What is Schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is known as Psychosis susceptibility syndrome is a mental disorder that hampers a person’s ability to feel, think, or behave clearly. Schizophrenia is a consequential mental disorder that interprets a person’s reality. Schizophrenia is sodic. It occurs in people in their adolescence or during the beginning of their adulthood.
Schizophrenia has an impact on a person’s everyday activities and their social abilities like the way they speak and think.
Schizophrenia is not a common mental disorder. Only about 0.6% are diagnosed with this condition. Anyone with this particular mental condition would have a difficult personal life and need support and guidance.
Schizophrenia is most likely to develop in men earlier than in a woman.
Sadly, schizophrenia is a mental condition that would last a lifetime.
The word schizophrenia can be traced back to a date period between 1797 and 1809. It was fabricated by Paul Eugen Bleuler, a Swiss psychiatrist. The word schizophrenia was derived from a Latin word which means “splitting of the mind.” The translation of the word is the explanation of the disorder which speaks about the separation of the various functions of a person which include their personality, thinking and perception.
What are the negative symptoms of Schizophrenia?
The symptoms of schizophrenia can be identified by anyone as the symptoms are related to behaviour changes, cognitive and Psychological.
Any person who is affected with this disorder would exhibit the following symptoms.
- Schizophrenia occurs to a person without any warning. The symptoms are developed slowly and are usually mild before the first severe episode of schizophrenia. Usually, the kith and kin of the person would identify that something is wrong with the person without knowing what is actually wrong with them.
- In the early stages of this disorder one may seem to be very eccentric.
- There would be no motivation or emotion. A careless personal hygiene routine.
- Their sleeping pattern is very irregular. They either sleep a lot or they tend to sleep for a very little time.
- The person may start to isolate themselves. Their performance in their profession would decrease.
- A person with schizophrenia would exhibit a disorganized behaviour. Agitation and aggression are commonly exhibited traits of a person with schizophrenia.
The above symptoms may be caused by other problems. Only when there is a behavioral pattern that is not normal and is causing problems in the person’s life then there is need for medical assistance.
Thus, there is a need to know the symptoms of schizophrenia.
How is Schizophrenia caused?
The exact cause of this disorder is not clearly known. Many kinds of research were performed on this disorder but there was no conclusive evidence to specify a particular cause for this disorder. Researchers worldwide believe that it is a combination of various factors like
- Their brain chemistry
- Genetics and
- Environment factors
There are a few chemicals in our brain called glutamate and dopamine, including our neurotransmitters may contribute to this disorder.
Despite various studies conducted on these factors which cause schizophrenia, none of the research was conclusive enough to strongly suggest a single cause of the disorder.
What are the types of Schizophrenia? How do we classify Schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia can be classified into five types. They are;
- Paranoid type
A paranoid type schizophrenia is a type of disorder where the person with the disorder would predominantly be occupied with plenty of delusions. He or she might have frequent episodes of hallucinations.
- Catatonic type
Catatonic type Schizophrenia is being characterized by catatonia, which would make a person to experience excessive movements which is also called as catatonic excitement or decrease the movements which is called as catatonic stupor.
- Disorganized type
As the name suggests, disorganized type schizophrenia is being characterized by disorganized behaviour and disorganized speech.
- Residual type
In this type of schizophrenia, a person with the disorder would not exhibit any prominent delusions or hallucinations or any disorganized behaviors, but he would have experienced several symptoms of schizophrenia.
- Undifferentiated type
The differentiate type of this syndrome is a different type of schizophrenia that did not fit into any of the other four types mentioned above.
How do we treat Schizophrenia?
Sadly, the treatment for schizophrenia is for a lifetime. It involves a combination of psychotherapy and medications. The medication would be the least important treatment when it comes to schizophrenia. Anti-psychotic agents are the initial treatment for a patient with schizophrenia.
Anti-psychotic treatments are given to the patients. The main objective of this treatment is to minimize the side effects and symptoms at a lower percentage of the prescribed dose of medications.
Anti-psychotics has evolved from first generation anti-psychotics to the second-generation anti-psychotics.
The first-generation anti-psychotics potentially had frequent neurological side effects that may or may not be reversible. Whereas the second-generation medications are generally used as they have a lower chance of causing side effects.
Psycho social interventions are also important along with these medications.
Most of the patients with this disorder would need some form of living support.
If the symptoms seem to be severe then immediate hospitalization is required and one needs to ensure that proper treatment is been given to the patient.
If a patient doesn't respond to the medications, then an electroconvulsive therapy is given. This is a treatment which may be given to people with depression as well.
Even though this disorder is very threatening, there is no guaranteed way to prevent it. But consistent treatment can help and prevent relapses and reduce the effects of the symptoms. Learning more about the disorder would help us to identify and help any person suffering with schizophrenia.
With proper and adequate treatment people with schizophrenia can lead a productive life. Depending on their condition and the therapy, any person with this disorder should lead their life with their family or in a special community setting rather than to spend their life in a psychiatric hospital. Finding support among friends and family has proven to reduce the worsening symptoms and help in managing the disorder in a better manner.
