We have been talking about getting married and having children. I'm concerned about the chances that we could have a child who would develop schizophrenia.
Psychosis means a loss of touch with reality.
Yes, there definitely seems to be a genetic component for some forms of schizophrenia. Many researchers now believe that in certain cases, a child can inherit a genetic risk or vulnerability for schizophrenia, but that this must interact with other factors in order for the full-blown disorder to develop. This is just a long way of saying that although your children might have a higher chance of getting schizophrenia than someone without the same genetic background, there are probably factors that can help to reduce their risk of developing the illness. A healthy pregnancy, good prenatal care, a well-supervised labor and delivery, and attention to the child's development, including watching out for trauma and substance use, can all help to promote healthy brain functioning. I personally know of a number of top-notch scientists who have a sibling or a child with schizophrenia.