Schizophrenia is a complex and serious mental illness that influences how a person feels, thinks, and acts. Affecting around one percent of Americans, this disorder involves a combination of disordered thinking, delusions, and hallucinations that impair daily functioning. The majority of people with this condition are not violent or dangerous to others. Fortunately, there are treatment options for those who have been diagnosed with this mental disorder. The top three schizophrenia treatment options include antipsychotic medication, psychosocial interventions like individual and family therapy, and hospitalization. Read on to find out what you need to know about treating schizophrenia.
This mental disorder is usually diagnosed when men and women are between the ages of 20 and 45. Men are usually diagnosed in their mid-20s, while women are diagnosed generally in their late 20s. Children and individuals over the age of 45 are typically not diagnosed with this condition.
There is no one cause for schizophrenia. Instead, researchers and mental health professionals believe that this disorder is caused by a combination of brain chemistry, genetics, and environment.
While the specific cause is unknown, there are certain risk factors that seem to increase the risk of developing schizophrenia. These include family history of the disorder, pregnancy or birth complications, taking mind-altering drugs, and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
The combination of symptoms vary from person to person, but all symptoms involve a range of behavior, thinking, and emotions. Symptoms can include delusions, which are false beliefs not based in reality, and hallucinations, which involve hearing and seeing things that don't exist. Disorganized thinking and abnormal behavior are also symptoms, which results in impaired communication.
A mental health diagnosis for schizophrenia starts with a visit to the family doctor or a psychiatrist. This health care professional will ask a lot of questions about symptoms, family history, daily function, past and current medications, and any other medical conditions, among others. A person must have two or more of the symptoms of schizophrenia occurring consistently and resulting in reduced functioning in order to be diagnosed with schizophrenia.
While there is no treatment for this mental condition, there are several ways to manage schizophrenia. These include different generations of antipsychotic medication, psychosocial interventions like individual and family therapy, hospitalization, and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
This mental disorder is complicated, requiring constant adjustments in treatment strategies to help patients live full, productive lives. What works for one person may not work for another, which means that people with schizophrenia require lifelong treatment.
If left untreated, complications can develop. These include suicide ideation, anxiety disorders, depression, alcohol and drug abuse, social isolation, health problems, and the inability to work or attend school.