facts on schizophrenia

Other people may find it hard to make sense of what a individual with schizophrenia is speakingabout. In some cases, the person may spend hours entirely still, without chatting. On othersituations he or she may appear fine, until they begin describing what they are in fact thinking.

The effects of schizophrenia reach far beyond the patient - schizophrenia does not only affect theman or woman with the condition. Families, acquaintances and society are affected too. Aconsiderable proportion of people with schizophrenia have to depend on others, because they areunable to hold a job or care for themselves.

With suitable handling, sufferers can lead productive lives, management can help lessen many ofthe conditions of schizophrenia. But, a large number of sufferers with the ailment have to dealwith the signs and symptoms for life. This does not stand for that a person with schizophrenia whogets treatment cannot lead a satisfying, productive and meaningful life in his or her community.

Schizophrenia most usually hits between the ages of 15 to 25 among males, and about 25 to 35in females. On many occasions the condition develops so slowly that the sufferer does not knowhe/she has it for an extended period of time. While, with other people it can hit unexpectedly anddevelop fast.

Schizophrenia, probably many health problems combined - it is a multipart, lasting, harsh, andcrippling brain condition and affects roughly 1% of all adults worldwide. Experts say schizophreniais probably many sicknesses disguised as one. Study shows that schizophrenia is likely to be theresult of flawed neuronal development in the brain of the foetus, which later in life appears as afull-blown illness.

Schizophrenia impacts men and females equally. However, an article in the BMJ says thatschizophrenia impacts 1.4 men for every 1 female.

The Schizophrenic Disorders Clinic at the Stanford School of Medicine describes schizophreniaas "a thought condition: a brain dysfunction that disturbs with a man or woman's ability to thinknaturally, regulate emotions, make decisions, and speak about to others."

Schizophrenia is a harsh brain disease that interferes with normal brain and mental function. itcan result in hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and significant shortage of inspiration. Withoutmanagement, schizophrenia affects the ability to think clearly, manage feelings, and socializeproperly with other people. It is often crippling and can profoundly influence all areas of your life(let's say, becoming not able to work or go to school). Being told that you or someone you lovehas schizophrenia can be intimidating or even devastating. The fantatstic method to improve yourquality of life with schizophrenia is to learn as much as you can about this condition and thenadhere to the advised handling.

There are quite a few forms of schizophrenia, and the specific forms are clinically determined

based upon signs and symptoms. The nearly all ordinary kind is paranoid schizophrenia, whichcauses frightened thoughts and hearing threatening voices.

Schizophrenia does not include multiple personalities and is not the same condition asdissociative identity disorder (also called multiple personality dysfunction or split personality).

What causes schizophrenia? There are many theories about the cause of schizophrenia, butnone have yet been confirmed. Schizophrenia may be a genetic disorder, since your odds ofgetting schizophrenia increase if you have a parent or sibling with the condition, but most peoplewith family members who have schizophrenia will not develop it. It may also be related toproblems experienced during pregnancy (such as undernourishment, or being exposed to a viraldisease) that harms the unborn child's developing nervous system. John Nash, an Americanmathematician who worked at Princeton University, won the Nobel Prize in Economics and livedwith paranoid schizophrenia nearly all of his life. He finally managed to live without medication. Afilm was made of his life "A Beautiful Mind", which Nash says was "loosely accurate". A studypublished in The Lancet found that schizophrenia with active psychosis is the third most cripplingcondition after quadriplegia and dementia, and ahead of blindness and paraplegia. The wordschizophrenia comes from the Greek word skhizein meaning "to split" and the Greek wordPhrenos (phren) meaning "diaphragm, heart, mind". In 1910, the Swiss psychiatrist, EugenBleuler (1857-1939) coined the term Schizophrenie in a lecture in Berlin on April 24th, 1908.

Nobody has been able to identify one single cause. Experts believe several factors are generallyinvolved in contributing to the onset of schizophrenia. The likely factors do not work in isolation,either. Evidence does suggest that genetic and environmental factors usually act together tocause schizophrenia. Evidence revealed that the diagnosis of schizophrenia has an inheritedelement, but it is also significantly influenced by environmental triggers. In other words, imagineyour body is full of buttons, and some of those buttons consequence in schizophrenia if anyperson comes and presses them enough times and in the right sequences. The buttons would beyour genetic susceptibility, while the individual pressing them would be the environmentalaspects.

Your genes. If there is no history of schizophrenia in your family your odds of developing it areless than 1%. However, that danger rises to 10% if one of your parents was/is a sufferer. A genethat is probably the most studied "schizophrenia gene" plays a astonishing function in the brain: Itmanages the birth of new neurons as well as their integration into pre-existing brain circuitry,according to a paper posted by Cell. A Swedish reasearch found that schizophrenia and bipolardisorder have the same genetic triggers. Thirteen locations in the human genetic code may helpdemonstrate the cause of schizophrenia - a reasearch involving 59,000 people, 5,001 of whomhad been clinically determined with schizophrenia, identified 22 genome locations, with 13 newones that are thought to be involved in the development of schizophrenia. The scientists added

that of particular importance to schizophrenia were two genetically-determined processes - the"micro-RNA 137" pathway and the "calcium channel pathway". Principal investigator, ProfessorPatrick Sullivan, of the Center for Psychiatric Genomics at the University of North Carolina Schoolof Medicine, said "This reasearch gives us the clearest picture to date of two different pathwaysthat might be going erroneous in people with schizophrenia. Now we need to focus our researchvery urgently on these two pathways in our quest to comprehend what brings about this cripplingmental ailment."

Chemical imbalance in the brain. Experts believe that an imbalance of dopamine, aneurotransmitter, is involved in the start of schizophrenia. They also believe that this imbalance ismost possibly caused by your genes making you prone to the biological disorder. Someresearchers say other the levels of other neurotransmitters, for example serotonin, may also beinvolved. Changes in key brain functions, such as perception, emotion and behavior leadspecialists to conclude that the brain is the biological site of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia couldbe triggered by faulty signaling in the brain, according to research published in the journalMolecular Psychiatry.

Family relationships. Although there is no evidence to prove or even indicate that familyrelationships might cause schizophrenia, some patients with the sickness believe family tensionmay trigger relapses.

Environment. Although there is yet no definite proof, many suspect that prenatal or perinataltrauma, and viral infections may contribute to the development of the ailment. Perinatal means"occurring about 5 months before and up to one month after birth". Stressful experiences oftenprecede the emergence of schizophrenia. Before any acute signs and symptoms are apparent,people with schizophrenia habitually become bad-tempered, anxious, and unfocussed. This cantrigger relationship problems, divorce and unemployment. These factors are often blamed for theonset of the disease, when really it was the other way round - the disorder triggered the crisis.Therefore, it is extremely difficult to know whether schizophrenia triggered certain stresses oroccurred as a result of them.

Some medicines. Cannabis and LSD are known to cause schizophrenia relapses. According tothe State Government of Victoria in Australia, for people with a predisposition to a psychoticsickness such as schizophrenia, usage of cannabis may trigger the first episode in what can be adisabling condition that lasts for the rest of their lives. The National Library of Medicine says thatsome prescription drugs, such as steroids and stimulants, can cause psychosis.

The brain. Our brain consists of billions of nerve cells. Each nerve cell has branches that give outand receive messages from other nerve cells. The ending of these nerve cells releaseneurotransmitters - kinds of chemicals. These neurotransmitters carry messages from the endingsof one nerve cell to the nerve cell body of another. In the brain of a man or woman who hasschizophrenia, this messaging system does not work properly.

Schizophrenia causes two groups of signs: negative conditions and positive signs. Negative signsgenerally include apathy or lack of motivation, self-neglect (for example not bathing), and reducedor inappropriate emotion (such as becoming angry with strangers). Negative conditions usuallyappear first and may be confused with depression. Positive symptoms, which generally appearlater, include conditions for example hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized or confusingthoughts and speech. signs of schizophrenia usually emerge in adolescence or early adulthood.signs can appear quickly or may develop gradually, often causing the illness to go unrecognizeduntil it is in an advanced stage when it is more difficult to treat.

How is schizophrenia clinically determined? Schizophrenia is diagnosed primarily with a medicalhistory and a mental health assessment. Other tests, such as blood tests or imaging tests, maybe done to rule out other conditions that can mimic signs of schizophrenia.

How is schizophrenia treated? There is no remedy for schizophrenia, but many people cansuccessfully manage their symptoms with prescription drugs and professional counseling.Consistent, long-term handling is critical to the successful management of schizophrenia.Regretably, people with schizophrenia frequently do not seek management or they stopmanagement due to repulsive unwanted side effects of medicinal drugs or lack of support.

There is, to date, no physical or laboratory test that can absolutely diagnose schizophrenia. Thedoctor, a psychiatrist, will make a diagnosis based on the sufferer's clinical signs. However,physical testing can rule out some other disorders and conditions which sometimes have similarconditions, such as seizure disorders, thyroid dysfunction, brain tumor, drug use, and metabolicdisorders.

conditions and signs of schizophrenia will vary, depending on the individual. The conditions areclassified into four categories: Positive conditions - also known as psychotic signs. These areconditions that appear, which people without schizophrenia do not have. as an example, delusion.Negative conditions - these refer to elements that are taken away from the individual; loss orabsence of normal traits or talents that people without schizophrenia normally have. as anexample, blunted emotion. Cognitive signs and symptoms - these are signs and symptoms withinthe man or woman's thought processes. They may be positive or negative signs, just for instance,poor concentration is a negative sign. Emotional signs and symptoms - these are symptomswithin the individual's feelings. They are usually negative symptoms, such as blunted emotions. Below is a list of the major symptoms:

Delusions - The patient has false beliefs of persecution, guilt of grandeur. He/she may feel thingsare being controlled from outside. It is not uncommon for people with schizophrenia to describeplots against them. They may think they have extraordinary powers and gifts. Some patients withschizophrenia may hide in order to protect themselves from an imagined persecution.

Hallucinations - hearing voices is much more common than seeing, feeling, tasting, or smellingthings which are not there, but look as if very real to the patient.

Thought condition - the individual may jump from one subject to another for no logical reason. Thespeaker may be hard to follow. The sufferer's speech might be muddled and incoherent. In somecases the person afflicted may believe that somebody is messing with his/her mind.

Other signs schizophrenia patients may experience include: Lack of motivation (avolition) - theperson afflicted loses his/her drive. Everyday automatic actions, for example washing and cookingare abandoned. It is essential that those close to the patient understand that this loss of drive isdue to the ailment, and has nothing to do with slothfulness. Poor expression of emotions -responses to happy or sad situations may be lacking, or improper. Social withdrawal - when asufferer with schizophrenia withdraws socially it is frequently since he/she believes somebody isgoing to harm them. Other reasons could be a fear of interacting with other humans because ofpoor social skill sets. Unaware of ailment - as the hallucinations and delusions seem so real forthe sufferers, many of them may not believe they are unwell. They may refuse to takeprescriptions which could help them enormously for fear of side-effects, for example. Cognitivedifficulties - the person afflicted's capability to concentrate, remember things, plan ahead, and toorganize himself/herself are affected. Communication becomes more difficult.

Impaired eye movements linked to schizophrenia - research workers from the University of BritishColumbia explained in the Journal of Neuroscience that people with schizophrenia find it harder tofollow a moving dot on a computer screen.

Tests and diagnosis: A schizophrenia diagnosis is carried out by observing the actions of thesufferer. If the doctor suspects possible schizophrenia, they will need to know about the patient'smedical and psychiatric history. Certain tests will be ordered to rule out other sicknesses andconditions that may trigger schizophrenia-like conditions. Examples of some of the tests mayinclude: Blood tests - to determine CBC (complete blood count) as well as some other blood tests.Imaging scientific studies - to rule out tumors, problems in the structure of the brain, and otherconditions/illnesses. Psychological evaluation - a specialist will assess the patient's mental stateby asking about thoughts, moods, hallucinations, suicidal traits, violent tendencies or potential forviolence, as well as observing their demeanor and appearance.

Schizophrenia - Diagnostic Criteria: patients must meet the criteria laid down in the DSM(Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). It is an American Psychiatric Associationmanual that is used by health care professionals to diagnose mental ailments and conditions. The

health care professional needs to exclude other possible mental health disorders, for examplebipolar disorder or schizoaffective disorder. It is also essential to establish that the signs andsigns and symptoms have not been induced by, for example, a prescribed medicine, a medicalcondition, or substance abuse. Also, the person afflicted must: Have at least two of the followingtypical signs and symptoms of schizophrenia - Delusions, Disorganized or catatonic behavior,Disorganized speech, Hallucinations, Negative symptoms that are present for much of the timeduring the last four weeks. Experience considerable impairment in the capability to attend school,carry out their work responsibilities, or carry out every day tasks. Have signs which persist for sixmonths or more. Sometimes, the man or woman with schizophrenia may find their signs andsymptoms frightening, and conceal them from some others. If there is harsh paranoia, they maybe suspicious of family or friends who try to help. There are many elements in disease that makeit difficult to confirm a schizophrenia diagnosis.

Collecting neurons from the nose to diagnose schizophrenia - research workers from Tel AvivUniversity, Israel, reported in Neurobiology of ailment that collecting neurons from the nose of thepatient may be a rapid way to test for schizophrenia. Noam Shomron of TAU's Sackler Faculty ofMedicine, and team describe how they devised a potential way of diagnosing schizophrenia bytesting microRNA molecules found in the neurons inside the person afflicted's nose. A sample canbe taken via a simple biopsy. Shomron believes this could become a "more sure-fire" way ofdiagnosing schizophrenia than ever before. It may also be a way of detecting the devastatingailment earlier on. Schizophrenia treatment is usually much more effectual if it can begin duringthe early stages.

Are autism and schizophrenia related? - when seen at first glance, autism and schizophreniaappear to be entirely different disorders. However, a discovery made by research workers at TelAviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine and the Sheba Medical Center showed that the twodisorders have similar roots, and are linked to other mental conditions, for example bipolardysfunction. Both schizophrenia and autism share come traits, including a limited ability to lead anormal life function in the real world, as well as cognitive and social dysfunction. The scientists found a genetic link between the two disorders, which causes a elevated dangerwithin family members. Dr. Mark Weiser and team found that people with a sibling withschizophrenia had a twelve-fold elevated chance of having autism than those withoutschizophrenia in the family.

Schizophrenia genetically linked to four other mental health problems or disorders - researchworkers the Cross Disorders Group of the Psychiatric Genomic Consortium reported thatschizophrenia, major depressive condition, bipolar disorder, autism spectrum disorders, andADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity condition) share the same typical inherited genetic faults.

Does schizophrenia begin in the womb? Stem cell study says yes - researchers from the SalkInstitute in California have demonstrated that neurons from skin cells of sufferers withschizophrenia behave oddly in early stages of development, supporting the theory thatschizophrenia begins in the womb.

The researchers, who posted their results in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, say their findingscould provide clues for how to detect and treat the disorder early. Research workers identifygenetic mutations that may cause schizophrenia - Schizophrenia impacts around 2.4 milliongrown ups in the US. The exact cause of the condition is unknown, but past research hassuggested that genetics may play a part. Now, investigators from the Columbia University MedicalCenter in New York, NY, have uncovered clues that may build on this idea. The research teampublished their findings in the journal Neuron.

Schizophrenia and cannabis use may have genetic link - There is growing evidence that cannabisuse is a cause of schizophrenia and now a new study led by King's College London, UK, alsofinds augmented cannabis use and schizophrenia may have genes in ordinary.

How a genetic variation 'may increase schizophrenia risk' - The exact causes of schizophrenia areunknown, but past study has suggested that some folks with the condition possess certain geneticvariations. Now, research workers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore,MD, say they have begun to understand how one schizophrenia-related genetic variationinfluences brain cell development. Research workers identify more than 80 new genes linked toschizophrenia - What causes schizophrenia has long baffled scientists. But in what exactly isdeemed the largest ever molecular genetic study of schizophrenia, a team of internationalresearchers has pinpointed 108 genes linked to the condition - 83 of which are newly discovered -that may help identify its causes and pave the way for new interventions. Schizophrenia 'made upof eight specific genetic disorders' - Past scientific tests have indicated that rather than being asingle disease, schizophrenia is a collection of different disorders. Now, a new study byresearchers at Washington University in St. Louis, MO, claims the condition consists of eightdistinct genetic disorders, all of which present their own specific signs and symptoms. Brainnetwork vulnerable to Alzheimer's and schizophrenia identified - New study has emerged thatreveals a specific brain network - that is the last to develop and the first to show indications ofneurodegeneration - is more vulnerable to unhealthy aging as well as to disorders that emerge inyoung people, shedding light on conditions for example Alzheimer's disorder and schizophrenia.

handling options: The UK's National Health Service4 says it is important that schizophrenia isrecognized as early as possible, since the chances of a recuperation are much greater the earlierit is treated. Psychiatrists say the nearly all effective treatment for schizophrenia sufferers isusually a combination of medicine, psychological counseling, and self-help resources. Anti-psychosis drugs have transformed schizophrenia handling. Thanks to them, a large numberof sufferers are able to live in the community, rather than stay in hospital. In many parts of theworld care is delivered in the community, rather than in hospital. The primary schizophreniatreatment is medication. Sadly, compliance is a major problem. Compliance, in medicine, meansfollowing the medication regimen. People with schizophrenia often go off their medicine for longperiods during their lives, at huge personal costs to themselves and frequently to those aroundthem as well. The Cleveland Clinic says that the sufferer must continue taking medication even

when signs are gone, otherwise they will come back. a lot of sufferers go off their medicine withinthe first year of management. In order to address this, successful schizophrenia managementneeds to consist of a life-long regimen of both drug and psychosocial, support therapies. Themedication can help control the sufferer's hallucinations and delusions, but it cannot help themlearn to communicate with others, get a work, and thrive in society. Although a significant numberof people with schizophrenia live in poverty, this does not have to be the case. A individual withschizophrenia who complies with the management regimen long-term will be able to lead a happyand productive life. The first time a individual experiences schizophrenia symptoms can be veryupsetting. He/she may take a long time to recover, and that recovery can be a lonely experience.It is crucial that a schizophrenia sufferer receives the full support of his/her family, friends, andcommunity services when start appears for the first time.

drugs: The medical management of schizophrenia generally involves drugs for psychosis,depression and anxiety. This is because schizophrenia is a combination of thought condition,mood dysfunction and anxiety illness. The nearly all ordinary antipsychotic drugs are Risperidone(Risperdal), Olanzapine (Zyprexa), Quetiapine (Seroquel), Ziprasidone (Geodon), and Clozapine(Clozaril): Risperidone (Risperdal) - introduced in America in 1994. This drug is less sedating thanother atypical antipsychotics. There is a higher probability, compared to other atypicalantipsychotics, of extrapyramidal conditions (affecting the extrapyramidal motor system, a neuralnetwork located in the brain that is involved in the coordination of movement). Although weightgain and diabetes are possible risks, they are less possibly to happen, compared with Clozapineor Olanzapine. Olanzapine (Zyprexa) - approved in the USA in 1996. A typical dose is 10 to 20mg per day. danger of extrapyramidal signs and symptoms is low, compared to Risperidone. Thisdrug may also improve negative conditions. However, the risks of serious weight gain and thedevelopment of diabetes are significant. Quetiapine (Seroquel) - came onto the market in Americain 1997. Typical dose is between 400 to 800 mg per day. If the sufferer is resistant tomanagement the dose may be higher. The danger of extrapyramidal signs and symptoms is low,compared to Risperidone. There is a danger of weight gain and diabetes, however the risk islower than Clozapine or Olanzapine. Ziprasidone (Geodon) - became obtainable in the USA in2001. Typical doses range from 80 to 160 mg per day. This drug can be given orally or byintramuscular administration. The risk of extrapyramidal conditions is low. The danger of weightgain and diabetes is lower than other atypical antipsychotics. However, it might contribute tocardiac arrhythmia, and must not be taken together with other medicines that also have this sideeffect. Clozapine (Clozaril) - has been obtainable in the USA since 1990. A typical dose rangesfrom 300 to 700 mg per day. It is very effective for sufferers who have been resistant tomanagement. It is known to lower suicidal behaviors. patients must have their blood regularlymonitored as it can impact the white blood cell count. The danger of weight gain and diabetes issignificant.

How typical is schizophrenia? The prevalence of schizophrenia around the globe varies slightly,

depending on which report you look at, from about 0.7% to 1.2% of the adult population ingeneral. Nearly all of these percentages refer to people suffering from schizophrenia "at sometime during their lives". An Australian reasearch found that schizophrenia is more ordinary indeveloped nations than developing ones. It also found that the ailment is less widespread thanpreviously thought. Estimates of 10 per 1,000 people should be changed to 7 or 8 per 1,000people, the reasearch concluded. In the USA about 2.2 million grown persons, or about 1.1% ofthe population age 18 and older in a given year have schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is not a 'very'ordinary disorder. Approximately 1% of people throughout the globe suffer from schizophrenia (orperhaps a little less than 1% in developing countries) at some point in their lives. It is estimatedthat about 1.2% of Americans, a total of 3.2 million people, have the disorder at some point intheir lives. around the globe, about 1.5 million people each year are clinically determined withschizophrenia. In the UK it is estimated that about 600,000 people have schizophrenia.

Sometimes people understand psychosis or schizophrenia to be unrelenting, even with theintervention of psychotherapy. It is contended herein that remedy, and humanistic therapy inparticular, can be helpful to the psychotic person, but, perhaps, the therapist may have difficultyunderstanding how this approach can be applied to the problems of psychosis. Although it is aprevalent opinion in our society that schizophrenics are not responsive to psychotherapy, it isasserted herein that any therapist can relate in a psychotic individual, and, if therapy isunsuccessful, this failure may stem from the therapist's qualities instead of those of the psychoticperson.

Carl Rogers created a theory and remedy indicated by the terms "umanistic theory" and "man orwoman-centered therapy". This theoretical perspective postulates many significant ideas, andseveral of these thoughts are pertinent to this discussion. The first of these is the idea of"conditions of worth", and the idea of "the actualizing tendency." Rogers asserts that our society isapplicable to us "conditions of worth". This means that we must behave in certain methods inorder to receive rewards, and receipt of these rewards imply that we are worthy if we behave inmethods that are acceptable. As an example, in our society, we are rewarded with money whenwe do work that is represented by employment.

In terms of the life of a schizophrenic, these conditions of worth are that from which stigmatizationproceeds. The psychotic human beings in our society, without intentionality, do not behave inways that produce rewards. Perhaps some people believe that schizophrenics are parasites inrelation to our society. This estimation of the worth of these folks serves only to compound theirsuffering. The mentally unwell and psychotic human beings, in particular, are destitute in social,personal and economic spheres.

Carl Roger's disapproved of conditions of worth, and, in fact, he believed that human beings and

other organisms strive to fulfill their potential. This striving represents what Roger's termed "theactualizing tendency" and the "force of life." This growth enhancing aspect of life motivates all lifeforms to develop fully their own potential. Rogers believed that mental ailment reflects distortionsof the actualizing tendency, based upon faulty conditions of worth. It is clear that psychotic peoplehandle negatively skewed conditions of worth.

It is an evident reality that the mentally ill could more successfully exist in the world if stigmaswere not applied to them. The mentally unwell engage in self-denigration and self-laceration thatculminate in the destruction of selfhood. This psychological physical violence toward the mentallyill is supported by non-mentally unwell other folks. The class of self-abuse by psychotic individualswould certainly abate if the normative dismissal of the mentally ill as worthless is not perpetuated.

In spite of a prevalent view that psychotic individuals are unsuccessful in the context ofpsychotherapy, Roger's theory and therapy of compassion cannot be assumed to be unhelpful tothe mentally unwell. The key components of Rogers' approach to psychotherapy includeunconditional positive regard, accurate empathy and genuineness. Unconditional positive regard,accurate empathy and genuineness are considered to be qualities of the therapist enacted inrelation to the client in terms of humanistic remedy. These qualities are essential to the process ofhumanistic remedy. In terms of these qualities, unconditional positive regard is a view of a man orwoman or client that is accepting and warm, no matter what that man or woman in therapyreveals in terms of his or her emotional problems or experiences. This means that an person inthe context of humanistic psychotherapy, or in therapy with a humanistic psychologist or therapist,should anticipate the therapist to be accepting of whatever that person reveals to the therapist. Inthis context, the therapist will be accepting and understanding regardless of what one tells thetherapist.

Accurate empathy is represented as understanding a client from that man or woman's ownperspective. This means that the humanistic psychologist or therapist will be able to perceive youas you perceive yourself, and that he will feel sympathy for you on the basis of the knowledge ofyour reality. He will know you in terms of knowing your thoughts and feelings toward yourself, andhe will feel empathy and compassion for you based on that fact. As another quality enacted by thehumanistic therapist, genuineness is truthfulness in one's presentation toward the client; it isintegrity or a self-representation that is real. To be genuine with a client reflects qualities in atherapist that entail more than simply being a therapist. It has to do with being an authentic manor woman with one's client. Carl Rogers believed that, as a therapist, one could be authentic anddeliberate simultaneously. This means that the therapist can be a "real" individual, even while heis intentionally saying and doing what's required to help you.

The goal of therapy from the humanistic orientation is to allow the client to achieve congruence interm of his real self and his ideal self. This means that what a individual is and what he wants tobe should become the same as remedy progresses. self-confidence that is achieved in therapy

will allow the client to elevate his sense of what he is, and self-confidence will also lessen hisneed to be better than what he is. Essentially, as the real self is more accepted by the client, andhis raised self-confidence will allow him to be less than some kind of "ideal" self that he feels he iscompelled to be. It is the qualities of unconditional positive regard, accurate empathy andgenuineness in the humanistic therapist that allow the therapist to assist the client in cultivatingcongruence between the real self and the ideal self from that client's perspective.

What the schizophrenic experiences can be confusing. It is clear that most therapists,psychiatrists and clinicians cannot understand the perspectives of the chronically mentally ill.Perhaps if they could understand what it is to feel oneself to be in a solitary prison of one's skinand a visceral isolation within one's mind, with hallucinations clamoring, then the clinicians whotreat mental ailment would be able to better empathize with the mentally unwell. The problem withclinicians' empathy for the mentally ill is that the views of mentally unwell people are remote andunthinkable to them. Perhaps the solitariness within the minds of schizophrenics is the nearly allpainful aspect of being schizophrenics, even while auditory hallucinations can form what seems tobe a mental populace.

Based upon standards that make them feel inadequate, the mentally unwell respond to stigma byinternalizing it. If the mentally ill man or woman can achieve the goal of congruence between thereal self and the ideal self, their expectations regarding who "they should be" may be reconciledwith an acceptance of "who they are". As they lower their high standards regarding who theyshould be, their acceptance of their real selves may follow naturally.

Carl Rogers said, "As I accept myself as I am, only then can I vary." In humanistic therapy, thetherapist can help even a schizophrenic accept who they are by reflecting acceptance of thepsychotic person. This may culminate in curativeness, although perhaps not a complete remedy.However, when the schizophrenic becomes more able to accept who they are, they can thenvary. Social acceptance is crucial for coping with schizophrenia, and social acceptance leads toself-acceptance by the schizophrenic. The accepting therapist can be a key component inreducing the negative consequences of stigma as it has affected the mental unwell sufferer client.This, then, relates to conditions of worth and the actualizing tendency. "Conditions of worth" affectthe mentally unwell more drastically than other people. Simple acceptance and empathy by aclinician may be curative to some extent, even for the chronically mentally ill. If the schizophrenicperson is released from conditions of worth that are entailed by stigmatization, then perhaps theactualizing tendency would assert itself in them in a positive way, lacking distortion.

In the tradition of person-centered therapy, the client is allowed to lead the conversation or thedialogue of the therapy sessions. This is ideal for the psychotic person, provided he believes he isbeing heard by his therapist. Clearly, the therapist's mind will have to stretch as they seek tounderstand the client's subjective perspective. In terms of humanistic therapy, this theory would

appear to apply to all persons, as it is based upon the psychology of all human beings, eachuniquely able to benefit from this approach by through the growth potential that is inherent inthem. In terms of the amelioration of psychosis by means of this remedy, Rogers offers hope.

Schizophrenia, from the Greek roots schizein ("to split") and phren- ("mind"), is a psychiatricdiagnosis that describes a mental ailment characterized by impairments in the perception orexpression of reality, nearly all frequently manifesting as auditory hallucinations, paranoid orbizarre delusions or disorganized speech and thinking in the context of significant social oroccupational dysfunction. onset of symptoms usually occurs in young adulthood.

Schizophrenia is a chronic, disabling mental sickness that may be brought about by abnormalamounts of certain chemicals in the brain. These chemicals are called neurotransmitters.Neurotransmitters control our thought processes and emotions. Schizophrenia is a group ofserious brain disorders in which reality is interpreted abnormally. Schizophrenia results inhallucinations, delusions, and disordered thinking and behavior. People with schizophreniawithdraw from the people and activities in the world around them, retreating into an inner worldmarked by psychosis.

Schizophrenia is usually identified in people aged 17-35 years. The sickness seems earlier inmales (in the late teens or early twenties) than in women (who are affected in the twenties to earlythirties). Many of them are disabled. They may not be able to hold down jobs or even performtasks as simple as conversations. Some may be so incapacitated that they are unable to doactivities most people take for granted, such as showering or preparing a meal. Many arehomeless. Some recover enough to live a life relatively free from assistance.

Environmental factors are merely speculative and may include complications during pregnancyand birth. For instance, some scientific tests have shown that offspring of women whose sixth orseventh month of pregnancy occurs during a flu epidemic are at increased danger for developingschizophrenia although other scientific tests have refuted this. During the first trimester ofpregnancy, maternal starvation or viral infection may result in increased risk for schizophreniadevelopment in the offspring. It has even been conjectured that babies born in the winter seasonare at elevated danger for developing this mental illness in their early adulthood.

Genetic factors appear to play a role, as people who have family members with schizophreniamay be more likely to get the ailment themselves. Some researchers believe that events in a manor woman's environment may trigger schizophrenia. for instance, problems during intrauterinedevelopment (infection) and birth may increase the danger for developing schizophrenia later inlife.

People with schizophrenia describe odd or unrealistic thoughts. In many instances, their speech ishard to follow due to disordered thinking. common forms of thought dysfunction include

circumstantiality (talking in circles around the issue), looseness of associations (moving from onetopic to the next without any logical connection between them), and tangentiality (moving fromone topic to another where the logical connection is visible, but not relevant to the issue at hand).

Schizophrenia is a harsh, lifelong brain illness. People who have it may hear voices, see thingsthat aren't there or believe that others are reading or controlling their minds. In males, signs andsymptoms usually begin in the late teens and early 20s. They include hallucinations, or seeingthings, and delusions for example hearing voices.

Schizophrenia can be treated with medication in the form of tablets or long-acting injections.Social support for the person and support for carers is important. Counselling may be offered tothe individual with schizophrenia and their family. Brain scanning, especially MRI scanning, hasprovided a far greater understanding of the condition and led to the development of antipsychoticmedication and therapies.

The exact cause of schizophrenia is unknown, but scientific evidence suggests that paranoidschizophrenia is an organic or medical condition, not just a psychological malady of the mind. TheNational Institute of Mental Health reports that 1 percent of the total population is diagnosed withschizophrenia. Paranoid schizophrenia is one of the five types of schizophrenia; the conditionsthat distinguish paranoid schizophrenia from the other kinds are paranoid delusions and beliefs ofpersecution.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) shows that schizophrenia is known to run infamilies with a history of psychiatric disorders. However, this is not always the case. According tothe Mayo Clinic and NIMH, evidence from years of research point to genes from first-degreerelatives leading to an increased risk of developing schizophrenia. NIMH also points out thatongoing scientific tests are focusing on chemical malfunctions in the brain as keys to the geneticlink between relatives and persons with schizophrenia. According to the Mayo Clinic, the scientificsociety continues to work toward proving that genetics is the primary cause of the disorder.

Changes in thinking and behaviour are the nearly all obvious signs of schizophrenia, but peoplecan experience symptoms in dissimilar ways. The signs and symptoms of schizophrenia areusually classified into one of two categories - positive or negative. Positive signs and symptoms :represent a vary in behaviour or thoughts, for example hallucinations or delusions. Negative signsand symptoms : represent a withdrawal or lack of function that you would usually anticipate to seein a healthy individual; for instance, people with schizophrenia often appear emotionless, flat andapathetic

The condition may develop slowly. The first indications of schizophrenia, such as becomingsocially withdrawn and unresponsive or experiencing changes in sleeping patterns, can be hard to

identify. This is because the first symptoms often develop during adolescence and changes canbe mistaken for an adolescent "phase". People frequently have episodes of schizophrenia, during which their signs and symptoms areparticularly severe, followed by periods where they experience few or no positive signs andsymptoms. This is known as acute schizophrenia.

A hallucination is when a person experiences a sensation but there is nothing or nobody there toaccount for it. It can include any of the senses, but the nearly all common is hearing voices.Hallucinations are very real to the man or woman experiencing them, even though people aroundthem cannot hear the voices or experience the sensations. Research using brain-scanning equipment shows changes in the speech area in the brains ofpeople with schizophrenia when they hear voices. These scientific tests show the experience ofhearing voices as a real one, as if the brain mistakes thoughts for real voices. Some peopledescribe the voices they hear as friendly and pleasant, but more frequently they are rude, veryimportant, abusive or annoying. The voices might describe activities taking place, discuss thehearer's thoughts and behaviour, give instructions, or talk directly to the man or woman. Voicesmay come from different places or one place in particular, such as the television.

A delusion is a belief held with complete conviction, even though it is based on a mistaken,strange or unrealistic view. It may affect the way people behave. Delusions can begin suddenly,or may develop over weeks or months. Some people develop a delusional idea to explain ahallucination they are having. as an example, if they have heard voices describing their actions,they may have a delusion that someone is monitoring their actions. Someone experiencing aparanoid delusion may believe they are being harassed or persecuted. They may believe they arebeing chased, followed, watched, plotted against or poisoned, often by a family member or friend.Some people who experience delusions find different meanings in everyday events oroccurrences. They may believe people on TV or in newspaper articles are communicatingmessages to them alone, or that there are hidden messages in the colours of cars passing on thestreet.

People experiencing psychosis frequently have trouble keeping track of their thoughts andconversations. Some people find it hard to concentrate and will drift from one idea to another.They may have trouble reading newspaper articles or watching a TV programme. Peoplesometimes describe their thoughts as "misty" or "hazy" when this is happening to them. Thoughtsand speech may become jumbled or confused, making conversation difficult and hard for otherpeople to understand.

A man or woman's behaviour may become more disorganised and unpredictable, and theirappearance or dress may appear unusual to other folks. People with schizophrenia may behaveinappropriately or become extremely agitated and shout or swear for no reason. Some people

describe their thoughts as being controlled by someone else, that their thoughts are not their own,or that thoughts have been planted in their mind by someone else. Another recognised feeling isthat thoughts are disappearing, as though someone is removing them from their mind. Somepeople feel their body is being taken over and someone else is directing their movements andactions.

The negative signs and symptoms of schizophrenia can frequently appear several years beforesomebody experiences their first acute schizophrenic episode. These initial negative symptomsare frequently referred to as the prodromal period of schizophrenia. conditions during theprodromal period usually appear gradually and gradually get worse. They include becoming moresocially withdrawn and experiencing an increasing lack of care about your appearance andpersonal hygiene. It can be difficult to tell whether the signs and symptoms are part of thedevelopment of schizophrenia or caused by something else. Negative symptoms experienced bypeople living with schizophrenia include: Losing interest and motivation in life and activities,including relationships and sex. Lack of concentration, not wanting to leave the house, andchanges in sleeping patterns. Being less possibly to initiate conversations and feelinguncomfortable with people, or feeling there is nothing to say The negative signs of schizophreniacan frequently result in relationship problems with acquaintances and family because they cansometimes be mistaken for deliberate laziness or rudeness.

Schizophrenia tends to run in families, but no one gene is thought to be responsible. It's morepossibly that dissimilar combinations of genes make people more vulnerable to the condition.However, having these genes doesn't necessarily stand for you will develop schizophrenia.Evidence the illness is partly inherited comes from scientific studies of twins. Identical twins sharethe same genes. In identical twins, if one twin develops schizophrenia, the other twin has a one intwo chance of developing it too. This is true even if they are raised separately. In non-identicaltwins, who have different genetic make-ups, when one twin develops schizophrenia, the otheronly has a one in seven chance of developing the condition. While this is higher than in thegeneral population (where the chance is about 1 in a 100), it suggests genes are not the onlyfactor impacting the development of schizophrenia.

scientific studies of people with schizophrenia have shown there are subtle differences in thestructure of their brains. These changes aren't seen in everyone with schizophrenia and can occurin people who don't have a mental sickness. But they suggest schizophrenia may partly be adysfunction of the brain.

Neurotransmitters. These are chemicals that carry messages between brain cells. There is aconnection between neurotransmitters and schizophrenia since medicines that alter the levels ofneurotransmitters in the brain are known to alleviate some of the symptoms of schizophrenia.Research suggests schizophrenia may be brought about by a change in the level of twoneurotransmitters: dopamine and serotonin. Some scientific tests indicate an imbalance between

the two may be the basis of the problem. Others have found a alter in the body's sensitivity to theneurotransmitters is part of the cause of schizophrenia.

Study has shown that people who develop schizophrenia are more possibly to have experiencedcomplications before and during their birth, for example a low birth weight, premature labour, or alack of oxygen (asphyxia) during birth. It may be that these things have a subtle effect on braindevelopment.

The main psychological triggers of schizophrenia are stressful life events, such as abereavement, losing your career or home, a divorce or the end of a relationship, or physical,sexual, emotional or racial abuse. These kinds of experiences, though stressful, do not causeschizophrenia, but can trigger its development in someone already vulnerable to it.

drugs do not directly cause schizophrenia, but scientific tests have shown drug misuse increasesthe danger of developing schizophrenia or a similar illness. Certain drugs, particularly cannabis,cocaine, LSD or amphetamines, may trigger symptoms of schizophrenia in people who aresusceptible. Using amphetamines or cocaine can lead to psychosis and can cause a relapse inpeople recovering from an earlier episode. Three major scientific studies have shown teenagersunder 15 who use cannabis regularly, especially "skunk" and other more potent forms of the drug,are up to four times more possibly to develop schizophrenia by the age of 26.

As a consequence of their delusional thought patterns, people with schizophrenia may bereluctant to visit their GP if they believe there is nothing wrong with them. It is possibly someonewho has had acute schizophrenic episodes in the past will have been assigned a care co-ordinator. If this is the case, contact the man or woman's care co-ordinator to express yourconcerns. If someone is having an acute schizophrenic episode for the first time, it may benecessary for a friend, relative or other loved one to persuade them to visit their GP. In the caseof a rapidly worsening schizophrenic episode, you may need to go to the accident and emergency(A&E) department, where a duty psychiatrist will be obtainable. If a individual who is having anacute schizophrenic episode refuses to seek help, their nearest relative can request that a mentalhealth assessment is carried out. The social services department of your local authority canadvise how to do this. In harsh cases of schizophrenia, people can be compulsorily detained inhospital for assessment and management under the Mental Health Act (2007).

If you or a friend or relative are recognized with schizophrenia, you may feel anxious about whatwill happen. You may be worried about the stigma attached to the condition, or feel frightened andwithdrawn. It is significant to remember that a diagnosis can be a positive step towards gettinggood, straightforward information about the illness and the kinds of handling and servicesobtainable.

Schizophrenia is a severe brain disorder that impacts more than 2 million men and women everyyear in the United States. Schizophrenia can have devastating effects, leaving the suffererwithdrawn, paranoid, and delusional. Though there is currently no remedy for schizophrenia,many treatment options are available. These remedies are highly effectual at reducing symptomsof the ailment and preventing relapse. If you have schizophrenia, it is important to get identifiedand seek management from a psychiatrist as soon as possible.

Diagnosing schizophrenia can sometimes be difficult as certain symptoms can be confused withother medical conditions. signs of schizophrenia are quite similar to those induced by brain injuryor surgery, drug abuse, chronic Vitamin B12 deficiency, or tuberculosis. There is no physical testthat can prove that you have schizophrenia. Instead, a diagnosis is made based upon your signsand symptoms, family history, and emotional history. In some cases, it may be difficult todiagnose a first episode of schizophrenia. When a man or woman has only a first episode, in theearly stages it may be called schizophreniform illness. In this case, a doctor may have to track acase over a period of time to establish a pattern of the indications of schizophrenia.

Though there is no treat for schizophrenia, a wide variety of handling options are obtainable tosufferers with the disorder. Schizophrenia treatment is now quite effective in most cases, and cansuppress symptoms and prevent relapse in a large number of schizophrenics. However, remediesare ongoing and usually lifelong.

he most common medical management for schizophrenia is the use of antipsychotic medicine.70% of people using prescriptions for schizophrenia perk up, and medicine can also cut therelapse rate for the condition by half, reducing it to 40%. Classic schizophrenia medicationincludes Thorazine, Fluanxol, and Haloperidol. These prescription drugs are very effectual inhealing the positive symptoms of schizophrenia. Newer "atypical" medicinal drugs includeRisperdal, Clozaril, and Aripiprazole. These prescriptions are recommended for first-line handlingand are also good at reducing positive symptoms. Nearly all medications are less effectual athealing negative symptoms.

Antidepressants are recommended for those suffering from schizoaffective condition.Antidepressants can successfully reduce the symptoms of depression in these patients.

Psychotherapy of some class is highly recommended for people suffering from schizophrenia. Byadding behavioral interventions for schizophrenia to a medical treatment regimen, the rate ofrelapse is further reduced, to only 25%. many forms of psychotherapy are obtainable toschizophrenics. Cognitive therapy, psychoeducation, and family therapy can all helpschizophrenics handle their conditions and learn to operate in society. Social skill sets training isof great significance, in order to teach the patient specific ways to regulate themselves in socialsituations.

Alternative therapies for schizophrenia are available, although they are never recommendedwithout first seeking medical handling. They are most effective when paired with antipsychotics

and administered under doctor supervision. In particular, dietary supplements have proven tohave dramatic effects on the signs and symptoms of schizophrenia. Glycine Supplements:Glycine, an amino acid, is shown to help alleviate negative symptoms in schizophrenics by up to24%. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Found in fish oils, Omega-3 fatty acids high in EPA can help toreduce positive and negative conditions associated with schizophrenia. Antioxidants: Theantioxidants Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and Alpha Lipoic Acid show a 5 to 10% improvement in signsof the ailment.

A sufferer's support system may come from several sources, including the family, a professionalresidential or day program provider, shelter operators, friends or roommates, professional casemanagers, churches and synagogues, and other people. because many patients live with theirfamilies, the following discussion frequently uses the term "family." However, this should not betaken to imply that families ought to be the primary support system.

There are numerous situations in which patients with schizophrenia may need help from people intheir family or society. frequently, a individual with schizophrenia will resist handling, believing thatdelusions or hallucinations are real and that psychiatric help is not required. At times, family orfriends may need to take an active role in having them seen and evaluated by a professional. Theissue of civil rights enters into any attempts to provide management. Laws protecting patientsfrom involuntary commitment have become very strict, and families and community organizationsmay be frustrated in their efforts to see that a seriously mentally unwell individual gets neededhelp. These laws vary from State to State; but generally, when people are dangerous tothemselves or other people due to a mental illness, the police can assist in getting them anemergency psychiatric evaluation and, if necessary, hospitalization. In some places, staff from alocal society mental health center can evaluate an individual's illness at home if he or she will notvoluntarily go in for management.

Sometimes only the family or other folks close to the person with schizophrenia will be aware ofstrange behavior or thoughts that the man or woman has expressed. Since patients may notvolunteer such information during an examination, family members or friends should ask to speakwith the man or woman evaluating the patient so that all relevant information can be taken intoaccount.

Ensuring that a person with schizophrenia continues to get management after hospitalization isalso significant. A sufferer may discontinue medications or stop going for follow-up management,often leading to a return of psychotic symptoms. Encouraging the sufferer to continue handlingand assisting him or her in the management process can positively influence recuperation.Without handling, some people with schizophrenia become so psychotic and disorganized thatthey cannot care for their basic needs, for example food, clothing, and shelter. All too frequently,people with harsh mental ailments such as schizophrenia end up on the streets or in jails, wherethey rarely receive the kinds of treatment they need.

Those close to people with schizophrenia are frequently unsure of how to respond when sufferersmake statements that appear strange or are clearly false. For the person with schizophrenia, the

bizarre beliefs or hallucinations look quite real - they are not just "imaginary fantasies." Instead of"going along with" a individual's delusions, family members or acquaintances can tell the personthat they do not see things the same way or do not agree with his or her conclusions, whileacknowledging that things may appear otherwise to the patient.

It may also be useful for those who know the person with schizophrenia well to keep a record ofwhat types of signs and symptoms have appeared, what medicinal drugs (including dosage) havebeen taken, and what effects various therapies have had. By knowing what signs and symptomshave been present before, family members may know better what to look for in the future. Familymembers may even be able to identify some "early warning indications" of potential relapses,such as increased withdrawal or changes in sleep patterns, even better and earlier than thesufferers themselves. Thus, return of psychosis may be detected early and treatment may preventa full-blown relapse. Also, by knowing which prescription drugs have helped and which havetriggered troublesome unintended effects in the past, the family can help those treating the personafflicted to find the best handling more quickly.

In addition to involvement in seeking help, family, friends, and peer groups can provide supportand encourage the man or woman with schizophrenia to regain his or her abilities. It is importantthat goals be attainable, since a sufferer who feels pressured and/or repeatedly criticized by someothers will probably experience stress that may result in a worsening of signs. Like anyone else,people with schizophrenia need to know when they are doing things right. A positive approachmay be helpful and perhaps more effectual in the long run than criticism. This advice can beapplied to everyone who interacts with the person.

Suicide is a serious risk in people who have schizophrenia. If an individual tries to commit suicideor threatens to do so, professional help should be sought immediately. People with schizophreniahave a elevated rate of suicide than the general population. Approximately 10% of people withschizophrenia (especially younger adult men) commit suicide. Unluckily, the prediction of suicidein people with schizophrenia can be particularly difficult.

News and entertainment media tend to link mental sickness and criminal violence; however,scientific studies indicate that except for those persons with a record of criminal violence beforebecoming unwell, and those with substance mistreatment or alcohol problems, people withschizophrenia are not particularly susceptible to physical violence. Most folks with schizophreniaare not dangerous; more typically, they are withdrawn and prefer to be left alone. Most violentcrimes are not committed by persons with schizophrenia, and nearly all persons withschizophrenia do not commit violent crimes. Substance abuse appreciably increases the rate ofphysical violence in people with schizophrenia but also in people who do not have any mentalailment. People with paranoid and psychotic symptoms, which can become worse if medicationsare stopped, may also be at elevated danger for violent behavior. When physical violence doesoccur, it is nearly all frequently targeted at family members and acquaintances, and more oftentakes place at home.

The nearly all typical form of substance use illness in people with schizophrenia is nicotinedependence due to smoking. While the prevalence of smoking in the U.S. population is about 25to 30 percent, the prevalence among people with schizophrenia is approximately three times ashigh. Study has shown that the relationship between smoking and schizophrenia is complex.Although people with schizophrenia may smoke to self medicate their symptoms, smoking hasbeen found to interfere with the response to antipsychotic drugs. Several scientific tests havefound that schizophrenia sufferers who smoke need elevated doses of antipsychotic medication.Quitting smoking may be especially difficult for people with schizophrenia, because the signs andsymptoms of nicotine withdrawal may cause a temporary worsening of schizophrenia conditions.However, smoking cessation strategies that include nicotine replacement methods may beeffectual. Doctors should carefully monitor medicine dosage and response when patients withschizophrenia either initiate or stop smoking.

Substance abuse is a typical concern of the family and friends of people with schizophrenia.Since some people who abuse drugs may show signs similar to those of schizophrenia, peoplewith schizophrenia may be mistaken for people "high on drugs." While most research workers donot believe that substance abuse causes schizophrenia, people who have schizophreniafrequently abuse alcohol and/or drugs, and may have particularly bad reactions to certain drugs.Substance abuse can reduce the effectiveness of handling for schizophrenia. Stimulants (forexample amphetamines or cocaine) may cause major problems for sufferers with schizophrenia,as may PCP or marijuana. In fact, some people experience a worsening of their schizophrenicconditions when they are taking such drugs. Substance abuse also reduces the likelihood thatpatients will follow the handling plans recommended by their doctors.

People with schizophrenia frequently show "blunted" or "flat" impact. This refers to a severereduction in emotional expressiveness. A person with schizophrenia may not show the signs ofnormal emotion, perhaps may speak in a monotonous voice, have diminished facial expressions,and appear extremely apathetic. The man or woman may withdraw socially, avoiding contact withothers; and when forced to interact, he or she may have nothing to say, reflecting "impoverishedthought." Motivation can be greatly decreased, as can interest in or enjoyment of life. In somesevere cases, a man or woman can spend entire days doing nothing at all, even neglecting basichygiene. These problems with emotional expression and motivation, which may be extremelytroubling to family members and acquaintances, are signs and symptoms of schizophrenia - notcharacter flaws or personal weaknesses.

Schizophrenia frequently impacts a individual's ability to "think straight." Thoughts may come andgo rapidly; the person may not be able to concentrate on one thought for very long and may beeasily distracted, unable to focus attention. People with schizophrenia may not be able to sort outwhat's relevant and what exactly is not relevant to a situation. The person may be not able toconnect thoughts into logical sequences, with thoughts becoming disorganized and fragmented.This lack of logical continuity of thought, termed "thought illness," can make conversation verydifficult and may contribute to social isolation. If people cannot make sense of what an individualis saying, they are likely to become uncomfortable and tend to leave that person alone.

Delusions are false personal beliefs that are not subject to reason or contradictory evidence andare not explained by a person's usual cultural concepts. Delusions may take on different themes.let's say, patients suffering from paranoid-sort conditions - roughly one-third of people withschizophrenia - often have delusions of persecution, or false and reasonless beliefs that they arebeing cheated, harassed, poisoned, or conspired against. These sufferers may believe that they,or a member of the family or someone close to them, are the focus of this persecution. In addition,delusions of grandeur, in which a person may believe he or she is a famous or essential figure,may occur in schizophrenia. Sometimes the delusions experienced by people with schizophreniaare quite bizarre; for instance, believing that a neighbor is controlling their behavior with magneticwaves; that people on television are directing special messages to them; or that their thoughts arebeing broadcast aloud to some others.

Hallucinations are disturbances of perception that are typical in people suffering fromschizophrenia. Hallucinations are perceptions that occur without connection to an appropriatesource. Although hallucinations can occur in any sensory sort - auditory (sound), visual (sight),tactile (touch), gustatory (taste), and olfactory (smell) - hearing voices that other people do nothear is the nearly all common type of hallucination in schizophrenia. Voices may describe theperson afflicted's activities, carry on a conversation, warn of impending dangers, or even issueorders to the person. Illusions, on the other hand, occur when a sensory stimulus is present but isincorrectly interpreted by the individual.

At times, normal folks may feel, think, or act in methods that resemble schizophrenia. Normalpeople may sometimes be unable to "think straight." They may become extremely anxious, let'ssay, when speaking in front of groups and may feel confused, be not able to pull their thoughtstogether, and forget what they had intended to say. This is not schizophrenia. At the same time,people with schizophrenia do not always act abnormally. Indeed, some people with the sicknesscan appear entirely normal and be perfectly responsible, even while they experiencehallucinations or delusions. An individual's behavior may vary over time, becoming bizarre ifmedication is stopped and returning closer to normal when receiving appropriate handling.

It is essential to rule out other illnesses, as sometimes people suffer severe mental conditions oreven psychosis due to undetected underlying medical conditions. For this reason, a medicalhistory should be taken and a physical examination and laboratory tests should be done to ruleout other possible causes of the signs before concluding that a man or woman has schizophrenia.In addition, since usually abused drugs may cause signs and symptoms resemblingschizophrenia, blood or urine samples from the person can be tested at hospitals or physicians'offices for the presence of these medicines.

At times, it is difficult to tell one mental illness from another. For instance, some people withsymptoms of schizophrenia exhibit prolonged extremes of elated or depressed mood, and it isimportant to determine whether such a patient has schizophrenia or actually has a manic-depressive (or bipolar) illness or major depressive illness. individuals whose conditions cannot beclearly categorized are sometimes identified as having a "schizoaffective illness."

Children over the age of five can develop schizophrenia, but it is very rare before adolescence.Although some people who later develop schizophrenia may have seemed dissimilar from otherchildren at an early age, the psychotic signs of schizophrenia - hallucinations and delusions - areextremely uncommon before adolescence.

The outlook for people with schizophrenia has improved over the last 25 years. Although nototally effectual therapy has yet been devised, it is important to remember that many people withthe biological disorder improve enough to lead independent, satisfying lives. As we learn moreabout the causes and interventions of schizophrenia, we should be able to help more patientsachieve successful outcomes. studies that have followed people with schizophrenia for longperiods, from the first episode to old age, reveal that a wide range of outcomes is possible. Whenlarge groups of patients are studied, certain factors tend to be associated with a better outcome -as an example, a pre-ailment history of normal social, school, and work adjustment. However, thecurrent state of knowledge, does not allow for a sufficiently accurate prediction of long-termoutcome. Given the complexity of schizophrenia, the major questions about this illness - its causeor causes, prevention, and handling - must be addressed with research. The public shouldbeware of those offering "the cure" for (or "the cause" of) schizophrenia. Such claims can provokeunrealistic expectations that, when unfulfilled, result in further disappointment. Although progresshas been made toward better understanding and handling of schizophrenia, continuedinvestigation is urgently needed. It is thought that a wide-ranging study effort, including basicscientific studies on the brain, will continue to illuminate processes and principles significant forunderstanding the causes of schizophrenia and for developing more effective therapies.

Schizophrenia is found all over the world. The severity of the symptoms and long-lasting, chronicpattern of schizophrenia frequently cause a high degree of disability. drugs and other therapies forschizophrenia, when used regularly and as prescribed, can help reduce and control the disturbingsymptoms of the ailment. However, some people are not greatly helped by obtainableinterventions or may prematurely discontinue management because of uncomfortable unintendedeffects or other reasons. Even when management is effective, persisting consequences of theailment - lost opportunities, stigma, residual signs and symptoms, and medication side effects -may be very troubling. The first indications of schizophrenia often appear as confusing, or evenshocking, changes in behavior. Coping with the signs of schizophrenia can be particularly difficultfor family members who remember how involved or vivacious a man or woman was before theybecame ill. The sudden start of harsh psychotic signs is referred to as an "acute" phase ofschizophrenia. "Psychosis," a typical condition in schizophrenia, is a state of mental impairmentmarked by hallucinations, which are disturbances of sensory perception, and/or delusions, whichare false yet strongly held personal beliefs that result from an inability to separate real from unrealexperiences. Less obvious symptoms, such as social isolation or withdrawal, or unusual speech,thinking, or behavior, may precede, be seen along with, or follow the psychotic conditions. Somepeople have only one such psychotic episode; other folks have many episodes during a lifetime,but lead relatively normal lives during the interim periods. However, the individual with "chronic"

schizophrenia, or a continuous or recurring pattern of ailment, frequently does not fully recovernormal functioning and typically requires long-term treatment, generally including medicine, tocontrol the symptoms.

Natural remedies for schizophrenia vary but include such options as dietary changes andnutritional supplements. Avoiding trigger foods allows the body to function more optimally whilesupporting it with supplements realigns any nutritional deficiencies. Vitamin B3 and omega-3s areparticularly essential nutrients for treating the condition. Many of the foods individuals eatnegatively influence their health without their realization. Gluten is one such category of foods thatcan be detrimental to one's health. Eliminating gluten and avoiding sugar eliminates stress on thesystem and supports the mood, making it an effective handling option for schizophrenia and otherpsychiatric conditions. All of the B vitamins are essential for helping the body produce energy;however, vitamin B3 is particularly significant as it functions in producing a number of vitalhormones in the body. Vitamin B3 or niacin regulates stress-related hormones as well as thelevels in the adrenal glands, which facilitates better functioning of the brain. Reducing stress andimproving coping mechanisms are essential factors in treating schizophrenia. Omega-3 fatty acidsare important for good health in a number of methods. In regards to schizophrenia, however,these nutrients function to prevent depression and other emotional-related conditions. Theomega-3 fats lubricate the pathways to the nervous system, making for more effectualcommunication to the brain and alleviating many of the signs and symptoms of various psychiatricconditions. A harsh brain ailment, schizophrenia is characterized by an individual's inability tointerpret reality normally. An person affected by the condition frequently exhibits hallucinations,delusions and distorted thinking. effective nutritional supports as well as other remedieseffectively treat the condition and facilitate more appropriate brain pathways.

Schizophrenia is not just one big illness. It consists of particularly five types. Each has it's ownsymptoms or absence of conditions that set it apart from the some others. Hebephrenicschizophrenia comprises of huge psychological disorganization. Characteristics are impropermoods, socially withdrawn, and strange mannerisms. Hebephrenic schizophrenia reflects a loosestructure of sign patterns. Catatonic schizophrenia is another form relating to waxy flexibility. Thisform is relatively rare due to the prescription drugs obtainable today. Individuals may stand inpositions for long durations of time like wax statues. A more dominant set of conditions is that ofparanoid schizophrenia. This is when individuals experience persecution. Apart from theirthoughts of people plotting against them, they react with a more normal behavior. Individuals thathave had at one time a schizophrenia episode can be placed with residual schizophrenia. Theymay currently only show small indications like social withdrawal, but at one point were muchworse. Undifferentiated schizophrenia is when persons show more than one sign and can meetthe criteria for more than one type. Technically schizophrenia is broken down into these fivetypes, but signs very from man or woman to man or woman and can alter over time.

The actual reason behind schizophrenia still remains a mystery to scientist, but they are possibletheories. Schizophrenia has been attributed to high levels of dopamine activity in the brain thatare responsible for the emotion and cognitive functions. Lowering the amount of dopamine activity

reduces the conditions of schizophrenia, and increasing dopamine activity brings onschizophrenia. scientific tests have shown that people with schizophrenia have more dopaminereceptors than in other people.

scientific studies have repeatedly found various structural abnormalities in people withschizophrenia. MRI scan examinations have generally revealed 3 types of abnormalities. Anassociated structural problem is cortical atrophy, a deterioration of the nerve cells in the cortex.This sort of damage in the brain occurs 20% to 35% in people with schizophrenia. Ventricles tendto be mildly to moderately enlarged by 20% to 50% for individuals with schizophrenia. Anotherstructural problem is reversed cerebral asymmetry that is associated with schizophrenia.Reversed cerebral asymmetry causes the right side of the brain to tend to be larger than the leftside. Though no single gene is known to cause schizophrenia, genetic composition influences aman or woman's disposition toward schizophrenia tendencies. Schizophrenia is more prevalent inthe relatives of individuals with schizophrenia. According to the British Columbia SchizophreniaSociety, if you have a parent or sibling with schizophrenia, your danger factor is augmented to10%. Both parents with schizophrenia result in a 40% chance along with a 40% chance whenhaving an identical twin with schizophrenia. Genetics can not be the entire cause behindschizophrenia since 80% to 90% of the persons who have schizophrenia do not have parents withschizophrenia. Genetic factors are thought to establish biological predisposition for schizophreniabut the environmental stress factors must bring out the schizophrenia within the individual. This isknown as the diathesis-stress hypothesis. A disturbed relationship within the home can causestress accounting for an onset of schizophrenia. Long term follow-up of children whose parentssuffered from schizophrenia showed children who suffered from personal stresses were morepossibly to develop the illness. While schizophrenia may be triggered from structuralabnormalities, genetics, to environmental factors no exact cause for schizophrenia exists today.

There is as yet no permanent treat for schizophrenia. A major treatment for schizophrenia isantipsychotics. Antipsychotics work to subdue anxiety and hyperactivity, counteracthallucinations, and reduce aggression. The drugs are no treat but they do lessen conditions. 80%of patients who discontinue their antipsychotic medication suffer relapses of the disorder withintwo years. Another dramatic sort of handling tried on the ailment is electroconvulsive therapy.This management can produce unwanted unwanted side effects like memory loss. A discontinuedmanagement is surgery on the prefrontal lobe of the cerebrum called a lobotomy. A lobotomy cancause extreme personality dysfunction. remedy and rehabilitation are used to treat the loss ofsocial development that can occur. therapy can help the man or woman build a normal life andinteract with other folks. Although no management is guaranteed to work, they can help sufferersgrab a better sense of reality. It is estimated that as many as 25% of sufferers now recover almostfully, and about 50% show a least partial recuperation. The remaining 25% need long-term help.

Schizophrenia is a scary psychological dysfunction. With a frequency rate of 1 individual in 100, itis relatively ordinary. The causes behind schizophrenia are still a mystery whether they aregenetic or environmental. With treatment sufferers have the chance to live a more normal life buthave no promise to recuperation. As a society everyone has an obligation to accept sufferers of

such a horrendous ailment. By educating yourself about schizophrenia, you can help folks withinyour influence overcome conditions and establish a more peaceful and organized lifestyle.

A schizophrenia drug under development could benefit patients who are at risk of developingconditions including diabetes and cardiovascular illness, as well as weight gain, which areassociated with some second-generation antipsychotics. Additional analyses on Phase II data onITI-007, a serotonin 5-HT2A receptor antagonist from Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc., werepresented at the recent American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting in Toronto. The PhaseII study, ITI-007-005, was a double-blind, placebo- and active-controlled trial enrolling 335patients with an episode of schizophrenia.

The FDA has accepted under Priority Review Janssen Pharmaceuticals' New Drug Application(NDA) for the three-month long-acting atypical antipsychotic Invega Trinza. Invega Trinza, athree-month injection, is an atypical antipsychotic indicated to treat schizophrenia. Before startingInvega Trinza, patients must be adequately treated with Invega Sustenna (one-monthpaliperidone palmitate) for at least four months. Priority Review is a designation for drugs that, ifauthorized, would offer significant improvement in the treatment of serious conditions.

[Famous People With Schizophrenia] Confirmed Cases: Bettie Page - Playboy magazine MissJanuary 1955 pin-up model. John Nash - Nobel Prize winning mathematician, portrayed by actorRussell Crowe in the movie, A Beautiful Mind. The movie details Nash's 30 year struggle with this,often debilitating, mental illness and its eventual, victorious culmination, when he won the NobelPrize for economics in 1994. Eduard Einstein - Son of Albert Einstein. The world knows Eduard'sfamous father best for conceptualizing the Theory of Relativity (E=MC2), developing the atomicbomb, and pioneering numerous other scientific breakthroughs. Records note Eduard's highintelligence and natural musical talent as well as his youthful dream of becoming a doctor ofpsychiatry. Schizophrenia struck Eduard during his 20th year in 1930. He received psychiatriccare at an asylum in Zurich, Switzerland. Tom Harrell - Superstar jazz trumpet musician andcomposer, Harrell continues to produce and compose music, releasing his 24th album earlier in2011. He speaks openly about his struggles with the illness in hopes of helping other folks copewith their own challenges. He claims music and medications with helping him persevere well intohis 60s, while remaining at the top of his craft. Elyn Saks - A law professor, specializing in mentalhealth law, Saks authored her memoirs, The Center Cannot hold: My Journey Through Madness,where she openly talks of her decades-long battle with schizophrenia. Honored as a legal scholarand peerless authority on mental health law, Saks accepted a $500,000 genius grant from theMacArthur Foundation in 2009. Lionel Aldridge - Aldridge played as a defensive end for the GreenBay Packers and coach Vince Lombardi in the 1960s. During this time, Aldridge played in twoSuper Bowls, but schizophrenia knows all men as equals -- regardless of talent, fame and fortune.Aldridge was struck with the illness soon after his football career ended and spent two and a halfyears alone and homeless - a celebrity athlete on the streets. Once he found help for hisstruggles with the dysfunction, he dedicated his life to delivering inspirational speeches about hisbattle with paranoid schizophrenia and his ultimate victory over its ravages. He died in 1998.Many more well-known musicians, actors, authors, and artists have openly spoken out about their

mental ailment in efforts to reduce stigma.

[Famous People With Schizophrenia] Strongly Suspected: Mary Todd Lincoln - wife of PresidentAbraham Lincoln has received an historical diagnosis of schizophrenia from specialists whostudied her and the president's writings about her behaviors and struggles. Michaelangelo -Anthony Storr, author of The Dynamics of Creation, writes about reasons to suspect that this, oneof history's greatest geniuses of creative talent, legendary artist suffered from schizophrenia.Vivien Leigh - actress who played the impetuous Scarlett O'Hara in the film, Gone With the Wind,suffered from a mental biological disorder resembling schizophrenia, according to biographer AnnEdwards. Despite a massive effort to diminish the stigma associated with mental biologicaldisorder in America, strong negative attitudes persist in U.S. culture about schizophrenia andother debilitating mental diseases. Perhaps sharing the stories of celebrities and other famouspeople with schizophrenia can help vary these damaging attitudes, so some others do not have tosuffer in silence.

Extended periods of recurring psychosis in schizophrenia sufferers contribute to progressive lossof brain tissue, a new imaging reasearch shows. Furthermore, the same study shows thatantipsychotic management is also linked to brain loss in a dose-dependent manner. Thesefindings confirm the significance of implementing "proactive measures that prevent relapse andperk up adherence to management" and that clinicians should strive to use the "lowest possible[antipsychotic] dosage to control symptoms," investigators, led by Nancy C. Andreasen, MD, PhD,with the Psychiatric Neuroimaging Consortium, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine inIowa City, write. The reasearch is published in the June issue of the American Journal ofPsychiatry (Am J Psychiatry. 2013;170:571-573,609-615). The findings stem from clinical andimaging data on 202 patients in the Iowa Longitudinal reasearch of first-episode schizophrenia.The sufferers underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging at regular intervals for anaverage of 7 years. Of the 202 patients, 157 experienced at least 1 relapse, 29 had no relapse,and 16 remained at a continually severe biological disorder level and did not perk up enough thatthey could then relapse. Among sufferers who relapsed, the average number of relapses was1.64, with a range of 1 to 4; the signify duration of relapse was 1.34 years, and the maximum was7.09 years. The research workers found that the duration of relapse was closely related to loss ofbrain tissue over time in multiple brain regions, including generalized tissue loss (total cerebralvolume), as well as loss in subregions, particularly the frontal lobes. On the other hand, simplycounting the number of relapses had no predictive value. Use of a regression analysis allowed theresearch workers to simultaneously and independently evaluate the consequences of relapseduration and antipsychotic treatment intensity on brain tissue measures. They found that bothcontribute to brain tissue loss but that the management effects are more diffusely distributed,whereas the relapse effects are most strongly associated with frontal lobe tissue changes. "Thesefindings suggest that relapse prevention after initial start may convey a significant clinical benefit.This in turn suggests the importance of doing as much as possible to ensure managementadherence as a way of preventing relapse, beginning aggressively at the time of illness start," Dr.Andreasen told Medscape Medical News. Adherence, Dr. Andreasen added, can be "maximizedin a variety of methods: maintaining good rapport and frequent supportive contact, choice ofprescriptions that have the lowest aversive unintended effects, such as akathisia and

extrapyramidal unwanted side effects, and use of long-acting injectable medicinal drugs."

Psychosocial interventions: Education: Education for the individual and the family aboutschizophrenia is essential. Providing education and information enables the family as well as theman or woman with schizophrenia to take an active role in the recovery and rehabilitationprocess, and to do so from an empowered position. Covering a all-natural move toward to healingSchizophrenia. Includes psychotherapies, social skillsets and vocational training, self-help groupsand family interventions. Social and living skillsets education. Social and living skills training is aneffectual means of enabling individuals with schizophrenia to re-learn a variety of skillsetsindispensable for living independently. Social and living skill sets training can be used withpersons and with groups and provides opportunities for people to obtain skillsets they have notbeen able to develop due to particular life circumstances, re-learn skillsets which were lost orreduced due to the crippling effects of schizophrenia or particular life circumstances and enhanceexisting skills to enable more effective functioning. Occupational training and rehabilitation: Workhas the potential to be a 'normalising' experience and to provide benefits for example enhancedpersonal satisfaction, increased self-confidence, additional income, monetary independence,social interaction and recreational and companionship chances. Most importantly, it is frequentlyidentified as a goal of people with schizophrenia. Any individual with schizophrenia whoexpresses an interest in attaining employment, or who may advantage from employment, shouldreceive vocational services. talking therapies: There are several different 'chatting therapies' tochoose from. They range in their approaches, from aiming to ease discomfort and improve copingskillsets though to seeking to help people appreciate their own thoughts, feelings and patterns ofbehaviour. Some of these chatting therapies are listed below. Counselling: Counsellors payattention without judgement and help persons to explore issues which are essential in therecuperation process. Counsellors do not give recommendation but should act as a guide forindividuals in working things out for themselves.

The holistic approach as it is applied to the handling of schizophrenia, means "assessing howschizophrenia is affecting all aspects of an individual's being. The emotional, psychological, socialand physical aspects should all be considered - the focus is not exclusively on the