SCHIZOPHRENIA

                               *What is Schizophrenia??*

Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. People with schizophrenia may seem like they have lost touch with reality. Although schizophrenia is not as common as other mental disorders, the symptoms can be very disabling.

Symptoms of schizophrenia usually start between ages 16 and 30. In rare cases, children have schizophrenia too.

*Symptoms of Schizophrenia* fall into three categories: positive, negative, and cognitive.

*Positive symptoms:* “Positive” symptoms are psychotic behaviors not generally seen in healthy people. People with positive symptoms may “lose touch” with some aspects of reality. 

Symptoms include:

✔Hallucinations

✔Delusions

✔Thought disorders (unusual or dysfunctional ways of thinking)

✔Movement disorders (agitated body movements)

*Negative symptoms:* “Negative” symptoms are associated with disruptions to normal emotions and behaviors. 

Symptoms include:

✔“Flat affect” (reduced expression of emotions via facial expression or voice tone)

✔Reduced feelings of pleasure in everyday life

✔Difficulty beginning and sustaining activities

✔Reduced speaking

*Cognitive Symptoms:*

For some patients, the cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia are subtle, but for others, they are more severe and patients may notice changes in their memory or other aspects of thinking. 

Symptoms include:

✔Poor “executive functioning” (the ability to understand information and use it to make decisions)

✔Trouble focusing or paying attention

✔Problems with “working memory” (the ability to use information immediately after learning it)

*Treatment*

Mentioning the treatment at a group level is ethically incorrect.

But to brief it up... 

Psychiatric Treatment in the form of medication along with Psychotherapy are essential for a patient with Schizophrenia.

*Here are some things you can do to help your loved one:*

✔Get them treatment and encourage them to stay in treatment

✔Remember that their beliefs or hallucinations seem very real to them

✔Tell them that you acknowledge that everyone has the right to see things their own way

✔Be respectful, supportive, and kind without tolerating dangerous or inappropriate behavior

✔Check to see if there are any support groups in your area.