A mental health disorder known as schizophrenia is categorized as relating to an individual’s thought processes and behaviors. This is subdivided into positive symptoms, such as hallucinations and negative symptoms, like lack of social interaction and cognitive dysfunctions.
What is Schizophrenia?
We can define schizophrenia as a major psychiatric illness characterized by abnormal thinking and seeing. Schizophrenic patients’ ability to differentiate reality and illusion is usually impaired and this includes hallucinations or delusions. They may also have impaired speech and their actions may be disorganized together with reduced ability to show emotions. Schizophrenia usually develops between the ages of 16 and 30. It is a lifelong condition, and although there are often improvements with care; most people with schizophrenia can work.
Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia symptoms are usually observed in young adulthood; these are manifested earlier in men than in women. The symptoms can vary from person to person, but they generally fall into three categories:
- Positive Symptoms
These are “added” behaviors that are not observed in the normal population of individuals.
Hallucinations
Hallucinations are a situation that occurs when a person has visions or hears, smells, or even feels something that does not exist. Auditory hallucination is the most frequent type of schizophrenic hallucination.
Delusions
Delusion is defined as a fixed belief held despite contradictory evidence within the person’s experience. E Psychosis and Paranoid delusions that other people intend to harm them are the features of schizophrenia.
- Negative Symptoms
These include loss or absence of normal feelings and actions.
Flat affect
This concerns the extent to which one is able to minimize the use of effective nonverbal qualifying cues, such as faces and vocal intonations.
Alogia
Alogia exists as a use of a few words and problems in the formation of speech.
Avolition
Avolition is defined as giving up and being unable to execute plans and goals as set.
Anhedonia
This includes a diminished capacity to derive some pleasure. Decrease interest in things that you used to like.
Social withdrawal
Others experiencing schizophrenia avoid social connections, and they also seclude themselves.
- Cognitive Symptoms
These ones influence the thinking and memory of the person.
Disorganized thinking
This category is characterized by difficulty in the organization of thoughts so as to connect them in a logical way. Participants may have trouble staying on one topic for very long and the discussion may shift suddenly from one subject to another.
Brief State of Affair: Poor “executive functioning”
It’s difficult for us to understand information and thus makes it hard to find solutions, define goals, to turn it into action.
Difficulty in concentration or listening
Besides, many schizophrenics do not have the ability to focus for long durations.
Issues to do with working memory
This makes it difficult to apply information immediately or even to do straightforward mathematics problems.
Causes of Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia itself is understood as a complex condition that has no definite cause, although probable genetic as well as destabilizing environmental and chemical disturbances in the brain can be considered.
Genetics
Schizophrenia risk is also genetic, indicating that anyone with a first-degree relative with the condition is 10 times more likely to develop the condition than people in the general population, which stands at 1%. It may also increase risk if a person’s genetic code includes variants in more than 100 genes.
Environment
Potential precursors of schizophrenia include prenatal infections, childhood traumas or abuse, drug use, and stress.
Brain chemistry
This could be due to inadequacy in the transmission of acids such as dopamine and glutamate acids in the brain. Structural and functional perspectives of schizophrenic brains have been revealed by imaging techniques.
Diagnosis of Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia diagnosis is carried out after the affected individual has undergone tests and been evaluated by an expert in mental health, a psychiatrist, or a psychologist. This assessment typically includes:
Medical history
Data refers to the symptoms, longitudinal mental health, and family history of psychiatric diseases.
Mentation
They involve assessing behaviour, effect, ideation, perceptual abnormalities, rational thinking, understanding, and reasoning at the moment of assessment.
Schizophrenia Treatments
Currently, there is no known cure for schizophrenia. The good news is that it can be controlled and patients can lead normal lives. The first line of treatment is pharmacotherapy, which is compounded by psychotherapy.
- Medication
Symptoms that get managed usually involve things like hallucinations, delusions, disordered thinking, and they are usually managed with antipsychotic drugs. These drugs assist in regulating brain chemicals in an effort to achieve a standard condition.
- Therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy is supposed to focus on assisting the patient in identifying negative behaviors in his or her mind. Another favorite is social skills training.
Living with Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia can be tough to manage, but a combination of therapy and medication, as well as counseling, enables people to lead normal lives. Here are some tips for managing schizophrenia:
Do not deviate from what the doctor prescribed
Medications and session appointments with a certified therapist should be adhered to in order to keep symptoms under control.
Build a support system
Your therapist needs to hear no words of self-blame, judgment, or denial. Seek group homes for schizophrenics, friends, relatives, and any other authoritative and caring people in your life, alongside caring and professional people like your therapist. The community can also be found in support groups.
Manage stress
It may also be stated that the symptoms are worsened with stress. You’ve got leisure activities, you have a fixed sleep pattern.
Get enough sleep
Consequences occur when one is not well rested. Drug users should try to get at least 6 to 9 hours of sleep at night, the WHO advised.
Eat a healthy diet
As we mentioned earlier, it means consuming plenty of fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean protein, and very little to no sugar and saturated fats. Drink plenty of water and should reduce your intake of caffeine products and alcohol.
Avoid alcohol and drugs
Certain ones can hamper the efficacy of drugs as well as extend or worsen the symptoms.
Stay active
Physical activity or exercise is good for the body and the mind. Suggested activities are to begin with things one likes.
Set realistic goals
Split goals into sub-goals so that you do not get frustrated since the process of achieving each goal will be a difficult one. Celebrate small successes!
Celebrate your successes
Jot down things that you achieve or events that can be marked each day. Consider the compliment as dealing with a hard condition and all the work you have put into it.
Support for Families
Caring for a relative with schizophrenia is mostly the responsibility of families in this context. Here are some ways to help:
Schooled on schizophrenia
It helps to know about it so that you can cope with it in a much more constructive manner.
Encourage communication
Treatment plans, the drugs they are taking, side effects of these drugs, new signs, any issues that are not prejudiced, and anything that bothers them at all should be a part of this.
Offer practical support
Encourage them on how to stick to treatment regimens and lead with daily tasks when enthusiasm and focus inevitably fall.
Promote utilization of antiretroviral drugs.
Remind them about doses, when to take the medicine, or when to get a check-up. If you would like it, offer to go with them.
Set boundaries
As calmly as possible, one might describe anything that particularly bothers him/her and/or what is acceptable/-unacceptable. But avoid ultimatums.
Practice self-care
Caregivers themselves also get tired at one point and need to take a break, go to relax, or get someone else to offer them some support. Make time for your own needs.
Conclusion
Schizophrenia is a complex disorder, but it can be controlled if the patient follows the prescribed treatment for years, leads a productive life, and has a fulfilling life. Schizophrenia cannot be cured, but ongoing research promises that newer treatments will enable patients to live a better life. Schizophrenia is a treatable disease, and a person with schizophrenia needs to be accepted and understood by family and experts as well as their mental health professionals, and they have a promising future.
