Schizophrenia as Convergent Syndrome

Psychotic presentations that meet the diagnostic criteria called 'schizophrenia' may be a convergent label for multiple distinct causes—substance exposure (e.g., high‑potency cannabis, stimulants), prolonged interaction with large language models, social isolation, or traditional neurodevelopmental trajectories. Recognizing schizophrenia as a syndrome of shared phenomenology rather than a single etiology would change diagnosis, research priorities, treatment selection, and regulatory responses to technologies and drugs. — This reframing affects clinical practice, mental‑health policy, substance regulation, and debates about responsible AI use because it implies different prevention and treatment strategies for different precipitants.