Schizophrenia
is one of the severe a psychological ailment that upsets the normal brain
function. Schizophrenia is prevalent around the globe. It is predictable that 1.1
percent of the American population grip under schizophrenia. Though extensive
researches have been done, psychologists till date do not find any therapy to
cure such a severe mental ailment. The international psychiatry community still
lacks diagnostic precision, clarity of etiology and knowledge of underlying
pathophysiology of Schizophrenia. Recently, there are medications to lessen the
symptoms with some side effects. The clinical treatment of schizophrenia
involves a chronic pattern of acute psychotic episodes in which the patient
experiences shoddier symptoms. The characteristic of schizophrenic disorder is repetitive
periods of acute psychosis.
Schizophrenia
as a mental disorder first recognized by German psychiatrist Emil Kraepelin in
the fall of 19th century. Schizophrenia is a gamut of serious brain malfunctioning
in which reality is misleading. There is basic thought defect in patient. Schizophrenia
results in hallucinations, delusions, and disordered thinking and behavior.
The
symptoms of Schizophrenia remains perhaps the most mysterious form of human
psychological experience. The early onset of disease most often occurs between
the ages 15 and 30 and its chronic course makes this a particularly disabling
disorder for patients and their family. Chronic disability results primarily
from the negative and cognitive symptoms whereas acute relapses result from
exacerbation of positive psychotic system such as delusions and hallucinations. In
early stage of Schizophrenia, person shows symptoms of Sleep disturbance, Appetite
disturbance, Unusal Behaviour, Blunted feelings
and
Speech that is difficult to follow.
Schizophrenic patient mainly display symptoms
such as beliefs not based on reality which is termed as delusions. Patient may contemplate
that someone is doing an intrigue against him. He perceives or hears things
that do not exist in reality that is called hallucinations, especially voices. Patients
of Schizophrenia also exhibit symptoms such as lack of emotions, angry
outbursts, disordered thinking, movement disorders, flat affect, and social
withdrawal. Patient face some cognitive problems such as information processing,
abstract categorization planning and regulating goal-directed behavior,
cognitive flexibility, attention, memory, and visual processing. Schizophrenia differs
from mild to severe. Some patients can manage effectively these symptoms in their
daily life, while others require expert and intensive care. It is observed that
schizophrenia symptoms occur suddenly on some people. In other cases,
schizophrenia symptoms seem to develop gradually over months and they may not
be noticeable at first.
Early
warning signs of schizophrenia patients are as under:
- Depression,
social withdrawal
- Hostility
or suspiciousness, extreme reaction to criticism
- Deterioration
of personal hygiene
- Flat,
expressionless gaze
- Inability
to cry or express joy or inappropriate laughter or crying
- Oversleeping
or insomnia; forgetful, unable to concentrate
- Irrational
statements; strange use of words or way of speaking
“There
are numerous case reports of patients which represent the conditions of schizophrenia.
Several film makers also produced award winning film to show how schizophrenia
develops. In one highly popular Indian movie produced in 1082 was “Arth” by Mahesh
Bhatt. This explored the disturbing aspects of marital relationships. The main
character Inder Malhotra was an aspiring film maker is tied a knot with Pooja
but he was inclined towards Kavita, a successful but mentally unstable actress.
When Pooja came to know the love affair of her husband, she leaves Inder and
lives in hardship and find difficulty to manage new life. Kavita suffering from
schizophrenia eventually leaves Inder and shows bizarre behavior. “
There
are other cases of schizophrenia. Syd Barrett, distinguished English artist,
songwriter, guitarist and artist, most notably the founder of the rock band
Pink Floyd also suffered from schizophrenia. He ultimately suffered a severe
burnout and isolated from social life.
Eduard
Einstein was extremely intelligent and a successful student in his academic
career. In the age of twenty, he began to show signs of schizophrenia. This led
to him to be institutionalized several times.
Famous
Indian film actress and the most beautiful women Bollywood of her time, Parveen
Babi was also diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and a severe case of
depression.
Psychiatrists
can start diagnosis process of schizophrenia through judging functional damage and
observing various symptoms. At first, symptoms like hallucinations, delusions,
and strange behavior seem simply defined and clearly pathological. There may be
some cultural dissimilarity. Psychiatrists need to make difference that delusion
in one culture may be accepted as normal in another.
It
is strictly advised that if a person displays symptoms of Schizophrenia, he/she
must visit trained psychiatrist. Although the causes of Schizophrenia are not known
but many effective treatment techniques can lessen various symptoms and patients
of schizophrenia can live normal life. Various antipsychotic medications are
helpful to reduce the positive symptoms of schizophrenia. These drugs can only
improve the lives of many patients but do not cure schizophrenia. These
medications must be taken under the supervision of doctors as there may be
dangerous side effects of medications. It can produce agranulocytosis in which
the white blood cells that fight infection are lost. Some effective drugs are
available to lessen the symptom of disorder. Psychotherapy assists the patient to
adjust with the life problems caused due to schizophrenia. It can help to recover
communication skills, enhance relationships and concentration on work. It
enables students with schizophrenia to attend school, work, and maintain social
circle. Once the patients ascertain main elements about schizophrenia and the
schizophrenia treatment schedule, they can take initiative and manage self.
There are numerous rehabilitation programs for
schizophrenic patients which includes vocational counseling, job training,
money management counseling, assistance in learning to use public
transportation, and opportunities to practice social and workplace
communication skills. When patient appears to be normal, he is discharged from
the hospital with instructions and his family need to take care of patient. At
this time, family members must know about the management of disease and help
the patient in order to prevent relapses.
Cognitive
behavioral therapy proves to be very helpful with the patients of schizophrenia.
It is functional for patients with symptoms that persist even when they take
medication. The cognitive therapist guides patient of schizophrenia how to test
the reality of their thoughts and perceptions, trained patient to overlook strange
voices and adjust with environment. This treatment is very operational to
lessen the severity of symptoms and risk of relapse.
There
are some guidelines for schizophrenia patients for self-help. They must seek
social support, manage stress, exercise regularly, have normal sleep, avoid
alcohol, drugs, and nicotine and finally take regular and nourished meals.
It
is important to know that schizophrenia is not a rare disease. It carries a
lifetime risk of 1%. It is often a misconception that schizophrenia is
dangerous. It is not true. Though, patients with delusional thoughts and
hallucinations of schizophrenia may show violent behavior but most patients are
neither violent nor a danger to society.
To
recapitulate all strands, schizophrenia is penetrating disruption in thought
and emotion which hugely impact basic human qualities such as language,
thought, perception, affect, and sense of self. Schizophrenia Patients often show
strange language deficiencies. In layman’s angle, schizophrenia disorders are
characterized by fundamental and characteristic distortions of thinking,
perception and by inappropriate and blunted affect. Array of symptoms such as
hearing internal voices or experiencing other sensations not connected to an understandable
source and assigning unusual significance or meaning to normal events or holding
fixed false personal principles, are observed in schizophrenic patient. These
symptoms can be lessened through psychotherapy, medication and personal care
but it cannot be completely disappeared. Many rehabilitation programs are
available for patient to manage normal life. Attendants’ role is great to help
patients continually as symptoms persist throughout life. https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/psychologists/reasons-to-choose-an-online-psychiatrist/
