Schizophrenia

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Schizophrenia is a severe brain disorder, affecting the sufferer's ability to think clearly and decipher fantasy from reality. The disorder may develop gradually and it may therefore take a while for the individual, or their family, to realise anything is wrong. Coping with the symptoms of this disorder can be especially tough for the family members who remember how the person was before they became ill. The disorder seems to develop at an earlier age in men (late teens to early twenties) than women, who are generally affected in their twenties to early thirties.

Most people suffer either chronically or episodically from the disorder throughout their lives, enduring terrifying symptoms such as hearing voices that others cannot hear and believing others are plotting against them and reading their thoughts. It is a common assumption that Schizophrenia means 'split personality', however this is incorrect. The term Schizophrenia was actually introduced by a Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler and stands for 'split mind' in Greek. Bleuler wanted to convey the split of the personality from reality, and not the split into two personalities.

However, much stigma now surrounds the term Schizophrenia and these misconceptions have lead to much confusion and misunderstanding. Schizophrenia is not well understood and is greatly feared. Media publicity highlighting images of frightening behaviour and violence has lead to the stereotyping of schizophrenics, yet research has shown that schizophrenics are not especially prone to violence, unless they possessed this characteristic prior to becoming ill.

The stigma attached to the disorder makes it hard to handle and families often try to hide the illness, fearing they are to blame for it. Research shows how families agreed that blame was a huge barrier to seeking or receiving help. Schizophrenia is not caused by bad parenting or personal weakness. The World Health Organisation identified schizophrenia as one of the ten most debilitating disorders affecting human beings.

One symptom does not identify schizophrenia, all of the symptoms of this disorder can also be found in other brain disorders. Thus at times it is difficult to tell one mental disorder apart from another. However, a doctor will assess all the symptoms, the sufferer's history and the course of the illness of a six month period to determine a diagnosis.

Symptoms:

Psychiatrists usually divide the symptoms of schizophrenia into two categories: positive and negative. Positive symptoms denote those symptoms that are present, but should be absent and negative symptoms denote those symptoms that are absent but should be present.

Positive symptoms ('psychotic' symptoms)

Hallucinations are a frequent symptom, whereby the sufferer may see visions that are not real or hear voices that nobody else can hear. Hearing voices is the most common form of hallucination and the voice could issue orders to the individual, carry on a conversation or warn of any danger.

Delusions are beliefs held despite obvious evidence that they are not real, and are also a common symptom. Delusions cause the individual to believe that people are plotting against them, reading their thoughts and secretly monitoring them.

Sufferers also have trouble processing and organising their thoughts, which usually means that the individual's speech, emotions and behaviour become confusing and incoherent. The sufferer may move more slowly and make movements such as walking in circles. The individual may also find they don't know who they are and lose their sense of self.

Negative Symptoms:

Flatness or lack of expression is a common negative symptom of schizophrenia. Expressions may be limited and the individual may seem as though they don't feel or show any emotion, however this does not mean emotions are not felt on the inside.

A lack of motivation or interest in life is also a symptom, but commonly gets confused with laziness. The sufferer will have little energy and therefore will not be able to do much.

Feelings of despair and depression may also follow, as the individual perceives the future to be hopeless.

Social withdrawal is also a negative symptom, as the individual finds it is easier to be alone.

Early warning signs:

Difficulty concentrating, suspision, fearfulness, unusual emotional reactions, isolation and withdrawal, difficulty sleeping, lack of social relationships, lack of personal hygiene, gazing, staring, difference in words or language structure, unordinary behaviour.

This list is not exhaustive and none of these symptoms alone constitute the disorder. However, if several signs are present and behaviour has changed and persisted over a few weeks then proffessional advice should be sought.

Causes:

Causes of Schizophrenia are still not known. However research is continuing and scientists have found that brains of people with Schizophrenia differ, as a whole, from the brains of people without the disorder. These differences are quite subtle and are not characteristic of all people with Schizophrenia, nor do they appear only in those with Schizophrenia. Thus further research is crucial to develop our understanding of the disorder.

As with many other medical illnesses, the result of genetic, environmental and behavioural factors are also thought to play a role in the cause of Schizophrenia.

Treatment:

Although there is currently no known cure, anti-psychotic medication and psychotherapy are used to control and manage the positive symptoms of Schizophrenia. Full recovery may occur but should not be expected, as most people with schizophrenia continue to suffer with some symptoms throughout their lives. However, some people do just get better on their own.

The National Institute for Clinical Practice (NICE) has produced guidelines for treating and managing schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia Statistics:  More Statistics >>

Most studies show a lifetime prevalence for schizophrenia of just under 1 per cent, and prevalence rates of between 2-4 per 1,000 of the population (0.2 – 0.4 per cent) at any one time. [25] While prevalence rates are the same for men and women, age and gender together is an important factor: one study shows incidence for men aged 15-24 is twice that for women, whereas for those between 24-35, it is higher among women. This reflects a common late onset of the illness for women. [26]    (Statistics from Mind.org.uk)

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