Psychological Disorders-Schizophrenia

    Schizophrenia is a complex mental disorder that makes it difficult for a person to tell the difference between real and imaginary situations, be a logical thinker, and have normal emotional responses.  A schizophrenic person will experience hallucinations, voices telling them what to do, delusions, and other things.  Schizophrenia symptoms normally develop slowly over months or even years.  Common symptoms of early schizophrenia are irritable or tense feelings or difficulty sleeping or concentrating.  People with the disease also hold strong beliefs that are not actually based in reality, like the delusions, and they will also see or hear things that are not concrete, or hallucinations.  Similarly, schizophrenics who also become paranoid develop untrue beliefs.  For example, many schizophrenic patients have the false belief that others are trying to hurt them or their loved ones.  Furthermore, it is very difficult for schizophrenic people to fit in normally with society.  Schizophrenic patients often have very bizarre behavior, social isolation, and lack of emotion or childlike behaviors.  Additionally, the hallucinations, delusions, and false beliefs would make it hard for a schizophrenic patient to fit in with society.  However, there are medications to help treat schizophrenic patients.  Many patients need to be put in the hospital for safety reasons, but once they are stable with antipsychotic medications, their symptoms will be lessened, allowing them to feel better and be able to fit in with today's society.  Antipsychotic medications are the most effective treatment for schizophrenia, and other methods, like group therapy sessions, are effective as well.  Social-skills training in therapy can help to rebuild relationships and job training.
    Mental health experts are not sure what causes schizophrenia.  But, genetics are a factor for this disease.  You are more likely to develop schizophrenia if you have a family member with the disease, and certain environmental events may trigger the disease for people who are genetically at risk for it.  Schizophrenia normally begins around adolescence and early adulthood for males and even though it affects females couple years later, the disease affects both men and women equally.  Childhood schizophrenia begins after age five, but it is extremely rare and is often confused with other developmental disorders found in children, such as autism.  Furthermore, there is no way to diagnose schizophrenia.  A patient would be examined by a psychiatrist to make a diagnosis, and CT or MRI scans are used to help rule out other diseases with similar symptoms.  Thus, schizophrenia is a generally uncommon, yet effective disease that greatly affects the mind, but thankfully, can be helped.




Sources
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001925/