Schizophrenia is a diagnosis that describes a psychiatric illness characterized by impairments in the perception or expression of reality, most commonly manifesting as auditory hallucinations, paranoid delusions, or disorganized talking and thinking in the context of significant social or occupational dysfunction. The onset of schizophrenia symptoms mainly occurs in young adulthood.
What is Schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is a mental illness that may be caused by abnormal amounts of specific chemicals in the brain. The chemicals are called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters command our thought processes and emotions. Schizophrenia is a group of chronic brain disorders in which reality is interpreted adversely. Schizophrenia differs in hallucinations, delusions, and disordered thinking. Humans with schizophrenia withdraw from society and activities in the world around them, retreating into an inner-world marked by psychosis.
The disorder of schizophrenia is usually diagnosed in people ages 17-35 years. The prognosis of symptoms is typically observed earlier in men (late teens or early twenties) than in women (generally affected in the twenties to early thirties). Some individuals may be so incapacitated that they are unable to do activities most people take for granted, such as showering or preparing a meal. With current antipsychotic medication, however, the future prognosis for some individuals means that they can recover enough to live a life relatively free from help.
Environmental factors are merely speculative and may include complications during pregnancy and birth. Research has shown that the prognosis of children whose mothers contracted the flu during their last trimester are at bigger risk for developing schizophrenia, although other studies are less clear.
Physical Symptoms of Schizophrenia
- A blank, vacant facial expression.
- Inability to smile or express emotion through the face
- Overly acute senses- lights are too bright and sounds are too loud
- Staring, while in deep thought
- Infrequent blinking
- Clumsy motor skills
- Insomnia or excessive sleeping
- Facial dyskinesias
- Parkinsonian type symptoms- rigidity, tremor, jerking arm movements, or involuntary movements of the limbs
- An awkward walk
- Eye movements
- Unusual gestures or postures
- Movement is sped up
- Movement is slowed down
Genetic factors appear to conduct a role, as people who have family members with schizophrenia have a liklier prognosis of developing the disorder themselves. Studies believe that events in a persons environment may trigger schizophrenia. For example, problems during intrauterine development and birth may advance the chance for developing schizophrenia later in life.
Humans with schizophrenia describe strange or unrealistic thoughts. In many instances, their talk is hard to follow due to disordered thoughts. Common forms of thought disorder include speaking in circles around the issue, and moving from one topic to another where the logical connection is visible, but not relevant to the issue at hand.
Schizophrenia is a livelong brain disorder. Humans who have it may hear voices, see things that aren't there or believe that other people are controlling their minds. In males, schizophrenia symptoms usually start in the late teen's and early 20's which include hallucinations, and delusions such voices.
Schizophrenia Treatment
Schizophrenia can be treated with schizophrenia medication in the form of tablets or long-acting injections. Psychotherapy usually accompanies the medication. Counseling may be offered to the person with schizophrenia and their family. Brain scanning, especially MRI scanning, has provided a far greater knowledge of the condition and led to the development of anti-psychotic schizophrenia medication and therapy. Overall, Schizophrenia Treatment must not be taken lightly. If you know someone who may possible have Schizophrenia, they should seek the proper treatment as soon as possible.
