Chances of developing schizophrenia are about 1%. Risks are even higher if someone in the family has or had the disease since the illness tends to run in the family. Studies have shown that risks vary considerably depending on who in the family has it. There is no difference between the risks men or women are facing when dealing with the danger of getting the disease.

Although the big majority of people developing the illness has passed a certain age ( 20 or even older), very rare cases have been seen where children as young as 5 years old have been diagnosed with the disease. Symptoms didn't usually appear until adulthood but as said earlier they have been present and found in children.

If at any time a person thinks that symptoms similar to those of schizophrenia are appearing in his or her behavior, getting and consulting a doctor would be a very wise and good decision. Detecting the disease very early in its developing is very important, this way the treatment having the biggest chances of having a good result.

Risks in people with the disease that would want to have a family, and of course children, will always be there, but this doesn't really mean that one shouldn't try. If the need to do so is really big there are some facts that should be considered. Problems like nursing and providing for the child or children, containing the symptoms and outbreaks of the disease, the children being born with the disease and even the possible help that your partner could give are always there and should be taken in consideration.

It is very important for people with schizophrenia to fell cherished, loved and appreciated as a normal person will be in the day to day life. They are very much normal people, like us, sometimes with very high IQ's actually, and unless the symptoms show a higher chance of acting up, the person is just as normal in behavior as us. The right and best thing to do as a friend, would be to understand as much as you could possibly do and also try to educate other in order to have a better response and attitude towards people suffering from this terrible illness. Being supportive and understanding the experiences that patient go through means a lot to them.

Although some symptoms may be similar to those of someone who is on drugs, schizophrenia can't be caused by taking street drugs like cocaine or other hallucinogenic drugs.

A higher risk of developing the disease is in the case of heavy drinkers. People on medication should be particularly careful when mixing them with alcohol. Effects can be very wide and dangerous.