Schizophrenia: causes, symptoms, treatment, etc. & bull; hello healthy

Definition of schizophrenia

What is schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia or schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that affects the thoughts, feelings and behavior of the sufferer.

People with schizophrenia generally experience psychosis, which is a condition in which the sufferer is unable to interpret reality normally. In other words, sufferers of this disease cannot distinguish between fantasy and reality.

Not only that, someone who experiences this disease often has irregular behavior, which can interfere with their daily activities. For this reason, Indonesians often call schizophrenia “crazy”.

These conditions generally occur in the long term. This means that someone with a schizophrenia condition needs to get lifelong treatment to be able to control symptoms, prevent complications, and help carry out their daily activities.

How common is this disease?

According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), schizophrenia is a chronic and serious mental condition that affects about 20 million people worldwide. A person with this condition is also 2-3 times more likely to die earlier than the general population, due to other serious medical conditions that often co-occur, such as heart disease or diabetes.

As for sufferers of mental illness, it affects women and men equally. However, in most cases, men experience schizophrenia symptoms earlier than women.

Types of schizophrenia

There are several types or types of schizophrenia that may occur in a person. Here are the types that are meant:

• Paranoid schizophrenia

Paranoid schizophrenia is the most common type. The most characteristic symptoms of this type are delusions and hallucinations. Not only that, people with this condition cannot control their behavior. As a result, people with paranoid schizophrenia often behave inappropriately, find it difficult to control their emotions, desires, and desires.

• Catatonic schizophrenia

As opposed to paranoid, catatonic schizophrenia is the rarest type. This condition is generally characterized by sudden, limited, and unusual movements. Sufferers may frequently go from very active to very silent and vice versa. They may not talk much, but also often imitate other words or gestures.

• Schizophrenia is undifferentiated

This type is characterized by a variety of symptoms from other types of schizophrenia. Sufferers may not talk or express themselves much, but they can also become confused or paranoid.

• Schizoaffective disorder

Sufferers schizoaffective disorder generally have delusions (delusions) and other symptoms of schizophrenia, but also accompanied by one or more symptoms of a mood disorder. These include depression as well as mania or hypomania.

Schizophrenia signs & symptoms

What are the features and symptoms of schizophrenia?

The symptoms of schizophrenia vary based on their type and severity. However, there are some of the most typical symptoms including:

• Hallucinations

Symptoms of hallucinations are usually characterized by hearing, seeing, smelling, or feeling things that are not real. However, among all, hearing voices that were not real was the most frequent sign.

• Delusions

Schizophrenics often have strong beliefs about something that is wrong, such as feeling that someone else wants to harm or kill them. This one symptom will have a direct impact on the behavior of the sufferer.

• Confused thoughts and confusing speech

People with this condition often have difficulty organizing their thoughts. They may not understand what you are talking about when you talk to them. Not only that, when they talk, they often make nonsense and confusing sounds.

• Cognitive problems

These include problems with attention, concentration, and memory. Schizophrenics generally experience symptoms in the form of difficulty focusing and concentration and unable to process information to make good decisions.

• Irregular movement

Some people with this condition often appear restless or do silly things like children. They also often do the same movements over and over or excessively.

In addition, other symptoms, signs, or features of schizophrenia may include:

• Lack of interest in things that were once well-liked.
• Don't care about cleanliness and personal appearance.
• Withdrawal from social circles, such as friends and family.
• Difficulty sleeping or altered sleep patterns.
• Is very sensitive and has mood swings or repressed moods.
• Not responsive to the surrounding environment
• Lack of motivation in living life, including to build relationships with other people.
• Difficulty expressing and showing emotions.
• Fear of crowded public places.
• Paranoia, such as excessive anxiety, believe that he has special abilities or has certain diseases that are not actually there in him.

The symptoms above are sometimes difficult to recognize because they are usually common in adolescents. As a result, many people assume that these symptoms are commonplace as a teenage phase.

In men, symptoms of this disease usually begin at the onset of puberty until mid-20. Meanwhile, in women, symptoms usually begin in their late 20s. As for children and the elderly over 45 years of age rarely have this condition.

There may be some signs and symptoms not listed above. If you have concerns about certain symptoms, please consult your doctor immediately.

When should I see a doctor?

In many cases, people with this condition are usually unaware that they have schizophrenia and need treatment. Therefore, if you suspect someone around you is showing symptoms as mentioned above, immediately take that person to the doctor.

The patient may buckle and try to run. So you have to discuss with the hospital or psychiatrist to seek treatment that is safe for patients.

Causes of schizophrenia

Until now, experts do not know what causes a person to experience schizophrenia. However, researchers believe that there are several things that can trigger this disease. Some of the things that can cause schizophrenia are:

• Problems with chemicals in the brain

Experts believe that imbalanced levels of dopamine and glutamate in the brain can cause this disease.

• Differences in brain structure

Brain nerve scanning studies show differences in the brain structure and central nervous system of people with this disease. Researchers are not sure why this happens, but they do say that these psychiatric disorders are linked to brain disease.

• Genetic

Genetic or hereditary factors can be the cause of schizophrenia. So, if one of your nuclear family gets this disease, you are at high risk of experiencing the same thing.

• Environmental factor

These include contracting viral infections and deficiencies of some nutrients while still in the womb, or being in a stressful and stressful environment.

• Certain drugs

The abuse of illegal drugs, such as narcotics, is said to be a cause of schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia risk factors

Several factors can increase a person's risk of developing this disease. The following are the risk factors for schizophrenia:

• Have a family history schizophrenia .
• Viral infection, poisoning, and malnutrition while still in the womb, especially during the first 6 months of pregnancy.
• Taking mind-altering drugs (psychoactive or psychotropic) during adolescence and young adulthood.
• Have an autoimmune disease.

Diagnosis & treatment of schizophrenia

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

What are the tests to diagnose schizophrenia?

To diagnose this disease, the doctor will ask for a medical history and perform several tests to ensure that the symptoms that appear are not due to substance abuse or other medical conditions. Some of the tests that doctors do to diagnose schizophrenia are:

• Physical examination. This examination is done to help determine if there are other problems that could be causing the symptoms.
• General check up. This test is also done to rule out other medical conditions that may be the source of the symptoms.
• Imaging tests, such as an MRI or CT scan, to see if there are any abnormalities in the patient's brain structures and central nervous system.
• Psychiatric evaluation. The doctor or mental health professional will check the patient's mental status by observing the patient's appearance, thoughts, moods, and discussions about the patient's family or personal experiences.

How to treat schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a disease that cannot be completely cured. However, the symptoms of this disease can be treated with various treatments, so that sufferers can more easily carry out activities.

People with this condition are usually treated by experienced psychiatrists and psychologists. In many cases, treatment in a mental hospital is necessary so that the patient's hygiene, nutrition, and safety are guaranteed. In general, some of the treatment options for schizophrenia are:

• Schizophrenia drugs

Medicines play an important role to help control the symptoms of this disease. As for schizophrenia drugs that are commonly prescribed are antipsychotics, which work by affecting the dopamine in the brain so that it can help relieve symptoms.

Schizophrenia drugs can be used by mouth or by injection. If the symptoms are mild, the doctor will give you an oral medication. However, if the patient develops symptoms so severe that they are difficult to manage, the doctor will give the drug by injection or injection.

In general, antipsychotics are divided into two groups, namely the first generation and the second generation antipsychotics. Second generation antipsychotics are generally prescribed by doctors more often because they have a lower risk of side effects than first generation antipsychotics. Second-generation antipsychotic schizophrenia drugs include:

• Aripiprazole (Abilify)
• Asenapine (Saphris)
• Brexpiprazole (Rexulti)
• Cariprazine (Vraylar)
• Clozapine (Clozaril)
• Iloperidone (Fanapt)
• Lurasidone (Latuda)
• Olanzapine (Zyprexa)
• Paliperidone (Invega)
• Quetiapine (Seroquel)
• Risperidone (Risperdal)
• Ziprasidone (Geodon)

The first-generation antipsychotic drugs have side effects that affect nerves (neurological), such as muscle spasms, twitching, and shaking. However, first-generation antipsychotic drugs tend to be less expensive. Some of the first-generation antipsychotic schizophrenia medications include:

• Chlorpromazine
• Fluphenazine
• Haloperidol
• Perphenazine

Your doctor may also prescribe other medications, such as antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications. Always consult a doctor about the benefits and side effects of any medication that is prescribed to prevent serious complications.

• Psychosocial treatment

After being given drugs, schizophrenics generally need medication or psychological and social (psychosocial) therapy. This type of treatment can help sufferers schizophrenia to carry out daily activities, including work, school, social activities, and building relationships.

The forms of psychosocial treatment can vary. Among them cognitive behavioral therapy (cognitive behavioral therapy / CBT) to help find a more realistic mindset, behavioral skills training, individual therapy, social skills training, family therapy, and work support rehabilitation.

Home treatment of schizophrenia

What can be done to help overcome schizophrenia?

Lifestyle and home remedies that may help you deal with schizophrenia include:

• Take medication regularly as prescribed, including not changing drugs without the doctor's knowledge.
• When hallucinations occur, try to ignore them by focusing on something else, such as reading a book, listening to music, praying, or talking to friends.
• Participate in recommended programs or activities. Consider joining in support group social worker.
• Avoid consuming alcohol because it can inhibit the effects of schizophrenia drugs.
• Don't let family members who have this disease feel stressed. Stress, lack of sleep, an unbalanced diet, and caffeine can cause symptoms to recur.
• Call your doctor if you or your family hear voices, feel paranoid or have strange thoughts.
• Call your doctor if you or a member of your family is sleep deprived, looks depressed, or has suicidal feelings.

Tips for caring for people with schizophrenia at home

Living at home with people who have this disease is not easy. You need a number of strategies for guiding and dealing with patients to speed up the recovery process. Tips or guidelines for caring for people with schizophrenia are:

1. Learn the disease as best you can

Learning about the causes, triggers, symptoms, and treatment will help you make decisions about how to best treat patients.

2. Consultation with a psychiatrist or local aid agency

In order to provide good support and care to patients, you need outside help. That is why, do not hesitate to ask psychiatrists, psychiatrists or the community for help regarding this disease.

3. Guide the patient to medical care

In many cases, people who have this disease are often isolated or even shackled because they are often considered dangerous. Remember, a person with this disease often doesn't realize they are unwell until they get treatment. Therefore, motivating him to seek medical assistance to manage symptoms is a cornerstone of appropriate treatment.

4. Always stay with the patient

Even though the patient is discharged from hospitalization, they also need to be accompanied so that they are on the right path to recovery. Your encouragement and support and those around him are essential for him to continue with therapy.

If you have any questions, consult your doctor for the best solution to your problem.