Schizophrenia: Symptoms & Treatment

Characteristics of Schizophrenia Disorder

● Usually appears in late adolescence or early adulthood

● It impacts the social, family, personal and educational aspects of a person

● A schizophrenic may behave strange, weird, aggressive and feel confused about the images, sounds, thoughts and other people

● It may cause detachment from society and create fear

● There is no permanent cure, but the quality of life can be improved.

● Schizophrenia is not a multiple or split personality disorder.

● A schizophrenic person can't differentiate between reality and imagination.

Symptoms of Schizophrenia

A. Early symptoms of schizophrenia –

They may appear in late 20s in men & early 20s in women. It includes:

● A progressive and considerable change in focus and concentration

● Sleep issues

● Poor academic performance for no apparent cause

● Agitation and irritability

● Anxiety

● Sudden flares in temperament

● Suspiciousness

● Isolation of self from society

B. Advanced symptoms of Schizophrenia:

After weeks, months or even years of these mild symptoms, the advanced symptoms of schizophrenia can develop. They are further categorized into:

1. Positive symptoms of schizophrenia

They are also called psychotic symptoms which mean that the person has added actions and thoughts that are not based on reality. This includes delusion and hallucination

2. Disorganized symptoms

They start with trouble in logical thinking, confusion and irrational behaviour. It also includes moving slowly, indecisiveness, andbehaving illogical.

3. Negative symptoms of schizophrenia

They include negative thoughts and emotional withdrawal from society. They also cause reduced communication, loss of interest in life, difficulty in completing regular activities, and unexpected and odd emotional responses to specific emotions.

4. Cognitive symptom of schizophrenia

Schizophrenia considerably affects the cognitive functions of a person which includes forgetfulness, disorganized thinking and trouble focusing, poor execution of tasks, changing topics frequently, and difficulty in accepting the existence of these symptoms.

Treatment of Schizophrenia

While there is no cure for this condition, there are specially trained mental health professionals and psychiatric specialists who can deal with a schizophrenic person. The possible treatment for schizophrenia includes-

1. Medications-

This includes 1st and 2nd generation ofantipsychotic medicines as they help to manage delusion and hallucination.

2. Psychosocial therapy approach-

Along with medical support, a schizophrenic person also needs a psychosocial therapy approach which includes:

a. Rehabilitation

b. Individual psychotherapy

c. Family therapy

d. Cognitive therapy

e. Group therapy

3. Hospitalization-

Medical supervision in a hospital facility is required in cases where the person is violent and harmful to self or others.

4. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)-

This therapy is used for severely ill patients wherein a series of small electric shocks is given to the patient for a short period.