When you walk through a major city, it’s impossible not to come across at least one crazy person. Whether it’s a man trying to convince you that the world will end next week or a homeless guy breakdancing outside a sushi restaurant, urban areas just seem to attract nut-jobs. We may finally know why.
A recent study from professors at the University of Cardiff, Wales, revealed that city-living increases incidences of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders by 50 percent (compared to rural living). That doesn’t seem too far-fetched, right? It’s a non-stop lifestyle. You barely get any peace and quiet. There’s always something going on, and you’re always surrounded by people. That’ll drive anyone crazy, right? Wrong.
It’s the exact opposite. The study, which followed 200,000 people from all around Sweden, found that the increased possibility of psychotic disease is caused by a lack of social networks and a lack of personal connections. Basically, people in cities are busy being isolated.
“Social fragmentation was the most important area characteristic that explained the increased risk of psychosis in individuals brought up in cities,” said Dr. Stanley Zammitt, the study’s leader.
At least we might have an explanation, other than recreational drug use, for what’s happened to our Not-So-Good Man of the Day.
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