Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that affects over 50 million people worldwide (nearly twice as many as people with Alzheimer’s in the US alone), many of whom are unaware of the severity of their illness. Schizophrenia can interrupt ones daily functions and processes, making an ordinary lifestyle extremely difficult. In addition, those with schizophrenia often suffer from additional mental disorders such as depression or anxiety, and are often more at risk for health risks and suicide. As such, schizophrenia can be an extremely severe and dangerous condition, if left untreated.
Explanation- Schizophrenia affects a person’s cognitive faculties, resulting in an impairment in perception, thinking, and emotive responses.
This often makes it difficult to differentiate between reality and unreal experiences, to exhibit logical reasoning and emotional identification, and to behave normally in social situations. Schizophrenia typically begins before the age of 45, and it manifests itself progressively over a period of up to 6 months before seriously affecting social and cognitive abilities. Though it occurs in equal rates for both sexes, it has been observed to typically begin at a later age for women than men.
Causes- The exact causes of schizophrenia are unknown, though the leading theories attribute it to a combination of genetic predispositions and a series of environmental conditioning and external stresses that trigger the onset. Complications during birth and development can lead to schizophrenic behavior, as can psychological and social factors in early life.
Brain imaging technology has displayed that dysfunctions in brain activity by those with schizophrenia tends to occur in the frontal and temporal lobes and the hippocampus. The function of dopamine receptors are thought to be particularly responsible in the development. As such drugs like amphetamines that trigger a release of dopamine are especially harmful, and thought to exacerbate the onset of schizophrenia.
Living in urban environments has been shown to increase risk for schizophrenia, as has social disadvantage like poverty, racial discrimination, family dysfunction, and unemployment.
Substance abuse is closely linked to schizophrenia, though a causal relationship has yet to be determined. It is often considered that while overuse of certain substances can lead to the development of schizophrenia, so too can schizophrenic behavior manifest itself in an inclination towards drugs use. The frequent use of cannabis had been previously thought to enhance the onset of schizophrenia, though recent studies indicate that countries displaying an increase in cannabis usage are showing no increase in corresponding schizophrenia. While the verdict is still out on the types of drugs and doses necessary to illicit such a response, it is ultimately dependent on each individual and their own predispositions.
Types: Schizophrenia is classified under five distinct types, based on the predominant characteristics and symptoms exhibited at a given time (though this is ultimately subjective and can vary over time).
- Paranoid schizophrenia is characterized by the presence of auditory hallucinations and delusional thoughts, typically centering around conspiracies and persecution, though those suffering from this tend to be far more socially functioning than the other forms, due to the late manifestation of these symptoms.
- Disorganized schizophrenia causes impairments in daily activities and thought processes, making routine tasks and speech difficult, and causing emotional instability.
- Catatonic schizophrenia involves dysfunctions in mobility, often resulting in the cessation of bodily movements for extended periods of time, or the contorting of facial and bodily positions.
- Undifferentiated schizophrenia refers to a person exhibiting behaviors that are not easily classified into one of the above categories.
- Residual schizophrenia is when one displays diminished symptoms from the acute phases.
Symptoms- Diagnosing schizophrenia is based on the patients observed behaviors and reported experiences, which can often indicate a break from normal cognition. Schizophrenia often manifests itself in a series of auditory hallucinations, paranoia, delusions, and a disorganization of patterns of speech and thought.
Schizophrenia can begin with mild symptoms such as feelings of tenseness, irritability, insomnia, trouble concentrating, and feelings of isolation and lack of social skills. As it progresses however, the symptoms of psychosis begin to manifest themselves. This can include a lack of emotion and motor behavior, false beliefs about reality, hallucinations (auditory or visual), and disorganization of thoughts. Depending on the type of schizophrenia, these can then escalate into a complete social withdrawal, delusional behavior, inability to take care of personal needs, repetitive behavior, anxiety and aggression, and utter incoherence.
If left untreated, some schizophrenic behavior can lead to displaying violent and suicidal behavior, making it a potential threat for society, as well as for those afflicted. (The United States and Australia are two of the few countries that can legally enforce administration of antipsychotic medication upon those with schizophrenia.)
Treatments- A new class of antipsychotic medication works to alleviate symptoms of schizophrenia by blocking dopamine function, a chemical released by the brain as a neurotransmitter that also regulates responses by the sympathetic nervous system. Many newer medications are preferable for initial treatmnent, though they can be more expensive lead to unpleasant side effects such as obesity and associated risks.
Medication is typically used in conjunction with individual therapies and family-based interventions/ education.
Electroconvulsive therapy can also be prescribed in extreme cases (typically for catatonic schizophrenia), usually after other methods have failed.
Regular exercise can also have a beneficial effect on controlling both the physical and mental symptoms of schizophrenia.
Comments
divineadvancedhumanbeings.com
May 29th, 2011 - 1:34:29 PM
Information we all need to know about Schizophrenia… especially if you have friends or loved ones dealing with this… please read: Schizophrenia: Telepathic Communications Before one can understand this machine we call consciousness, one must be prepared to accept new concepts. Telepathic communication is a lot like being on the internet; if you are chatting with a group of people on the internet, you will often not know those who you are talking with. The internet is a great place for someone to portray themselves falsely. When our guides talk to us, they use a highly sophisticated “other dimensional radio”. All of us on the earth have a computer address which is just like an “IP Address” for those of us who understand a little about computer terminology. This address is considered sacred and given only to those who are authorized to have it (our guides), those who are authorized to speak to a specific person on the earth. However, just like on the earth, there are those “out there” who are willing to commit crimes for one reason or another. It is important for those who work in the field of human behavior including the religious and scientific communities, to understand what is truly occurring in order to put an end to it. When we can move beyond our primitive beliefs and theories in both science and religion and see these disorders for what they truly are, then they can be confronted by the scientists, the priests and those afflicted in an intelligent and effective manner. To read article in its entirety, please visit website and read article… THE NAME OF THE DEMON, Schizophrenia-Demonic Possession-Exorcism http://www.divineadvancedhumanbeings.com/the-name-of-the-demon-schizophrenia-demonic-possession-exorcism/
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OnewithTroubles
July 10th, 2011 - 12:24:26 PM
I have full sensory hallucinations (Episodes). Some times they only affect one sense, some times all, and some times just a couple of them. I was diagnosed schizophrenic, then told that was wrong. Have been told that it is depression based, been told it could be bi-polar disorder. I am a 27 year old male who is a father and a husband. I have had these hallucinations since as long as I can remember. (The furthest back I can remember having an Episode is 2nd grade.) I work for a living and have a relatively descent IQ (157)I am a very logical person. I have trained myself to find minor details that are off or wrong, with in my hallucinations so I can differentiate between them and reality. I suffer from major depression. I just want a straight answer to what is wrong with me. Antipsychotic medication doesn't seem to work. I.E. Abilify, seroquil. If anyone can relate or can tell me wjat this is please reply or email me at jeffrydhall@gmail.com
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Eamon Kane
October 27th, 2011 - 8:09:08 PM
I have not had issue with treatment of my diagnosed paranoid schizophrenia since I have declined to follow medical protocol and instead have redefined what I EXPERIENCE. Cognitive Behavior Therapy has been highly instrumental in changing the symptoms, or more correctly how I process them. In the past, I used to recoil from the sight of pennies as they represented a long history of monitoring by higher intelligence beings who placed these seemingly regular coins in the most unusual and unexpected discoverable spaces. When agitated or anxious their presence did and still does increase. I equated their presence with warnings of my imminent recall by these beings to an amorphous locale where I would be reformatted for my next incarnation. I used to work myself into a frenzy and looked frantically about me to detect which individuals were also not what they appeared to be. Some were obviously robotic replacements for the people I used to know. I knew I was being monitored and measured. I have converted that perception - and I believe that my schizphrenia is largely a disease of perception albeit with physical roots in the misfiring of my neurotransmitters and a chemical disarray that disallows normal processing-- converted the perception into the pennies as messages from a higher power that has sent these copper touchstones to realign my consciousness with that of God's will in my life. I recently retired from a very successful career in education in which I was high functional and performed analytical and comprehensive tasks with ease and proficiency. I related well to students and fellow faculty and administrators(for the most part). That was when everything went well...After the workday, my world became the haunting ground of voices, hallucinations, and an invitation to navigate an avenue of self medication: social drinking dissolved into black out drinking; occasional marijuana use became nightly chain smoking of pipes and joints. Weekends became an amalgamation of the two, resulting in depression, alienation, and years of suicidal ideations accompanied by a chorus of voices that laughed, screamed, cried, whispered, and muttered clear directives for self-destruction or indistinct syllables seemingly from some inscrutable language, perhaps that of the monitors. Faces appeared in furniture, table tops, curtains and plants and rocks in natural environments. Swimming with creatures that accompanied me in my home pool frequently led me to retreat from the water in terror. Ironically, the same act of swimming and other exercise also relieved me of my plague of voices and hallucinations. Conversely, drugs and alcohol exacerbated all the symptoms. I was a victim of childhood sexual abuse by my mother, an unusual series of events, whose memory is imprinted upon my mind and seems inextricably linked with the continuing hallucinations I have when I shower, or especially when I bath. I hold the most puzzling of these to be the freezing of my image in the mirror when I turn away, or conversely the turning away of the image when I remain stationary. I change visually, or hallucinate that I do. My face can change dramatically when I gaze into a mirror, a symptom that others have commented upon in real world experiences, giving me reason to believe the reality of the metamorphosis. All of this is descriptive of the symptoms ...I still wonder about the center of it all I no longer drink or self-medicate. I am not using any prescribed drugs:Seroquel, Abilify, Haldol, Prolixin, Stelazine.............In my mind, these are the counterpoints to the pennies .... I would very much value discourse with fellow schizophrenics and invite any of you who care to do so to contact me at eamon@cox.net. I also would welcome the opportunity to become part of any study of high functioning schizophrenics, for that is what I am. A schizophrenic nonetheless. Peace.
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