Schizophrenia is a disorder of the brain’s ability to connect reality with thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It is a highly stigmatized disorder in society, rife with misunderstandings, such as the idea that those with schizophrenia are often perpetrators of violence when in actuality they are far more often the victims of violence and abuse. Though the diagnosis was found over a hundred years ago, the exact cause of schizophrenia is unknown, though it is believed by scientists to be a mixture of genetics, environment, brain structure, exposure to certain viruses at an early age, recreational drug use, and certain factors during pregnancy. Genetics is said to play a particularly strong role in it, as those who are related to those with schizophrenia have a higher chance of having schizophrenia or displaying schizophrenia-like symptoms, as schizophrenia is a syndrome that can span a wide spectrum of disorders.
As with most diseases, especially those of the mind, it is important to catch it as soon as possible. With schizophrenia, if left too long the symptoms can integrate themselves into a person's personality. When you have to remake yourself to cope with a disease, it’s inevitable. Most of the time, schizophrenia is diagnosed after the first onset of psychosis, which is a disassociation with reality (hallucinations, delusions, incoherent speech, agitation, etc), even though the onset of symptoms can happen well beforehand. Though schizophrenia is mostly associated with ‘hearing voices’ (though auditory hallucinations are common), there are many other symptoms that are categories under ‘positive’ and ‘negative.’
Positive symptoms are referred to as those that occur in those with schizophrenia, but not in the general population, such as hallucinations, delusions, disordered speech and behavior, or in other words, psychosis. Hallucinations can be visual or auditory and seem completely real to the individual experiencing them. As mentioned above, auditory hallucinations are most common with schizophrenia and is often one’s inner voice or that of someone they know, usually speaking harshly, abusively, or depreciatively.
Delusions of psychosis are beliefs, perceptions, and ideals that are wrong despite clear evidence to the contrary. They can be delusions of grandeur, such as thinking one is riotously famous or powerful or can fly, or they can be delusions of persecution, such as the belief that everyone, or often the elusive ‘they,’ is out to get them. They can also be delusions of the world around them as well.
There are cognitive symptoms (changes or disruptions in thinking) as well, such as difficulty remembering or making choices, trouble focusing,
Negative symptoms are decreases in behavior such as lack of expression of emotion, decrease in motivation, depression, and withdrawal from society. Medication is very effective in treating the positive symptoms of schizophrenia, but don’t treat negative symptoms and can even aggravate them. Because of this, therapy, a healthy lifestyle, and positive social support, such as what can be found here on our mental health forum schizophrenia, are crucial to treatment.
And schizophrenia can be treated. Although it cannot be cured, with proper treatment, those with schizophrenia can live happy and fulfilling lives often even free of symptoms, though there may be occasional relapses. The idea that schizophrenia is a hopeless cause and untreatable is one of the greatest misconceptions of schizophrenia, and a leading fear in those who may avoid seeking a diagnosis.
Schizophrenia is often mistaken for the much rarer split-personalities disorder. But in schizophrenia, there is a disruption of thought rather than a complete creation of another stream of consciousness. Schizophrenia is also remarkably common, occurring in one out of every one hundred people. Because of this, it is even more important to educate ourselves and society about its symptoms, treatment, and more importantly, the potential of those to thrive despite it.
Disclaimer: this article, although well researched, is not written by a medical professional and should, by no means, be used to replace proper diagnosis by a qualified medical practitioner.
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