Schizophrenia
What is Schizophrenia ?
Schizophrenia is a serious mental health condition that affects how people think, feel, and behave. It may result in a mix of hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking and behavior. Hallucinations involve seeing things or hearing voices that aren’t observed by others. Delusions involve firm beliefs about things that are not true. People with schizophrenia can seem to lose touch with reality, which can make daily life very hard. People with schizophrenia need lifelong treatment. This includes medicine, talk therapy, and help in learning how to manage daily life activities.
Because many people with schizophrenia don’t know they have a mental health condition and may not believe they need treatment, many research studies have examined the results of untreated psychosis. People who have psychosis that is not treated often have more severe symptoms, more stays in a hospital, poorer thinking and processing skills, and social outcomes, injuries, and even death. On the other hand, early treatment often helps control symptoms before serious complications arise, thereby improving the long-term outlook.
Symptoms
- Delusions
- Hallucinations
- Disorganized speech and thinking
- Extremely disorganized or unusual motor behavior
- Negative symptoms
- Withdrawing from friends and family
- Not doing well in school
- Having trouble sleeping
- Feeling irritable or depressed
- Lacking motivation
Cause
It isn’t known what causes schizophrenia. But researchers believe that a mix of genetics, brain chemistry, and environment can play a part. Changes in certain naturally occurring brain chemicals, including neurotransmitters called dopamine and glutamate, may play a part in schizophrenia. Neuroimaging studies show changes in the brain structure and central nervous system of people with schizophrenia. While researchers haven’t yet been able to apply these findings to new treatments, the findings show that schizophrenia is a brain disease.
Risk Factors
Although the cause of schizophrenia is not known, these factors seem to make schizophrenia more likely: a family history of schizophrenia. Life experiences, such as living in poverty, stress, or danger. Some pregnancy and birth issues, such as not getting enough nutrition before or after birth, low birth weight, or exposure to toxins or viruses before birth that may affect brain development. Taking mind-altering — also called psychoactive or psychotropic — drugs as a teen or young adult.
When to see a Doctor
People with schizophrenia often don’t know that they have a mental condition that needs medical attention. As a result, family or friends often need to get them help.