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Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disorder that has been recognized throughout recorded history. People with schizophrenia may hear voices other people don't hear or they may believe that others are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts, or plotting to harm them. These experiences are terrifying and can cause fearfulness, withdrawal, or extreme agitation. People with schizophrenia may not make sense when they talk, may sit for hours without moving or talking much, or may seem perfectly fine until they talk about what they are really thinking. Because many people with schizophrenia have difficulty holding a job or caring for themselves, the burden on their families and society is significant as well. Although schizophrenia is a chronic disorder, there is help available. With support, medication, and therapy, many people with schizophrenia are able to function independently and live satisfying lives. However, the outlook is best when schizophrenia is diagnosed and treated right away. If you spot the signs and symptoms of schizophrenia and seek help without delay, you or your loved one can take advantage of the many treatments available and improve the chances of recovery.
Schizophrenia as in Wikipedia (pronounced /?sk?ts??fr?ni?/ or /?sk?ts??fri?ni?/), from the Greek roots schizein ( "to split") and phre-n, phren- ( "mind") is a severe and disabling brain disorder characterized by abnormalities in the perception or expression of reality. It most commonly manifests as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking with significant social or occupational dysfunction. Onset of symptoms typically occurs in young adulthood, with approximately 0.4–0.6% of the population affected. Diagnosis is based on the patient's self-reported experiences and observed behavior. No laboratory test for schizophrenia currently exists.
Studies suggest that genetics, early environment, neurobiology, psychological and social processes are important contributory factors; some recreational and prescription drugs appear to cause or worsen symptoms. The mainstay of treatment is antipsychotic medication; this type of drug primarily works by suppressing dopamine activity. Dosages of antipsychotics are generally lower than in the early decades of their use. Psychotherapy, vocational and social rehabilitation are also important. In more serious cases—where there is risk to self and others—involuntary hospitalization may be necessary, although hospital stays are less frequent and for shorter periods than they were in previous years. The disorder is thought to mainly affect cognition, but it also usually contributes to chronic problems with behavior and emotion. People with schizophrenia are likely to have additional (comorbid) conditions, including major depression and anxiety disorders; the lifetime occurrence of substance abuse is around 40%. Social problems, such as long-term unemployment, poverty and homelessness, are common. Furthermore, the average life expectancy of people with the disorder is 10 to 12 years less than those without, due to increased physical health problems and a higher suicide rate.
The most common early warning signs of schizophrenia include:
* Social withdrawal
* Hostility or suspicious
* Deterioration of personal hygiene
* Flat, expressionless gaze
* Inability to cry or express joy
* Inappropriate laughter or crying
* Depression
* Oversleeping or insomnia
* Odd or irrational statements
* Forgetful; unable to concentrate
* Extreme reaction to criticism
* Strange use of words or way of speaking
A person diagnosed with schizophrenia may demonstrate auditory hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized and unusual thinking and speech; this may range from loss of train of thought and subject flow, with sentences only loosely connected in meaning, to incoherence, known as word salad, in severe cases. Social isolation commonly occurs for a variety of reasons. Impairment in social cognition is associated with schizophrenia, as are symptoms of paranoia from delusions and hallucinations, and the negative symptoms of avolition (apathy or lack of motivation). In one uncommon subtype, the person may be largely mute, remain motionless in bizarre postures, or exhibit purposeless agitation; these are signs of catatonia. No one sign is diagnostic of schizophrenia, and all can occur in other medical and psychiatric conditions. The current classification of psychoses holds that symptoms need to have been present for at least one month in a period of at least six months of disturbed functioning. A schizophrenia-like psychosis of shorter duration is termed a schizophreniform disorder.
Late adolescence and early adulthood are peak years for the onset of schizophrenia. These are critical periods in a young adult's social and vocational development, and they can be severely disrupted. To minimize the effect of schizophrenia, much work has recently been done to identify and treat the prodromal (pre-onset) phase of the illness, which has been detected up to 30 months before the onset of symptoms, but may be present longer.Those who go on to develop schizophrenia may experience the non-specific symptoms of social withdrawal, irritability and dysphoria in the prodromal period, and transient or self-limiting psychotic symptoms in the prodromal phase before psychosis becomes apparent.
Positive and negative symptoms
Schizophrenia is often described in terms of positive and negative (or deficit) symptoms. Positive symptoms include delusions, auditory hallucinations, and thought disorder, and are typically regarded as manifestations of psychosis. Negative symptoms are so-named because they are considered to be the loss or absence of normal traits or abilities, and include features such as flat or blunted affect and emotion, poverty of speech (alogia), inability to experience pleasure (anhedonia), and lack of motivation (avolition). Despite the appearance of blunted affect, recent studies indicate that there is often a normal or even heightened level of emotionality in schizophrenia, especially in response to stressful or negative events. A third symptom grouping, the disorganization syndrome, is commonly described, and includes chaotic speech, thought, and behavior. There is evidence for a number of other symptom classifications.
Available treatments can relieve many of the disorder's symptoms, but most people who have schizophrenia must cope with some residual symptoms as long as they live. Nevertheless, this is a time of hope for people with schizophrenia and their families. Many people with the disorder now lead rewarding and meaningful lives in their communities. Researchers are developing more effective medications and using new research tools to understand the causes of schizophrenia and to find ways to prevent and treat it.
How is schizophrenia treated?
~Antipsychotic medications
~Psychosocial treatment
~Illness Management Skills
~Integrated Treatment for Co-occurring Substance Abuse.
~Rehabilitation
~Family Education
~Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
~Self help groups
The outlook for people with schizophrenia has improved over the last 30 years or so. Although there still is no cure, effective treatments have been developed, and many people with schizophrenia improve enough to lead independent, satisfying lives. This is an exciting time for schizophrenia research. The explosion of knowledge in genetics, neuroscience, and behavioral research will enable a better understanding of the causes of the disorder, how to prevent it, and how to develop better treatments to allow those with schizophrenia to achieve their full potential
Please for summary and helpful sites to get more information ;-
Signs and symptoms of schizophrenia
Schizophrenia – Provides a comprehensive overview discussing causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and current research on schizophrenia. (National Institute of Mental Health)
Schizophrenia FAQs – Offers answers to frequently asked questions about schizophrenia, including what the signs and symptoms look like, what causes it, and how it’s treated. (Continuing Medical Education)
Schizophrenia in Children – Describes symptoms in children, which may be different from those in adults. (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
Early warning signs of schizophrenia
The First Signs of Schizophrenia – Read through personal stories, offered by both people with schizophrenia and their loved ones, describing the early signs and symptoms they observed. (Schizophrenia.com)
Schizophrenia: First Warning Signs – Provides a list of early warning signs and symptoms of schizophrenia, compiled by individuals who have a family member with the disorder. (World Fellowship for Schizophrenia and Allied Disorders)
Types of schizophrenia
Paranoid Schizophrenia – Learn about the most common subtype of schizophrenia, including typical signs and symptoms such as paranoid delusions. (Mayo Clinic)
Catatonic Schizophrenia – Overview of the signs and symptoms of catatonic schizophrenia, as well as its causes and effects. (Mayo Clinic)
Disorganized Schizophrenia – Guide to disorganized schizophrenia’s signs and symptoms, such as disorganized thinking, disorganized behavior, and flat affect. (Mayo Clinic)
Causes of schizophrenia
Possible Causes of Schizophrenia – Reviews the possible causes of schizophrenia, including biological, psychological, and social factors. (Schizophrenia Fellowship of NSW)
What Causes Schizophrenia? – Covers the combination of causes involved in schizophrenia, including genes, brain chemistry, and brain structure. (National Institute of Mental Health)
Effects of schizophrenia
New Factors Identified for Predicting Violence in Schizophrenia – Learn what factors increase the odds that a person with schizophrenia will become violent. (National Institute of Mental Health)
God bless and keep smiling!
Posted byIrum Khan
May Allah save every one from this chronic disease. It seems, there is no 100 cure. Please advise, the percentage of people who have been victim to this illness. Normally in which age it be detected in a person.
Thanks a lot Irum for giving this informations....as i have told u one of my relatives is suffering from this disease...your blog can be really helpfull to us!Thanks again....