Stalking the Insanity that Stalks My Family

A biological disorder of the brain that runs in families, schizophrenia is the most severe of all the mental illnesses, one characterized by auditory, visual and even tactile hallucinations.

Patrick Tracey has written an interesting article about inherited schizophrenia. In this case, it has been handed down from generation to generation within his family. He even went back to old Ireland to stalk the madness that stalks his family.

This interesting story can be found in the Providence Journal's web site at: http://www.projo.com/opinion/contributors/content/CT_tracey9_01-09-09_HVCQK60_v22.9b9724.html.

My thanks to Francie Ricketson for telling me about this story.

Comments

[Elyse]

Thank you for posting this article. I have two known schizophrenics in my family, and it is very painful for the family. My aunt, who used to be the family historian, has very progressed schizophrenia, and it is a very very sad situation.

[Dae Powell]

Excellent article. Thank you for sharing. It is becoming increasingly easier to track down sources of disorders and hereditary defects. Documenting these and sharing them with our families can be at times difficult or harsh, but having the truth is far less harmful than living a lie.

Happy Dae.
http://ShoeStringGenealogy.com

[sue maxwell]

My husband of 30 years, I just discovered, has some sort of inherited problem, called Asperger's Syndrome, which is in the autism complex, but only recognizable in close relationships, and not in suberficial social relationships. I had read about some of his ancestors and one had a learning problem, but could learn because it was the 1800's and he was free to study one subject at a time and became a great historian and poet- Hu Maxwell. He went blind for a year when he tried to study at Annapolis- too hard for him. You can find his county histories of W Va and other books in the library and on the net and I think I remember he may even be in Wikepedia. It may be being passed down in different forms. If my husband had not been pushed through our present educational and work system, he would have found himself. He does not know he has this problem and I won't tell him due to his age- unless there is a good reason. I have just adjusted to him.

I worked in a medical profession for years and don't like labels- some problems, even what is called schizophrenia, can be caused by other problems such as body chemistry problems.Alcoholism runs in my family and I know to stay away from it- I know my body is susceptible. Alcoholics lack a particular amino acid that mades them subject to addiction and memory problems. I take an amino acid formula and that has helped me alot.

There is a new body of work called brain neuroplasticity and its methodology cures many brain problems and prevents arterioschlerosis. I have done a good deal of reading on this and read many case studies. It is wise to know about the well researched, 10 year old field- there are plenty of books and one PBS program on the subject. It is also good for helping people change the way they think, improve their memory, learning, etc, as well as cure problems.

There is also another case like you mention in the Sedgewick family. I have a neighbor related to that family and there is a book written by a present day SEdgewick about the same exact thing- tracing his problem back. Sue

[J G Johns]

Does this Patrick Tracey have an Egan ancestor chart?
I would be most interested in finding this.

JGJohns

[Louise Jones]

When my youngest brother was diagnosed with schizophrenia three decades ago, my mother asked her aunts about her grandfather, whom she was told had died in a state hospital. They told her only that "... our father was not a good provider."

Five years ago I located great-grandfather's commitment papers. The papers show that his symptoms were very similar to my brother's. Further, great-grandfather's brother also had the disease and was also committed, around 1910. The family explained the men's behavior by saying that both men, when young, had been kicked in the head by a horse.

A couple years ago I was told by a mental health worker that children of people who live through traumatizing events (such as the Holocaust) have increased likelihood of passing to their offspring the genetic predisposition to schizophrenia. I don't know if it's a fact or an unproven theory, however it made sense to me because great-great-grandfather had fought in particularly bloody (and probably traumatizing) battles in the Civil War. Now Mr. Tracey opines that there may be a link to Ireland. Great-great-grandmother was born in County Limerick Ireland. It sounds like another strike against my brother.

Schizophrenia is a horrible disease, like brain cancer except it doesn't kill you. It's scary to both the people afflicted by it, and to people who come in contact with them. My poor sweet brother has 7 healthy siblings. I make a point of telling people about my sick brother, hoping that talking about it will make the disease (and those afflicted with it) less scary.

When I have time to trace great-great-grandmother's ancestry in Ireland, I'll now be on the lookout for schizophrenia as well. Thanks for the good article.

[Margaret]

Mr. Tracey's article is interesting, but I think that his premise that maternal malnutrition, paternal age and trauma are the cause of schizophrenia is wrong. These conditions may precipitate borderline cases of the genetic condition, but his own sisters did not have maternal malnutrition or and elderly father or any trauma that he mentioned. A distant cousin has a schizophrenic son who was born to a well-nourished mother and his parents were in their 20's when he was born. I think that genes are the cause of the problem. We know that this disease runs in families.

May science come up with effective drugs to control this scourge.

[Ruth Rooney]

Read his book, very enlightening.

[Carol]

This is a message for Sue Maxwell. Hope you might read it. You know yor husband best but I'd encourage you to tell him. My late husband was a Vietnam veteran who for the remainder of his life lived with both the physical and mental effects incl PTSD. But a few months before he died he was diagnosed with Aspergers. He was told by his psychologist and I was very concerned about reactions, given all his other problems, however, after time to reflect, it brought his great relief to understand so much of his civilian life issues were not his fault. Several doctors had previously questioned his being schizophrenic. His maternal grandmother was committed in her 50s and ramained in homes for her remaining 30 odd years but the family is very tight lipped and so I've never been able to find out the details so don't know if she had a genuine health issue or had been committed for 'social' reasons, a sadly not uncommon action of past generations.

The article comes at a time I am trying to help an old school friend with schizophrenia. He too comes from an Irish background and so many of the facts mentioned in the article seem to match my friend's.