What is Schizophrenia?
What is Schizophrenia? - Schizophrenia is a disease that society as a disease called mad or crazy. The brain disorder causes changes in thinking and behavior because it can not distinguish between fantasy and reality.
The disease usually begins at age 15 to 30 years. The risk of developing schizophrenia nearly one percent of the overall population. More men are affected by this disease than women.
Cause of schizophrenia is unknown to date. From various studies, patients with schizophrenia are known to have abnormalities in brain structure-for example, an enlarged fluid-filled cavities of the brain (ventricles) and shrinkage of the brain-specific or brain dysfunction-such as decreased metabolic activity in certain brain regions.
Hereditary factors greatly contribute to a person's risk of schizophrenia. The risk increases if there are relatives who have it. The closer your relatives, the greater the risk. If your grandfather had the disease, your risk is about three percent. If one of your parents have it, your risk of approximately 10 percent. If both of your parents or your identical twin has it, you risk about 40 to 50 percent.
There susceptible genes that are known to increase the risk of developing schizophrenia. Most of the genes also increase the risk for other mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder (manic-depressive). Conversely, there are other genes that provide protection against mental disorders. Until now we do not know why they increase or decrease the risk.
However, genes do not explain everything. There are cases where only one of two monozygotic twins (who have identical genomes) are affected by this disease. Environmental conditions also seem to play an important role for the development of schizophrenia. There are so many environmental factors that may come into play, for example, complications during pregnancy or childbirth, infections during pregnancy, place of residence (urban vs. rural), drug use, etc.
Symptom
To diagnose schizophrenia, a psychiatrist for two or more of the following symptoms: delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, grossly disorganized behavior, catatonic behavior (no movement at all), emotion (compared to normal), difficulty speaking, or lack of purposeful behavior (trouble getting things to do). Diagnosis is made through interviews and observation patients. Because other problems can cause similar symptoms, psychiatric problems that persist for six months or more before they diagnose schizophrenia. Various medical examination may also be done to eliminate other causes.
What can you do?
If you have the disease, you probably do not realize that you are sick and need treatment. Role of the family is very important to be aware of the presence of this disease. Often, at this advanced stage patients should receive treatment that requires detention to protect patients and the environment.
Schizophrenia is very devastating for patients and their families. School life and work can be greatly affected by it. Nearly 10 percent of patients with schizophrenia commit suicide. However, you can learn to understand and cope with the symptoms so it can help if you have relatives who have it.
Treatment of schizophrenia consist of three types:
Antipsychotic drugs: antipsychotic drugs over the years has become the most important part of the treatment of schizophrenia. This drug inhibits the action of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain. Schizophrenia is thought to result from an overactive dopamine production in the brain. This increase in dopamine activity occurs periodically and only in some brain regions. In other areas of the brain dopamine activity may actually be too low. All antipsychotic medications have significant side effects and should be given extra care.
The disease usually begins at age 15 to 30 years. The risk of developing schizophrenia nearly one percent of the overall population. More men are affected by this disease than women.
Cause of schizophrenia is unknown to date. From various studies, patients with schizophrenia are known to have abnormalities in brain structure-for example, an enlarged fluid-filled cavities of the brain (ventricles) and shrinkage of the brain-specific or brain dysfunction-such as decreased metabolic activity in certain brain regions.
Hereditary factors greatly contribute to a person's risk of schizophrenia. The risk increases if there are relatives who have it. The closer your relatives, the greater the risk. If your grandfather had the disease, your risk is about three percent. If one of your parents have it, your risk of approximately 10 percent. If both of your parents or your identical twin has it, you risk about 40 to 50 percent.
There susceptible genes that are known to increase the risk of developing schizophrenia. Most of the genes also increase the risk for other mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder (manic-depressive). Conversely, there are other genes that provide protection against mental disorders. Until now we do not know why they increase or decrease the risk.
However, genes do not explain everything. There are cases where only one of two monozygotic twins (who have identical genomes) are affected by this disease. Environmental conditions also seem to play an important role for the development of schizophrenia. There are so many environmental factors that may come into play, for example, complications during pregnancy or childbirth, infections during pregnancy, place of residence (urban vs. rural), drug use, etc.
Symptom
To diagnose schizophrenia, a psychiatrist for two or more of the following symptoms: delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, grossly disorganized behavior, catatonic behavior (no movement at all), emotion (compared to normal), difficulty speaking, or lack of purposeful behavior (trouble getting things to do). Diagnosis is made through interviews and observation patients. Because other problems can cause similar symptoms, psychiatric problems that persist for six months or more before they diagnose schizophrenia. Various medical examination may also be done to eliminate other causes.
What can you do?
If you have the disease, you probably do not realize that you are sick and need treatment. Role of the family is very important to be aware of the presence of this disease. Often, at this advanced stage patients should receive treatment that requires detention to protect patients and the environment.
Schizophrenia is very devastating for patients and their families. School life and work can be greatly affected by it. Nearly 10 percent of patients with schizophrenia commit suicide. However, you can learn to understand and cope with the symptoms so it can help if you have relatives who have it.
Treatment of schizophrenia consist of three types:
Antipsychotic drugs: antipsychotic drugs over the years has become the most important part of the treatment of schizophrenia. This drug inhibits the action of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain. Schizophrenia is thought to result from an overactive dopamine production in the brain. This increase in dopamine activity occurs periodically and only in some brain regions. In other areas of the brain dopamine activity may actually be too low. All antipsychotic medications have significant side effects and should be given extra care.
Guidance Therapy: This form of treatment is aimed at increasing self-esteem, self-understanding, control of symptoms, improvement initiatives and decrease loneliness. Therapy can also be very important guidance to motivate patients to continue treatment. Family involvement, especially at the beginning of the disease is crucial to the success of this therapy.
Psychiatric social action: Training skills in social activities, real work, cognitive skills and education about mental illness and its symptoms. This therapy is essential to build and train social skills and understanding of the disease. This can be done in a shelter that provides facilities and suitable accommodation.
Future prospects
Schizophrenia is usually a long-term illness or a lifetime, but relapse may only occasionally. Most patients develop a severe condition and can not be cured. Others recover. Drugs do not make patients so healthy, but shorten and reduce the severity of recurrence. Early efforts to reduce the disease process is helpful to avoid some of the social consequences.
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Alternative Treatment,
Deseases,
Diseases
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