophrenia and psychoses more likely to express, and racism (probably significantly) contributes to stress. So yes it likely can, at least in individuals who are prone to significant mental health issues.

[The Dark Enlightenment]

Clearly, the first three commenters are good people.

[PilgrimsProgress]

It's not native born blacks but migrants from Africa and the Caribbean = voodoo.

[ukrkoz]

Racism will not cause schizophrenia but schizophrenia surely may cause racism.

[elvis44102]

we know very little about the inner workings of the brain and possible effects of genes...always the nature vs nurture kicks in..
i read of a study that shows 25% of death row inmates have frontal lobe brain damage ..the part of the brain that restricts
our animal impulses...
Knowing these things is one thing and knowing how to fix them is another..
in this case it is known that a stressful childhood and going hungry affects this same region

[DrPibbs]

The pattern is that "migrants from Africa and the Caribbean are more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia than native born white peers". There is no mention of racism.

What comes to mind is the well known pattern that there's more mental illness in countries with bigger wealth gap. So it could be that. Or it could be genetics, as schizophrenia can be hereditary.

[The Dark Enlightenment]

Originally Posted by DrPibbs

There is no mention of racism

none that you would notice without reading the article.