Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia. Psychological disorders are a pattern of irregular thoughts and behaviors which impede a person’s ability to live a healthy life. Schizophrenia is an example of a mental disorder that involves abnormal thoughts, feelings, and behavior (Tamminga and Medoff 339). It is a severe condition that lasts for at least six months. People with this condition often sense unreal things. For instance, the person might hear sounds which no one else can hear or wrongly imagine that there are people out to harm them. Ordinary people experience such situations in dreams. Though Schizophrenia is not the most common psychological disorder, it affects a significant number of people. The disorder can bring suffering and harm to the victims and those around them. Nevertheless, the good news is that with proper research and treatment, Schizophrenia can be controlled.
There is a lot of misinformation about Schizophrenia in the media. Maybe it is because scientists have not come up with indisputable facts about the disorder. Furthermore, the severity of the disease means that it becomes almost impossible for Schizophrenic people to carry out their daily activities or interact with other people (Bota, Fraser, and Groysman 17-8). That is why I choose to focus on Schizophrenia. This paper will lay facts about Schizophrenia bare. It aims to educate about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of Schizophrenia. The author hopes that the article will help improve the outlook of Schizophrenic people.

Prevalence and Incidence
The rates of Schizophrenia differ from country to country. They range between 0.5- 1 %. In America, Schizophrenia affects about 1% of the population. It primarily affects persons between the age of 10 and 40. It is very rare in children below the age of 10 and adults above the age of 40. The incidence rate of Schizophrenia is one person in 4000 (Tamminga and Medoff 340-2). This means that for every 4000 people, one is diagnosed with Schizophrenia every year.
Diagnosis
The debate around Schizophrenia has been going on for a long time. Some people argue that it is not a single condition but a combination of disorder which overlap. Nevertheless, I believe it is more important to focus on controlling the symptoms rather than what the disorder is called.
Positive Symptoms
People exhibit different symptoms depending on the severity of the condition. The primary symptoms are discussed below. Positive traits are the behaviors that healthy people do not display. These symptoms can be long-term or short-term. They also vary in severity. In fact, in some people, they are hardly noticeable. The symptoms include:
Hallucinations; these are sensory experiences that occur without a stimulus. The most common type of hallucination in Schizophrenic people is hearing voices which are not there. People with Schizophrenia hear false external and internal voices commanding them to do something and warning them about an impending danger (Andreasen et al. 115). Seeing things which do not exist is also common.
Delusions; people with Schizophrenia tend to believe weird things. The beliefs persist even if the person is given irrefutable evidence that the views they are holding are wrong.
Thought disorders; this is a condition where a person’s thoughts are disorganized. Such a person’s ideas cannot flow logically (Andreasen et al. 149). They therefore utter things that do not make sense. People with thought disorders often stop speaking abruptly in the middle of a conversion.
Movement disorders; they can show in the form of animated movements. For example, the person might move a part of the body repeatedly and aggressively. Catatonia is another possible movement disorder. This is a condition where a person neither moves nor responds to other people.
Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms are hard to identify. It is so because these symptoms are also common in ordinary people, or are associated with other conditions such as depression. Negative symptoms are linked to the disruption of a person’s normal emotions. The most common negative symptom is the inability to express emotions through speaking or facial expressions (Andreasen et al. 35). The person might reduce speaking or speak with a dull voice. They also show minimal excitement or sadness. People with Schizophrenia avoid pleasurable activities or show no emotions when they engage in them. Furthermore, they might have trouble with sustaining activities.
Cognitive Symptoms
These are symptoms associated with learning and comprehension. They are the most difficult symptoms to notice. Most of the times, they are only noticeable when clinical tests are carried out. Cognitive symptoms in people with Schizophrenia include trouble with paying attention, difficulty in making decisions, lack of motivation, and hesitation to use information after acquiring it (Bota, Fraser, and Groysman 16).
Social Functioning Symptoms
People who have Schizophrenia might exhibit irregular social functioning. For example, they might have problems making friendships and interacting with other people. Social functioning has been used to diagnose Schizophrenia. However, social functioning cannot be used independently. A person’s behavior is often a result of personality and negative symptoms of Schizophrenia. For example, a person who rarely shows emotion might naturally feel isolated from other people. Multiple studies have been carried out to establish the relationship between social functioning and negative symptoms of Schizophrenia. Recent research by the National Center for Biotechnology Information revealed that negative symptoms of Schizophrenia could have up to 28% influence on a person’s social functioning (Robertson et al. 136).
Effects of Schizophrenia on Social Life
Schizophrenia has disruptive effects on a person’s life. Depending on the severity, it can lead to disruption of studies and work. People with Schizophrenia rarely harm those around them. However, they can be violent if drug abuse causes the Schizophrenia.
The positive and negative symptoms make it hard for the those who have Schizophrenia to create and maintain relationships. Considering that Schizophrenic people exhibit emotional disorders, they often stay in isolation (Bota, Fraser, and Groysman 105-6). They also have a higher chance of attempting suicide. Other people’s treatment of Schizophrenic people is also a reason they find it hard to maintain relationships. Some people tend to avoid Schizophrenic people due to their unpredictable behavior. Furthermore, some symptoms of Schizophrenia such as cognitive symptoms may make other people develop a bad attitude towards them. They might view them as lazy and careless. This leads to tensions and troubled relationships.
Causes of Schizophrenia
Both genetic and environmental factors cause schizophrenia. Ten percent of people who have a Schizophrenic first-degree relative also develop Schizophrenia. Furthermore, the identical twin of a Schizophrenic person has a 40-65% probability of developing the disorder. This shows that there is a relationship between Schizophrenia and genetics (Bota, Fraser, and Groysman 17). Environmental factors that increase the risk of developing Schizophrenia include drug abuse, malnutrition, and exposure to viruses.
Scientists also list the chemistry of the brain as a possible cause of Schizophrenia. Brain cells send information through substances called neurotransmitters. Scientists suspect that complex chemical reactions in the brain interfere with the functioning of the neurotransmitters. That impairs the exchange of information in the brain leading to Schizophrenia (Tamminga and Medoff 345). Brain development is also linked to Schizophrenia. Scientists suggest that abnormal brain development might take place before birth leading to poor connections in the brain. They further suggest that the massive brain development that occurs during puberty is what triggers the symptoms of Schizophrenia.
How Schizophrenia Affects the Brain
It is not clear how Schizophrenia affects the brain, or what activities in the brain lead to Schizophrenia. Most scientists agree that it is caused by a breakdown in information transmission in the neural system. Medical examination has shown that the brain of Schizophrenic person has larger cavities than those of healthy people (Tamminga and Medoff 344). They also have less activity and gray matter. These observations are not used to diagnose Schizophrenia. This is because the differences are rarely significant enough.
Why More Research Is Needed
Though the research on Schizophrenia has made giant steps, there is still a lot to be done. To develop an effective treatment for any condition, it is essential first to understand the causes. Unfortunately, details about the real causes of Schizophrenia are still scanty. In fact, people are still arguing if Schizophrenia is a single disorder or a combination of several conditions. Though it is evident that genetics cause Schizophrenia, it is not yet clear which combination of genes are responsible (Bota, Fraser, and Groysman 238). This makes it hard to predict whether a person will develop Schizophrenia. The cause of Schizophrenia is one area that requires extensive research.
Treatment for Schizophrenia
As earlier stated, it is almost impossible to treat a condition without knowing its causes. The causes of Schizophrenia are not apparent. With that said, most of the treatments focus on suppressing the symptoms of the disorder. The principal treatment methods for Schizophrenia are discussed below.
Medication
Antipsychotic drugs may be administered to Schizophrenic people to repress the positive symptoms. The downside of medication is that some people do not respond to the drugs (Bota, Fraser, and Groysman 19). Moreover, they might come with side effects such as nausea and blurred vision.
Psychosocial Treatments
This method is mainly applied to people with mild Schizophrenia or those whose condition has already stabilized. It involves educating the patients to understand the disorder and acquire life skills which counter the symptoms. For example, the patients may be taught communication skills, how to deal with depression, and maintaining friends. Schizophrenic people can take care of themselves when they are equipped with proper information about the disorder.
Rehabilitation
This involves vocational training to enable the patient to go on with their healthy lives. Schizophrenia often develops during the productive age. This disrupts the patient’s education or work. To ensure that the patient’s career is not affected, this form of therapy is applied. Skills taught during rehabilitation include soft skills, career development, and financial management.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
This form of therapy teaches patients how to take control of their thoughts and make sound judgments. The aim is to eliminate the erratic behavior and feelings. This reduces the risk of deterioration.
Help for People with Schizophrenia
The best help that healthy people can offer people with Schizophrenia is to understand their condition, love them, and supports them. Isolating them worsens their situation, and brings about suicidal thoughts. Family and friends should maintain positive communication with Schizophrenic people (Robertson et al. 145). Furthermore, they can include them in their self-help groups to make them feel connected. Lastly, upon noticing symptoms of Schizophrenia in another person, one should help them acquire medical attention.
Conclusion
The treatment for Schizophrenia has improved tremendously. Many Schizophrenic people have recovered. Nevertheless, there is a significant room for improvement. Understanding the causes of Schizophrenia should be given priority. Friends and families should avoid neglecting and isolating Schizophrenic people. They should accept the condition and provide the patients with love, encouragement, and support.
Works Cited
Andreasen, Nancy C., et al. Negative versus positive schizophrenia. Springer Science & Business Media, 2012.Bota, Peter G., Shaina Fraser, and Regina Groysman. “Beyond schizophrenia: living and working with a serious mental illness.” Mental illness 9.1 (2017).
Robertson, Belinda R., et al. “Social competence versus negative symptoms as predictors of real-world social functioning in schizophrenia.” Schizophrenia research 160.1 (2014): 136-141.
Tamminga, Carol A., and Deborah R. Medoff. “The biology of schizophrenia.” Dialogues in clinical neuroscience 2.4 (2000): 339.