What is Schizophrenia?

What is Schizophrenia?

It is a psychologcial disorder in which a person thinks, feels, and behaves in a way that is not based on reality. In this disease, the patient has a distorted perception of reality, thinks, listens, and sees imaginary things that are not there. He becomes distorted from reality, and his daily life is badly affected.

Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Two or more of the following symptoms are present for a significant portion of time during one month (or less if successfully treated). At least one of these must be(1)(2)or( 3)

Delusions

Hallucinations

Disorganized speech

Grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior

Negative symptoms

The level of functioning in one or more major areas, such as work, interpersonal relationships, and self-care, is markedly below the level achieved before the onset.

Continuous signs of the disturbance persist for at least 6 months.

Delusions

They are related to the mind. These are beliefs, or more specifically, false and irrational beliefs that cannot be corrected by teaching or counseling.

Erotomanic delusion

A person believes that someone special, like a celebrity, is in love with him or her. The person also tries to contact the target person. Talking behavior is also common.

Grandiose delusions

A person suffers from over over-exaggerated sense of worth, intelligence, beauty, and position, etc. A person believes that he has a great talent and he will make a discovery.

Jealous delusions

A person believes that his or her spouse is unfaithful and has an extramarital relationship.

Persecutory delusions

Persecutory delusion is most common in females because these people cannot trust others. They think that other people are plotting against them or trying to harm them. They make repeated complaints to higher authorities.

Somatic delusions

In somatic delusion, a person believes that he is seriously injured or disabled.

Delusion of references

A neutral event is believed to have a personal meaning.

Delusion of control

A person believes that his thoughts and actions are controlled by supernatural power.

• Broadcasting that my Private thoughts are transmitted to other people.
• Thought insertion that someone is plotting thoughts in my mind.

Mixed delusions

A person at a time can have simultaneously more than one or two delusions.

Hallucinations

A profound distortion in a person’s perception of reality, typically accompanied by a powerful sense of reality. A hallucination may be a sensory experience in which a person can see, hear, smell, taste, or feel something that is not there.

The types of hallucinations include:

• An auditory hallucination is a hallucination involving the sense of hearing.
• A gustatory hallucination is a hallucination involving the sense of taste.

Visual hallucination is a hallucination involving the sense of sight.

• Tactile hallucination is a hallucination involving the sense of touch.
• Kinesthetic hallucination is a hallucination involving the sense of bodily movement.

Disorganized speech

A typical example arises from abnormal thought processes. A person engaging in disorganized speech might quickly jump from one unrelated topic to another, engage in incoherent “word salad,” repeat things another person says back to them, or appear to be speaking with nonexistent entities.

Grossly disorganized and catatonic behavior

Grossly disorganized. Behavior includes difficulty in goal-directed behavior (leading to difficulties in activities of daily living), unpredictable agitation or silliness, social disinhibition, or behaviors that are bizarre to onlookers.

Catatonic behavior. It may also result from certain medications and medical conditions. Catatonia is marked by a significant decrease in someone’s reactivity to their environment. This can involve stupor, mutism, negativism, or motor rigidity, and even purposeless excitement.

Negative symptoms. Negative symptoms, including lack of emotion, decreased joy or motivation, delayed speech, and difficulty beginning and sustaining activities, can be scary and extremely debilitating.

Is Schizophrenia Genetic?

Although it is considered that schizophrenia is a genetic disorder, in reality, genetics alone is not a determining factor for it. According to different research studies, about 70-80 percent of cases are due to biological and genetic dysfunctions. Hence, it can be said that genetics and environment both play a role in initiating the disorder. Moreover, some studies validate that environmental stressors coupled with genetic issues are a strong cause of schizophrenia. In short, schizophrenia is related to several kinds of genetic and environmental factors; it is a combination of different interrelated variables.

Schizophrenia drugs and medications

Along with psychotherapy, drug therapy is the preferred treatment for most patients who are suffering from psychotic conditions such as schizophrenia. For instance, chlorpromazine was considered the most effective drug for schizophrenia. Moreover, the newest generation of antipsychotics-atypical antipsychotics, has fewer side effects. These drugs affect both serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain, which are related to planning and goal-directed activity.

Recently, the FDA has approved a new drug called Cobenfy for adults with schizophrenia. Made by Bristol Myers Squibb, it’s the first treatment in over 30 years that works in a new way—by targeting different brain receptors (called cholinergic receptors) instead of the usual dopamine ones. Surely, this approval is a big step forward and could give new hope to people living with schizophrenia.

Treatment and management of schizophrenia

• Rapport building
• Psych education
• Relaxation technique–
• ABC analysis
• Cost-benefit analysis
• Cognitive behavior therapy
• Social tanning skills
• Distraction technique
• Family therapy
• Group session
• Medication