About Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is one of the most deadly conditions, affecting the lives of a large number of people. It is a persistent, debilitating, and severe mental disorder that affects around 15 out of every 100,000 persons worldwide (Saha, Chant, & Welham, 2005). It is classified as a psychotic mental disorder, which is characterized by thinking, social, and behavioral issues as symptoms. Schizophrenia is defined as a brain condition that affects the neurotransmitter balance in the glutamate, serotonin, and dopamine frameworks (Coon & Mitterer, 2013). In 1908, Eugen Bleuler coined the word Schizophrenia to describe a split of capacities such as perception, memory, thinking, and personality. Bleuler initially felt the condition was dementia due to the symptoms. After his patients started to show signs of improvement rather than indications of it deteriorating, he was directed to propose the term we know today as schizophrenia (Ashok & Baugh, 2012). At the point when the expression “splitting of the mind” was formed (skhizein “to split” and -phrēn “mind”), it drove many individuals to believe that it implied a “split identity” which is entirely false and off base. However, schizophrenia is a long-term mental disorder that involves a breakdown in the connection between emotion, thought, and behavior prompting defective perception, withdrawal from reality, inappropriate feelings and actions, and personal relationships into delusion and fantasy, and a feeling of mental fragmentation. Researchers are yet to discover concrete answers to explain what causes it. What is known up to this point is that it cannot be prevented yet can undoubtedly be dealt with. Based off of what scientists have discovered up to this point, prescriptions and diverse sorts of therapies have been set up to help limit the impacts of Schizophrenia. If not treated and managed at an early stage, extreme results can follow. Patients risk exacting damage on themselves going as far as suicide or bodily harm such as substance abuse and risk conceivably harming others. Since no test can diagnose Schizophrenia, e DSM-5 describes what is required for one to get diagnosed with Schizophrenia.

Symptoms

The main symptoms of Schizophrenia are classified into positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms. Positive symptoms allude to psychotic behaviors that are not seen in sound individuals (Borban & Narayanaswamy, 2015). The manifestations include hallucinations, for instance, patients may hear voices conversing with them about their conduct, feel undetectable fingers touching them, or notice scents which other individuals do not identify. Also, those affected by Schizophrenia encounter delusions such as patients may trust that their neighbor can control their behavior through magic or have unreasonable convictions and hallucinations that other individuals are endeavoring to hurt them. Schizophrenia patients may likewise encounter dysfunctional thinking or have trouble organizing their thoughts.

Negative Schizophrenia symptoms are those that meddle with the healthy individuals’ emotions and behaviors. These symptoms are “constituted by blunting of affect/emotions, reduced speech output, lack of motivation, poor socialization, and reduced attention” (Borban & Narayanaswamy, 2015). However, such side effects are not easily perceived and can sometimes be confused with depression. The negative symptoms incorporate, yet not restricted to the absence of joy in life, talking pretty much nothing, and troubles in starting and supporting arranged exercises or level effect. Individuals with such indications require help in their day by day errands. Negative side effects can include social withdrawal, self-disregard, and loss of inspiration. Those managing these manifestations can be irksome to their relatives while it has no impact on them.

Cognitive symptoms are similar to the negative ones and are sometimes not clearly perceived as a major aspect of the schizophrenia disorder. They are usually distinguished when different tests are carried out on the patients. They include the incapacity to utilize information subsequent to acquiring it, inability to understand information, and difficulties in focusing. Individuals with such side effects barely lead regular lives and regularly encounter emotional distress.

All these symptoms typically start to develop after several months or years. The number of symptoms that one has differs from individual to individual; some may have a considerable measure of the manifestations and others may just have a one or two. Studies additionally demonstrate that those with this disorder have a troublesome time maintaining their friends and work (Amdur, 2005). Common symptoms in the beginning periods include: touchiness or potentially tense emotions, the individual experiences difficulty focusing, and experiences difficulties sleeping. As the disorder advances, the manifestations increase including bizarre behavior, isolation, fantasies, and hallucinations, segregation, decreased emotions and focusing on problems (Picchioni, 2017). Those who have issues hallucinations start to hear voices in their heads and see things that are not there. The individual will endeavor to understand what they are hearing or seeing. Each of the five senses is vulnerable to hallucinations. Those who battle with fancies have a false conviction about something (convictions particular to them). They may make one believe that they are casualties of a specific danger or are victims of a scheme and they trust that all that they do or believe is being controlled by something or someone other than them. These delusions can likewise impact their sexual and religious convictions.

As per the DSM-5, two diagnostic criteria must be met over a time of no less than one month. A significant alteration in work or social functioning must be present for no less than a six months’ time. The individual must experience delusions, hallucinations, or trouble in their speech. The definition of schizophrenia is the same as centuries before. In the event that manifestations are present for over one month yet not over a half year, the individual is diagnosed with the schizophreniform disorder. No diagnosis is given if the indications of the pervasive formative disorder are on display unless the individual additionally deals with delusions or hallucinations.

Etiology

Since schizophrenia is such a complex disorder, researchers are yet to discover and explain the exact causes. However, some studies have discovered various facts about schizophrenia. Both sexes are equally in danger of having schizophrenia. Signs of the disorder tend to appear in the high school years or young adulthood, but it can also occur sometime later in life too. For ladies, the condition is substantially milder when contrasted with men, and it likewise tends to start later in the lady’s life. Men regularly encounter a more severe type of the disorder, and their odds of a full recuperation are slightly less. The result of the ailment is typically worse for men than it is for ladies (Ochoa, Usall, & Cobo, 2012). Also, research shows that individuals who are born in urban cities have a tendency to be in higher danger of being affected (Ochoa, Usall, & Cobo, 2012). The bigger the city, the more prominent the hazard and the more extended the individual lives in that city, the more prominent the hazard. People who relocate from one nation to another are more prone. With kids, symptoms can start to appear as early as five years old. Research demonstrates that schizophrenia among youngsters is both uncommon and difficult to diagnose from other developmental disorders (Ochoa, Usall, & Cobo, 2012).

Genes may have the most significant impact on what causes schizophrenia and family history is a crucial part when endeavoring to trace the cause of the disorder. Other vulnerable genes have been discovered in recent years (Roussos, 2014). It is conceivable that numerous genes that cause more hazard exist. There might be patients that have a few of these susceptible genes and they interact with each other and furthermore with the environment, which causes schizophrenia. Studies demonstrate that patients with schizophrenia will probably have had encountered difficulties amid birth, for example, an untimely birth or low birth weight. As far as when they were conceived, they will probably have been born pre-spring and early spring, which could reflect what is referred to as intrauterine viral exposure. Environmental dangers appear to affect mental health. The way parents raise a kid does not appear to have an impact over the span of the disorder; however, individuals affected by the disorder and have guardians who are supportive have a tendency to show improvement over the individuals who have parents who tend to be significantly more hostile or critical.

Another factor considered to lead to schizophrenia is drug abuse. Researchers have already found that drugs like amphetamines and cocaine can generate a picture clinically indistinguishable to paranoid schizophrenia. Cannabis is another drug that has been tossed into the mix, which is utilized to create hemp fiber and as a psychotropic medication. Studies demonstrate that the early utilization of cannabis can lead to the susceptibility to schizophrenia before any symptoms appear. A minor portion of individuals who abuse this drug develop schizophrenia.

Treatment

There are several psychopharmacological medications for schizophrenia including pharmacological treatment practices which lead to a reduction in positive schizophrenia manifestations and a decline in the number of individuals with the disorder. This treatment involves the utilization of antipsychotic medications to treat schizophrenia. The treatment, for the most part, focuses on controlling psychotic symptoms, preventing relapses during recovery, and the remaining period of the disorder. Antipsychotic medications used as a treatment for schizophrenia include Quetiapine, Risperidone, and Clozapine for atypical psychotics (Amdur, 2005). Droperidol, Pimozide, and Haloperidol are used to treat the high potency psychosis. Medium potency psychosis is treated with Loxapine and Trifluoperazine while Thioridazine and Molindone are used for low potency psychosis. Be that as it may, these medications uncover a complex pharmacologic mechanism of medications within clinical psychopharmacology.

Medication has a tendency to be the best treatment for schizophrenia. These meds start to alter the chemical balance found in the cerebrum and can help control the manifestations. The medications can often lead to side effects; however, they can all be managed. These side effects include sleepiness, feelings of restlessness, weight gain, tremors, and dizziness. Since it is a life-long sickness, individuals with schizophrenia might be required to remain on these pharmaceuticals for the rest of their lives.

The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapeutic treatment that enables patients to comprehend the feelings and thoughts that impact behaviors and can be utilized to treat schizophrenia (Gillig, 2009). It involves presenting the patient with challenges to specific convictions they depict. By using changes in the way schizophrenia patients process specific thoughts and their behavioral changes, CBT can change how a patient comprehends the world around them. CBT additionally prevents harm to schizophrenia patients and teaches them that they are more significant than the voices consequently reducing the ramifications of the voices. The objective of CBT is to show patients that while they cannot control each part of their general surroundings, they can take control of how they translate and manage things in their condition (Gillig, 2009). Be that as it may, CBT does not lessen recurrence, loudness, and does not alter the message, but instead help by making the message less undermining to the patient.

Another form of treatment that has proven effective is therapy sessions. In these sessions, several strategies can be learned and applied on an everyday premise. Patients can experience social skills training, which would help them learn how to carry on and work better in a social or workplace. The patient’s family play a major part in the treatment procedure, alongside different caregivers. Patients have the opportunity to figure out how to adapt to the present symptoms, they understand how to live healthy lifestyles (which incorporates getting enough rest and avoiding any type of recreational drugs), taking their medications, and how to better deal with the potential reactions, figure out how to be careful and vigilant of the conceivable return of side effects and recognizing what moves to make if and when they return, and figure out how to get the best possible help.

With everything taken into account, schizophrenia is a very serious mental disorder that can conceivably convey a great deal of harm to the patient and to people around the patient. There is no clarification on the cause of the disorder; fortunately, scientists and researchers have gathered enough information that has helped explain the disorder. Despite this, understanding the disorder is just a small part of the fight. Thankfully, together with the information of the potential causes for schizophrenia, there are many approaches to get treatment and approaches to control the symptoms before a patient harms themselves or those around him/her. It is vital that people have access to the necessary treatment required so that they have an opportunity to live a decent life.

References

Amdur, M. (2005). Understanding and Treating Schizophrenia . The Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 143-144.

Ashok, A. H., & Baugh, J. (2012). Paul Eugen Bleuler and the origin of the term schizophrenia (SCHIZOPRENIEGRUPPE). Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 95-96.

Borban, J., & Narayanaswamy, J. (2015). Insight in Schizophrenia: Relationship to Positive, Negative and Neurocognitive Dimensions. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 5-11.

Coon, D., & Mitterer, J. (2013). Introduction to Psychology: Gateways to Mind and Behavior. (Vol. 13). Wadsworth Publishing.

Gillig, P. M. (2009). Cognitive Behavior Therapy for People with Schizophrenia. Journal of Psychiatry, 32-39.

Ochoa, S., Usall, J., & Cobo, J. (2012). Gender Differences in Schizophrenia and First-Episode Psychosis: A Comprehensive Literature Review. Schizophrenia Research and Treatment, 112-121.

Picchioni, M. M. (2017). Schizophrenia. British Medical Journal, 91-95.

Roussos, P. (2014, November 12). Schizophrenia: susceptibility genes and oligodendroglial and myelin related abnormalities. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience.

Saha, S., Chant, D., & Welham, J. (2005). A Systematic Review of the Prevalence of Schizophrenia. PLoS Medicine, 25-141.