Deb BushongFounder, Owner, & Therapist, Conversations Therapy · Clinical Expertise Meets Lived Experience in Psychosis Care

Myths About Psychosis: 3

19 Mar 2025 · 1 min

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In this brief educational segment, the speaker addresses and refutes the common myth that psychosis is caused by bad parenting or poverty, including the outdated notion of a "schizophrenogenic mother." The speaker emphasizes that there is no scientific evidence supporting a single cause for psychosis. Instead, psychosis arises from a complex interplay of many factors, such as underlying mental health conditions, substance use, genetic influences, and other unknown contributors. The tone is conversational and corrective, aiming to educate viewers about the multifactorial nature of psychosis and to dispel simplistic blame placed on parents or socioeconomic status.

Chapters

Okay, here we are again. Let's talk psychosis. We're gonna bust another myth. How about this one? Psychosis is caused by bad parenting or poverty. You know, I think a lot of people have heard of the schizophrenic— schizophrenogenic mother causing psychosis. Well, parents, I hate to break this to you, you have a lot of influence. Genetically and as parents, but you're not the end-all be-all. Um, there's no evidence to support that psychosis is caused by, by any, any one thing. In fact, it's caused by a large number of factors, a range of factors, including mental health conditions, substance abuse, and then unknown factors—stuff we still don't even know.