Schizophrenia

About Schizophrenia:

• It is a chronic, severe mental disorderthat affects the way a person thinks, acts, expresses emotions, perceives reality, and relates to others.
• It mostly affects young adultsin the productive age group.
• One in every 100 people experiences schizophrenia and men are twice as likely to develop this condition as compared to women.
• Symptoms of Schizophrenia:
  • It can differ from person to person, but they generally fall into three main categories: psychotic, negative, and cognitive.
  • Psychotic symptoms include Hallucinations, Delusions, thought disorder, Movement disorder.
  • Negative symptoms include loss of motivation, loss of interest or enjoyment in daily activities, withdrawal from social life, difficulty showing emotions, and difficulty functioning normally.
  • Cognitive symptoms include problems in attention, concentration, and memory.
• Treatment:
  • Though there is no cure for schizophrenia, a variety of antipsychotic medications are effective in reducing the psychotic symptoms present in the acute phase of the illness.
  • Psychological treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy or supportive psychotherapy may reduce symptoms and enhance function.