Schizophrenia is a psychotic brain disorder that alters the way thinks and acts (Eleven Facts About Schizophrenia, n.d.). This long-term disorder is between the person’s thoughts, emotions, behavior, faulty perception, inappropriate actions or feelings, and withdrawal from friends and family. Schizophrenia may bring about a few mixtures of hallucinations, delusions, and extremely disordered thinking and behavior that empairs each day’s functioning and can be disabling. (Mayo Clinic, 2020). Schizophrenia is characterized by using thoughts or reviews that appear out of contact with reality, changing their speech or behavior, and decreased participation in everyday activities. Problems with concentration and memory may also be present (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.)
Schizophrenia is a severe chronic mental disorder that affects thinking, feeling, and behavior. They may seem like they lost touch with reality. Although Schizophrenia is not as common as other mental disorders, the symptoms can be very disabling (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.). This chronic mental disorder involves cognitive, behavioral, and emotional symptoms (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013).
German psychiatrist Emil Kraepelin was the first to distinguish the illness from other disorders. The oldest description of an illness that was closely related to Schizophrenia dates back to Egypt in 1550 BC. Back then, they thought this madness was an imbalance of the bodily senses and could be cured with treatments like certain diets, purgatives, and bloodletting. As time went on, they thought people were more in a mood disorder with depression. But today, Schizophrenia is better understood, and people have a better chance of living a normal life (Burton, 2012).
Specific occurrence estimates of Schizophrenia are tough to obtain because of clinical factors, along with the complexity and unknown parts of Schizophrenia, similarities with other disorders, and strategies for determining a diagnosis (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.). The lifetime prevalence is approximately 0.3% – 0.7%, with variations of race/ethnicity across countries and by geographic origin for immigrants and children of immigrants (APA, 2013). Studies that use household-based survey samples, medical diagnostic interviews, and scientific statistics estimate the prevalence of schizophrenia disorders inside the U.S. to range between 0.25% and 0.64%. The international occurrence of Schizophrenia among men and women is 0.33% to 0.75% (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.).
The symptoms of Schizophrenia tend to decrease over the life course due to normal age-related declines in dopamine activity. Some signs should continuously happen for at least six months for a positive diagnosis. Some symptoms include forms of hallucinations or delusions. They may have odd beliefs, unusual perceptual experiences, and speech may be vague. Mood symptoms and full mood episodes are common. The assessment of cognition, depression, and mania symptom domains is vital for making critically important distinctions between Schizophrenia and other disorders. They may have inappropriate effects, forms of depression, anxiety, anger, disturbed sleep patterns, and lack of interest in daily tasks (APA, 2013).
It is not known what causes Schizophrenia, but researchers believe that it is a combination of genetics, brain chemistry, and the environment (Mayo Clinic, 2020). Scientists have looked at the differences between people with and without Schizophrenia. People with Schizophrenia have spaces in their brains, ventricles, that are larger. They also have parts of their brain that deal with memory, and medial temporal lobes, which are much smaller. Finally, there were also fewer connections between brain cells. There isn’t a set answer on why people get this disorder, but some risk factors include an older father, problems with your immune system, taking mind-altering drugs as a teen, living in a low-income urban area, and also complications during pregnancy or birth. These complications can be things such as low birth weight, premature labor, lack of oxygen during birth, and exposure to toxins, bacteria, or viruses (Goldberg, 2018).
The effects of this disorder can be hard on the person with Schizophrenia but also on the loved ones around them. It can be difficult to know how to respond to someone who makes strange or clearly false statements. The best way to help your loved ones is to get them treatment and encourage them to stay in treatment. To also check if there are support groups in their area. Also, to remember what they are going through and feel on the inside, their hallucinations feel very real to them. To tell them that you acknowledge that everyone has the right to see things their own way is important. Finally, being respectful, supportive, and kind without tolerating dangerous or inappropriate behaviors (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.).
Because the causes of Schizophrenia are still unknown, treatments focus on eliminating the symptoms. Treatments include antipsychotics, psychosocial treatments, and coordinated specialty care. Antipsychotics are medications taken daily or can be injected once or twice a month. Many who take the drug have side effects right at the start but usually go away after a few days. Doctors and patients work together to find the right medication, medication combination, and right dosage. Psychosocial treatments, they are helpful after they find the right medication that works for them.
Getting to know and using coping abilities to address every day demanding situations of Schizophrenia helps people to pursue their lifestyle desires, like school and work. Those who take part in ordinary psychosocial remedies are much less in all likelihood to have relapsed or be hospitalized. Coordinated Speciality Care is a treatment that integrates medication, psychosocial treatment plans, family involvement, and supported education and employment services, all aimed toward lowering symptoms and improving quality of life. Many organizations are designed to reduce the probability of long-term disability that schizophrenic people frequently experience and live independent lives (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.).
To the journal source ¨ safety and Tolerability of Cariprazine in the long-term treatment of Schizophrenia,” Schizophrenia is a chronic disorder that needs constant treatment. This study was to see the long-term look of a drug called ¨cariprazine¨ in patients with Schizophrenia. They had patients with a 48-week-long trial with the drug. It had some side effects of insomnia and weight gain, with long-term treatment. With this longer treatment, they found out that this drug was generally safe with no concerns with long-term treatment. Long-term treatment for Schizophrenia still remains a challenge due to most of the patient relapsing. The risk of high relapse is due to the efficiency of medications, making them discontinued. Cariprazine is approved in the USA for Schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. The objective of the study was to see the long-term safety and sufficiency of cariprazine in adults with Schizophrenia. In conclusion, cariprazine supports most long-term patients with Schizophrenia for up to one year without any loss of efficiency (Durgam et al., 2017).
Schizophrenia does not have much information on why or how this disorder affects many. But, there are many interesting facts that many do not know. Schizophrenia will develop in 1% of the population, making 2.2 million Americans affected. There are five different types of Schizophrenia called paranoid Schizophrenia, disorganized Schizophrenia, catatonic Schizophrenia, undifferentiated Schizophrenia, and residual Schizophrenia. This disorder typically appears when a person is in their teens to early 20s. About 10% of people with Schizophrenia commit suicide and are more likely to have a drug or alcohol abuse problem. Most people prefer to be left alone and are not violent (Eleven Facts About Schizophrenia, n.d.).
There is no certain way to prevent Schizophrenia, but sticking with the treatment plan can help prevent relapses or worsening symptoms. In addition, researchers hope that gaining knowledge of the serious factors for Schizophrenia may lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment.
