Schizophrenia

 

Major Types of Schizophrenia

Catatonic schizophrenia - In this case, the person is extremely withdrawn, negative and isolated, and has marked psychomotor disturbances.

Disorganized schizophrenia - In this case the person can be verbally incoherent and may have moods and emotions that are not appropriate to the situation. Hallucinations are not usually present.

Paranoid schizophrenia - People with paranoid schizophrenia are very suspicious of others and often have grand schemes of persecution at the root of their behavior. Hallucinations and delusions are prominent.

Residual schizophrenia - In this case the person is not currently suffering from delusions, hallucinations, or disorganized speech and behavior, but lacks motivation and interest in day-to-day living.

Schizoaffective disorder - People with schizoaffective disorder have symptoms of schizophrenia as well as mood disorder such as major depression, bipolar mania, or mixed mania.

Causes of Schizophrenia

There is no known single cause of schizophrenia, although research is focused on several factors believed to contribute to its development. These factors include genetics (heredity), chemical imbalance, and complications during pregnancy and birth. Schizophrenia is known to run in families, and people who have a close relative with schizophrenia are more likely to develop this illness than those who do not.

Symptoms in Schizophrenia

 

Schizophrenia is a severe and major psychotic disorder with significant impairment in mental functioning and loss of contact with reality. Besides the patient his/herself, there are also devastating consequences for the patient’s family and close surrounding.


The age of onset tends to be in late adolescence or early adulthood. Since this most often is a period in life which is associated with considerable personal, academic and professional change and challenges, individuals who develop schizophrenia may be placed at social and economic risk.

Risk Factors

The lifetime risk of developing schizophrenia is about 1 per cent. Approximately equal numbers of men and women are affected, but there is normally an earlier onset in men.


According to epidemiological studies there is no significant geographical variation, but there is a slight tendency towards an increased risk for babies which are born during the spring and winter months. Environmental pathogens such as viruses may contribute to developing schizophrenia, as do obstetric complications. In addition a hereditary linkage for the disease has been proven. Psychosocial influences from traumatic life events and interactions within the family also appear to be of importance.


Behavioral Symptoms

The psychological symptoms seen in different cases of schizophrenia are similar but may vary in form, severity, and persistence. Certain symptoms may be expressed in one patient, but absent in another. The interference of the disease with the individual’s daily life may be either light enough to lead a fairly normal life, or in some cases the patient needs to be hospitalized. This heterogeneity sometimes contributes to diagnostic problems. There are however rules for the diagnosis and definition of the symptoms seen in schizophrenic patients. Below is a list of the most common groups of symptoms.

 

Thought Disorder

Loosening of the structure and coherence of thought

Lack of logical connections between topics when speaking, which makes it hard for the listener to follow the conversation

Blocking, slowing or poverty of thought, which that may lead to reduction of speech

 

Abnormal Thought Content, Beliefs or Delusions

Delusions of persecution where the patient believes he or she is followed or the subject of elaborate plots

Delusions of reference and control, where commonplace events and situations are of individual significance and take place in relation to the individual

Delusions about the possession of thought, which may include the belief that the patients thoughts are not under his or her control, that thoughts do not originate from the self and that others can pick up or insert thoughts in the patients mind

 

Abnormal Experiences or Perceptual Disturbances

Often in the form of hallucinations, where the patient hears or sees things that are not real

Auditory hallucinations, which are most commonly associated with schizophrenia, with the patient’s own thought spoken out loud or others commenting on the patients actions

Visual, olfactory and tactile hallucinations

 

Mood Disorders

Mood alterations

Depression, anxiety, aggressiveness, excitement and facile euphoria

Disconnection between mood and other aspects of functioning, which may result in expression of different moods inappropriately, for instance laughter when telling an obviously sad story

Blunting or flattening of affect (the outward expression of mood)

 

Motor Alterations

Increased motor function with restlessness or over-activity

Reduced function resulting in immobility of the patient

Stereotypic repetitive movement or bizarre gesturing

 

Changes in Social Function

Isolation, gradual withdrawal from social interaction, which often affect work or study performance

Poor self-care

Permanent change in underlying personality

 

Overview of Schizophrenia from www.schizophrenia.com
What Is It?
What Causes Schizophrenia?
How Is It Treated?
What Is The Outlook?
How Can Other People Help?
Excerpt from schizophrenia.com:

A patient's support system may come from several sources, including the family, a professional residential or day program provider, shelter operators, friends or roommates, professional case managers, churches and synagogues, and others. Because many patients live with their families, the following discussion frequently uses the term "family." However, this should not be taken to imply that families ought to be the primary support system.

There are numerous situations in which patients with schizophrenia may need help from people in their family or community. Often, a person with schizophrenia will resist treatment, believing that delusions or hallucinations are real and that psychiatric help is not required. At times, family or friends may need to take an active role in having them seen and evaluated by a professional. The issue of civil rights enters into any attempts to provide treatment. Laws protecting patients from involuntary commitment have become very strict, and families and community organizations may be frustrated in their efforts to see that a severely mentally ill individual gets needed help. These laws vary from State to State; but generally, when people are dangerous to themselves or others due to a mental disorder, the police can assist in getting them an emergency psychiatric evaluation and, if necessary, hospitalization. In some places, staff from a local community mental health center can evaluate an individual's illness at home if he or she will not voluntarily go in for treatment.

Sometimes only the family or others close to the person with schizophrenia will be aware of strange behavior or ideas that the person has expressed. Since patients may not volunteer such information during an examination, family members or friends should ask to speak with the person evaluating the patient so that all relevant information can be taken into account.

Ensuring that a person with schizophrenia continues to get treatment after hospitalization is also important. A patient may discontinue medications or stop going for follow-up treatment, often leading to a return of psychotic symptoms. Encouraging the patient to continue treatment and assisting him or her in the treatment process can positively influence recovery. Without treatment, some people with schizophrenia become so psychotic and disorganized that they cannot care for their basic needs, such as food, clothing, and shelter. All too often, people with severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia end up on the streets or in jails, where they rarely receive the kinds of treatment they need.

Those close to people with schizophrenia are often unsure of how to respond when patients make statements that seem strange or are clearly false. For the individual with schizophrenia, the bizarre beliefs or hallucinations seem quite real – they are not just "imaginary fantasies." Instead of “going along with” a person's delusions, family members or friends can tell the person that they do not see things the same way or do not agree with his or her conclusions, while acknowledging that things may appear otherwise to the patient.

It may also be useful for those who know the person with schizophrenia well to keep a record of what types of symptoms have appeared, what medications (including dosage) have been taken, and what effects various treatments have had. By knowing what symptoms have been present before, family members may know better what to look for in the future. Families may even be able to identify some "early warning signs" of potential relapses, such as increased withdrawal or changes in sleep patterns, even better and earlier than the patients themselves. Thus, return of psychosis may be detected early and treatment may prevent a full-blown relapse. Also, by knowing which medications have helped and which have caused troublesome side effects in the past, the family can help those treating the patient to find the best treatment more quickly.

In addition to involvement in seeking help, family, friends, and peer groups can provide support and encourage the person with schizophrenia to regain his or her abilities. It is important that goals be attainable, since a patient who feels pressured and/or repeatedly criticized by others will probably experience stress that may lead to a worsening of symptoms. Like anyone else, people with schizophrenia need to know when they are doing things right. A positive approach may be helpful and perhaps more effective in the long run than criticism. This advice applies to everyone who interacts with the person.

 

 

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