An Overview of Schizophrenia

Published on: 14 March 2016 Last Updated on: 12 July 2021

Schizophrenia remains one of the most misunderstood mental health disorders in the U.S. Many people assume that schizophrenia refers to a complete inability to accept life. However, schizophrenia actually describes a severe, chronic brain disorder characterized by abnormal thought processes and rationale. Many of the symptoms of schizophrenia are similar to other mental health conditions, which makes accurate diagnoses difficult for mental rehabilitation experts.

Prevalence of schizophrenia

Schizophrenia affects between 0.5 percent and 1 percent of individuals around the globe. The first episode tends to occur at age 21 for men and age 27 for women, explains the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). About 33 percent of those with schizophrenia attempt suicide and 10 percent will succeed. In a Canadian study, schizophrenia diagnoses resulted in a total cost of $6.85 billion for the U.S. and Canada.

Risk factors

Across mental health facilities, mental health professionals have yet to determine an exact cause of schizophrenia. However, a family history of schizophrenia, exposure to toxins while in utero, increased immune system response, older age of a person’s father, and exposure to psychotropic substances during adolescence have been thought to be the primary risk factors for developing schizophrenia (Mayo Clinic).

Signs and symptoms

The signs and symptoms vary from person to person. According to the Mayo Clinic, most signs and symptoms reveal abnormal brain functioning and include the following:

1. Hallucinations :

Hallucinations may involve any of the five senses; however, hearing voices is the most common hallucination

2. Delusions:

Delusions are similar to hallucinations. Delusions occur when a person has a false belief about a given event or situation. For example, a person may believe he or she has a role in global politics when it is not true

3. Thought disorders:

Thought disorders are unusual, counter-productive ways of thinking

4. Movement disorders:

Movement disorders are characterized by repetitive, involuntary movements, which are most commonly noticed in the face. Alternatively, someone with schizophrenia may become catatonic, which means he or she does not move at all

5. Disruptive emotions and behaviors:

Emotional states in schizophrenic individuals may mirror the ups and downs of other mental health disorders, such as bipolar disorder.

6. Poor cognitive functioning:

Someone with schizophrenia may be incapable of understanding information and making decisions on the basis of the information. Furthermore, working memory and difficulty concentrating are common aspects of poor cognitive functioning

Treatment Options

Depending on the severity of the episode, treatment for schizophrenia may occur in inpatient mental health facilities. However, outpatient treatment is a vital aspect of treatment after discharge.

1. Antipsychotic medications:

Antipsychotic and atypical antipsychotic medications focus on eradicating the symptoms of schizophrenia. Some of these medications may cause serious side effects

2. Psychosocial treatment:

Psychosocial treatment involves teaching a person to readapt to life through physical, speech, and occupational therapy

3. Integrated Treatment :

If a person with schizophrenia has a co-occurring mental health disorder, the treatment must include address all other disorders

Although schizophrenia can present some of the most difficult symptoms in mental health therapies, the disorder can be effectively managed. However, understanding the symptoms and treatment options of schizophrenia plays a significant role in preventing the disorder from developing further.

Abdul Aziz Mondol

Abdul Aziz Mondol is a professional blogger who is having a colossal interest in writing blogs and other jones of calligraphies. In terms of his professional commitments, he loves to share content related to business, finance, technology, and the gaming niche.

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Ways to Weight Loss Naturally

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Many people ask, “is medical specialities a good career path?” Medical careers may be satisfying since you strive to provide top-notch patient care. In the healthcare sector, there are many different positions, some of which have minor qualifications and others requiring several years of school and training. Job routes in the medical industry may best meet your goals and capabilities. In this post, I have outlined 12 potential careers and job positions you can work towards in medicine. Why Is Medical Specialities A Good Career Path? If you ask me, “is medical specialities a good career path?” I would definitely say yes. This is because there are various job benefits like: 1. Work Variety You can supervise others, deal directly with patients, or do administrative work in this sector. There are several medical specialties, so you may pick one that most appeals to you. 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Can a Mattress Cause Back Pain?

Unfortunately, back pain is common that we start treating it as a normal part of our daily life. However, back pain, as well as any other pain, should not be tolerated or ignored. Many people have problems with back pain at night or in the morning after they wake. What’s the cause of this? Is it your sleep position? Or maybe your mattress? Is Your Mattress The Cause of Your Back Pain? The first step in treating back pain is to identify its source. However, that’s not always as easy as it sounds. The pain can be caused or aggravated by multiple factors. Typically, factors that contribute to back pain the most are age, old injuries flaring up and an inactive lifestyle. Sometimes, jumping into a new exercise or activity can also cause back pain. In most cases, we are all aware of the factors mentioned above. However, there are also some factors that many people ignore or just overlook. For example, if you wake up every morning in pain, there is a huge possibility your mattress causes the pain. Sleep experts and mattress specialists, in fact, say that your bed should be your first suspect if you can’t sleep comfortably at night. After all, since we spend approximately one-third of our lives sleeping, we should be aware that mattresses wear off over time and require replacement. Also, your sleep habits change as you age, and what worked for you when you were young, may not suit your sleeping needs today. However, the good news is that if your mattress is at the root of the problem, you can quickly address it by getting a new one. With so many models out there, it may be rather hard to select a new bed. Fortunately, Counting Sheep can help you! Counting Sheep’s experts have spent years of researching different mattress types and people’s sleeping needs and created an unbiased mattress guide that will definitely help you make any mattress related decision with quickly and with ease. With their guide, you won’t have to worry about mattress related back pain anymore, and you will wake up every morning feeling refreshed and pain-free. How to Determine if My Mattress is Causing My Back Pain? Use the following checklist to determine whether your mattress is most likely the source of your pain and discomfort. Take notes where and when the pain appears: If it’s mattress related, it is generally muscular. Your bed is the one to blame if you wake up in the morning stiff and achy, but feel better as the day goes on. The pain is also relieved by stretching, yoga or light exercising. Symptoms are typically present to the middle back or lower back. Consider the age factor: If your mattress is more than seven years old, it will most likely cause back pain. Years of usage lead to wear and tear, and your body will definitely feel it. Also, keep in mind that your body changes as you age and that now you may have different sleep needs or preferences. Look for sagging spots: If your mattress is sagging, your spine won’t be properly aligned during sleep which will cause back pain. Your spine has to be in a neutral position, and not curving down. Listen to your body: If you feel lumps or springs poking you when lying down, there is a good chance your bed is contributing to your back pain. Check your bed after vacation: When you sleep somewhere else than your bed, you recognize right away if the mattress is saggy, lumpy or simply too hard. Since most of us keep our bed longer than we should, we are used to sleeping on a less-than-optimal surface. After a vacation, your mattress will feel a little less familiar than before, and this is the perfect time to conduct another evaluation test. Read Also: 12 Secret Methods Of Chi Machines Domination Bed Time Yoga To Sleep Well

An Overview of Schizophrenia

Prevalence of schizophrenia

Risk factors