Overview
Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder that affects less than 1 % of the U.S. population. It is a serious mental illness that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. Individuals with schizophrenia may seem like they have put some distance from the real world which causes huge pain for people, their family members and friends. If left untreated, the symptoms of schizophrenia can be persistent and disabling. However, effective treatments are available. When delivered in a timely, coordinated and sustained manner. Treatment can help affected individuals to engage in school or work, achieve independence, and enjoy personal relationships.
Symptoms of Schizophrenia:
Schizophrenia includes a scope of problems with thinking, behavior and feelings. Signs and symptoms may differ, but usually include delusions, hallucinations or disorganized speech, and reflect an impaired ability to function. Symptoms may include:
Delusions:
Delusions which are firmly held beliefs not supported by objective facts (e.g., For example, you think that you’re being harmed or harassed; certain gestures or comments are directed at you; you have exceptional ability or fame; another person is in love with you, or a major catastrophe is about to occur.) Delusions occur in most people with schizophrenia.
Hallucinations:
Hallucinations usually involve seeing or hearing things that don’t exist. Yet for the person with schizophrenia, they have the full force and impact of a normal experience. Hallucinations can be in any of the senses, but hearing voices is the most common hallucination.
Disorganized thinking (speech):
Disorganized thinking is inferred from disorganized speech. Effective communication can be impaired and answers to questions may be partially or completely unrelated. Rarely, speech may include putting together meaningless words that can’t be understood, sometimes known as word salad.
Extremely disorganized or abnormal motor behavior:
This may show in a number of ways, from childlike silliness to unusual disturbance. Conduct isn’t centered around an objective, so it’s difficult to do errands. Behavior can include resistance to instructions, wrong or unusual stance, total absence of reaction or useless and excessive movement.
Negative symptoms:
This refers to reduced or lack of ability to function normally. For example, the person may neglect individual cleanliness or appear to lack emotion (doesn’t visually connect, doesn’t change facial expressions or speaks in a monotone). Also, the person may lose interest in regular exercises, socially pull out or come up short on the capacity to encounter delight.
Symptoms can vary in type and severity over time, with periods of worsening and remission of symptoms. Some symptoms may always be present.
In men, schizophrenia symptoms typically start in the early to mid-20s. In women, symptoms typically begin in the late 20s. It’s uncommon for children to be diagnosed with schizophrenia and rare for those older than age 45.
Causes of Schizophrenia
It’s not understood what causes schizophrenia, but researchers believe that a combination of genetics, brain chemistry and environment contributes to the development of the disorder.
Problems with certain naturally occurring brain chemicals, including neurotransmitters called dopamine and glutamate, which may contribute to schizophrenia. Neuroimaging studies show differences in the brain structure and central nervous system of people with schizophrenia. While researchers aren’t certain about the significance of these changes, they show that schizophrenia is a mental illness.
Risk Factors of Schizophrenia
Even though the exact reason for schizophrenia isn’t known, certain elements appear to expand the danger of creating or triggering schizophrenia, including:
- Having a family history of schizophrenia
- Some pregnancy and birth complications such as malnutrition or exposure to toxins or viruses that may impact brain development.
- Taking brain-changing (psychoactive or psychotropic) drugs during adolescent years and youthful adulthood.
Lifestyle Risk Factors
While certain lifestyle factors may seem to be associated with schizophrenia, the connections are more coincidental than causal.
Stress
Psychological stress has physiological impacts and is embroiled in causing or adding to mental issues including post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychological stress also aggravates diseases like high blood pressure and heart disease.
Stress also plays a huge function in the control of the illness. People with schizophrenia become very sensitive to stress and change. Psychological stress alone can be enough to trigger an episode. Creating and keeping a routine is one of the main parts to avoid relapse.
Life-Changing Events
People’s lives are often filled with loss and grieving during the time leading up to a first psychotic episode. However, those losses (like relationships, jobs, school, accidents, etc) are often the result of early-onset symptoms including suspicion, memory disturbance, withdrawal and loss of motivation. Essentially, previously undiagnosed schizophrenia can be the cause of many life-changing events and not the other way around.
Complications of Schizophrenia
Left untreated, schizophrenia can result in severe problems that affect every area of life. Complications that schizophrenia may cause or be associated with include:
- Suicide, suicide attempts and thoughts of suicide
- Anxiety disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Depression
- Abuse of alcohol or other drugs including nicotine
- Inability to work or attend school
- Financial problems and homelessness
- Social isolation
- Health and medical problems
- Being victimized
- Aggressive behavior, although it’s uncommon
Prevention of Schizophrenia
There’s no sure way to prevent schizophrenia, but sticking with the treatment plan can help prevent relapses or worsening of symptoms. Besides, researchers hope that learning more about risk factors for schizophrenia may lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment.
When to See a Doctor
People with schizophrenia often lack awareness that their difficulties stem from a mental disorder that requires medical attention. So it often falls to family or friends to get them help.
Treatments and Therapies for Schizophrenia
The causes of schizophrenia are complex and are not fully understood, so current treatments focus on managing symptoms and solving problems related to day to day functioning. Treatments include:
Antipsychotic Medications
Antipsychotic medications can help reduce the intensity and frequency of psychotic symptoms. They are usually taken daily in pill or liquid forms. Some antipsychotic medications are given as injections once or twice a month, which some individuals find to be more convenient than daily oral doses. Patients whose symptoms do not improve with standard antipsychotic medication typically receive clozapine. People treated with clozapine must undergo routine blood testing to detect a potentially dangerous side effect that occurs in 1-2% of patients.
Warning: Suddenly stopping medication can be dangerous and it can make schizophrenia symptoms worse. People should not stop taking an antipsychotic medication without talking to a health care provider first.
Shared decision making between doctors and patients is the recommended strategy for determining the best type of medication or medication combination and the right dose. You can find the latest information on warnings, patient medication guides, or newly approved medications on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website.
Psychosocial Treatments
Cognitive behavioral therapy, behavioral skills training, supported employment and cognitive remediation interventions may help address the negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. A combination of these therapies and antipsychotic medication is common.
Family Education and Support
Educational programs for family members, significant others and friends offer instruction about schizophrenia symptoms and treatments, and strategies for assisting the person with the illness. Increasing key supporters’ understanding of psychotic symptoms, treatment options and the course of recovery can lessen their distress, bolster coping and empowerment, and strengthen their capacity to offer effective assistance.
Remember:
To recover from schizophrenia, you must believe that you deserve a happy normal life and you must not be shy about seeking mental help from a mental health therapist at Kazmo Brain Center.
Kazmo Brain Center is a counseling center in Frisco, Texas specializing in mental health and will work with you toward a happier and more satisfying life. If you or your loved ones are facing Schizophrenia and you think that you need help, Request an appointment at the Kazmo Brain Center and we are here to help.
Resources:
mayoclinic.org
nimh.nih.gov
