Schizophrenia defined
Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that affects how people think, feel, and perceive.
It is a mental illness that affects 1% of the population.
Although no one knows exactly what causes the condition, the good news is that it can be treated with medication, psychotherapy and support from loved ones.
Most importantly, Schizophrenia is not associated with any characteristic laboratory results.
Actress Megan Fox
American Actress, Megan Fox suffers from the illness and in 2009, spoke publicly about her experience, stating that it can be controlled with medication and therapy.
Individuals suffering from schizophrenia behave inappropriately in social contexts and cannot differentiate reality from their own internal world. It’s more like loosing touch of the reality of life and the universe.
Schizophrenia affects women and men equally.
Categories of Schizophrenia
There are different categories of symptoms of schizophrenia.
Psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations, which are usually auditory; delusions; and disorganized speech and behavior. Here, a patient will experience false ideas and beliefs and accept them as real. It also involves the experience of a false perception bordering on hearing voices or seeing things that aren’t really there.
Decrease in emotional range, poverty of speech, and loss of interests and drive; the person with schizophrenia has tremendous inactivity. The patient loses their will to do anything, becoming unanimated and apathetic. It becomes harder for them to complete their daily tasks.
Also, Patients often experience mood changes, seeming cheerful or sad in a way that is difficult to understand, which may often lead to depression.
Causes of Schizophrenia
No one knows for sure what causes schizophrenia. However, genetics has been found to play a role in whether or not a person will develop the illness.
The risk of schizophrenia in first-degree relatives of persons with schizophrenia is 10%. If both parents have schizophrenia, the risk of schizophrenia in their child is 40%, according to research.
Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are likely to have a large overlap in genetic risk factors.
Additionally, external factors that affect the developing nervous system of a fetus seem to have some influence in the manifestation of the disorder.
A new study suggests that heavy marijuana (Weed) use in teenagers aged 15–17 years may hasten the onset of psychosis in those at high risk for developing a psychotic disorder.
However, the researchers could not say whether marijuana use may actually cause psychosis to develop early or whether people who have a predilection for earlier onset of psychosis also may be more likely, owing to various factors, to use marijuana.
Treatment for schizophrenia
The treatment of schizophrenia entails addressing the symptoms of the disorder using medication, as well as reintegrating the patient into society through psychotherapy treatment.
Teaching the patient to understand the importance of medication compliance and of abstinence from alcohol and other drugs of abuse is important.
Interestingly, Family members are the most important allies to a person with schizophrenia. It is helpful to work with the patient so that both patient and family can learn to recognize early signs of a decompensation (eg, insomnia or increased irritability).
Counseling with respect to sexuality, pregnancy, and sexually transmitted diseases is important for these patients. Hostile and critical attitudes or overprotective behavior will only cause harm to the person.
Chinedum Anayo