Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder. When schizophrenia is active, symptoms can include delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, trouble with thinking and lack of motivation. However, with treatment, most symptoms of schizophrenia will greatly improve and the likelihood of a recurrence can be diminished. The complexity of schizophrenia may help explain why there are misconceptions about the disease. Despite the origin of the word, from the Latin meaning "split mind," schizophrenia does not mean split personality or multiple personality. Most people with schizophrenia are not any more dangerous or violent than people in the general population and may, in fact, be more vulnerable to being the victims of crimes.

Symptoms

When the disease is active, it can be characterized by episodes in which the person is unable to distinguish between real and unreal experiences. As with any illness, the severity, duration and frequency of symptoms can vary; however, in persons with schizophrenia, the incidence of severe psychotic symptoms often decreases as the person becomes older. Not taking medications as prescribed, the use of alcohol or illicit drugs, and stressful situations tend to increase symptoms. Symptoms fall into three major categories:

Positive symptoms (those abnormally present): Hallucinations, such as hearing voices or seeing things that do not exist, paranoia and exaggerated or distorted perceptions, beliefs and behaviors.

Negative symptoms (those abnormally absent): Impaired emotional expression (affective flattening), decreased speech output (alogia), reduced desire to have social contact (asociality), reduced drive to initiate and persist in self-directed purposeful activities (avolition), and decreased experience of pleasure (anhedonia).

Disorganized symptoms: Confused and disordered thinking and speech, trouble with logical thinking, and sometimes bizarre behavior or abnormal movements.

Treatment

Symptoms of schizophrenia usually first appear in early adulthood and must persist for at least six months for a diagnosis to be made. Men often experience initial symptoms in their late teens or early 20s while women tend to show first signs of the illness in their 20s and early 30s. More subtle signs may be present earlier, including troubled relationships, poor school performance and reduced motivation.

Before a diagnosis can be made, however, a psychiatrist should conduct a thorough medical examination to rule out substance misuse or other neurological or medical illnesses whose symptoms may mimic schizophrenia.

Though there is no cure for schizophrenia, many patients under treatment do well with minimal symptoms. A variety of antipsychotic medications are effective in reducing the psychotic symptoms present in the acute phase of the illness, and they also help reduce the potential for future acute episodes and their severity. Psychological treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy or supportive psychotherapy may reduce symptoms and enhance function. Other treatments are aimed at reducing stress, supporting employment and improving social skills. Diagnosis and treatment can be complicated by substance misuse. People with schizophrenia are at greater risk of substance-related disorder than the general population. If a person shows signs of addiction, treatment for the addiction should occur along with treatment for schizophrenia. Treatment can help many people with schizophrenia lead highly productive and rewarding lives. As with other chronic illnesses, some patients do extremely well while others continue to be symptomatic and need support and assistance.

Best Doctors and Cost

When it comes to treatment for various psychological and psychiatric conditions including Schizophrenia, whether in adults or children Dr Rashmi Mishra at Palaash Hospital is one of the best. With vast experience in treatment and management of various mental disorders Dr Rashmi Mishra has created a stature for herself. Patients from all across Bihar, West Bengal and North East India come to her for treatment of various conditions including Schizophrenia. The best part about treatment of Dr Rashmi Mishra is that she will try and understand the root cause of the problem and try to address it through various counselling sessions. For her medications are just the support to quicken the treatment and make it more effective for the best results.

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