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Definition
Schizophrenia is considered a severe brain disorder
characterized by people not perceiving reality correctly.
Includes a combination of hallucinations, delusions, and
disordered thinking and behavior.
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Symptoms
Schizophrenia is usually diagnosed in the 20’s.
Common symptoms include:
Delusions: false beliefs not based on reality
Hallucinations: Hearing or seeing things that don’t exist.
Disordered thinking: communications seems impaired and
sometimes they are hard to understand.
Abnormal Motor Behavior: characterized by random agitation or
childlike silliness.
Negative Symptoms: Refers to the lack of ability to function
normally.
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Symptoms in Teen
Schizophrenia is not diagnosed until adulthood, but the
following symptoms are associated with teen who will later
develop the disease:
Withdrawal
Lack in school performance
Trouble sleeping
Irritability
Depression
Lack of motivation
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Causes
Schizophrenia is a disease that no one knows a lot about, so
the cause is unknown.
Doctors and scientists believe that is is a combination of
genetic issues and environmental contributions.
Problems with brain chemicals such as dopamine and
glutamate, may contribute to the development of
schizophrenia.
Considered a brain disease.
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Risk Factors
Factors that are though to increase a person’s chances of
schizophrenia include:
Exposure to toxins while in the womb
Older aged parents
Having a family history of schizophrenia.
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Complications
Schizophrenia is an extremely dangerous disease, especially
when left untreated. Schizophrenia can bring upon the
following issues:
Suicide
Poverty
Homelessness
Social isolation
Aggressive behavior
Self- harm
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Tests and Diagnosis
A person much have two or more of the following symptoms
lasting more than 6 months to be officially diagnosed:
Delusions
Disorganized speech
Hallucinations
Disorganized behavior
Negative symptoms
Catatonic behavior
At least one of the symptoms must be delusions, hallucinations, or
disorganized speech.
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Treatment and Drugs
Life long treatment is required.
Medications to help schizophrenia
have a tendency to have major side
effects, so they are avoided at all
costs.
Antipsychotic drugs are the most
commonly prescribed drugs for
schizophrenia.
Psychosocial interventions such as
individual therapy, social skills
training, family therapy, and
vocational rehabilitations and
supported employment.
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Coping and Support
Suggestions for coping include the following:
Learn about schizophrenia
Set goals
Learn relaxations and manage stress
Join support groups
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Prevention
Because there are still many mysteries surrounding
schizophrenia, there is not way to prevent it.
Early treatment is key to making sure the symptoms don’t get
out of hand.
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A Schizophrenic Brain
The photo on the left is a well twin ad the photo on the right is a schizophrenic twin
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Types of Schizophrenia
Paranoid Schizophrenia
Most common type
Presence of auditory
hallucinations or delusions
about persecution
Generally, people diagnosed
with this type don not appear
abnormal, because their
symptoms are not always
present.
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Types of Schizophrenia
Disorganized Subtype
Main feature is the disorganization of thought processes.
Hallucinations and delusions may still be present, but are not as
common.
Emotionally unstable
Issues communicating
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Types of Schizophrenia
Catatonic Schizophrenia
Dramatic reductions in activity
Some states of catatonic excitement
can occur where activity increases
They may maintain a pose that
someone puts them in
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Types of Schizophrenia
Residual Type:
A patient no longer displays any of the main symptoms.
Undifferentiated Schizophrenia:
Patients that do not have specific enough symptoms to diagnose
them with any of the other types of schizophrenia are diagnose
with this.
