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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8 Advantages Of Calling Up A Doctor At Home

Medical technology has become quite advanced, and with it, the way doctors treat their patients has also changed. Today, there is no need to drop everything and run to the doctor’s office for any kind of emergency. Instead, you can call up and schedule a home visit from the doctor himself. In this fast-paced life, the opportunity to call upon a home doctor is truly a treasure. Many services even provide a full 24/7-doctor rooster that is available for a visit if you need them. Here are eight advantages of calling up a doctor at home that might make you rethink your visit to the clinic for the future. 8 Advantages Of Calling Up A Doctor At Home: 1. No Waiting Waiting at the doctor’s office for ages can be a real struggle. Sometimes you might even need to wait for your turn for more than four to five hours straight. That can visit your doctor seem dreadful and overwhelming. The good thing about calling a doctor home is that you will not have to wait for half a day for the checkup. In the vicinity of your home, the doctor will show up and immediately do the checkup without any delays. It can save you so much more time than you would have ever imagined. 2. Keeps Things Personalized Sometimes the patients need a little more personalized touch by the doctors. It makes the patent feel more connected and gives them hope for a better diagnosis and recovery pattern. That you can achieve if you call the doctor home. In the comfort of your home, you get the feeling of a more initialed relationship with the doctor. Each individual can get a customized treatment that way. When a doctor comes to your house, they can get a thorough idea of your lifestyle, which makes it easier for them to treat the patient in a much more suitable manner. 3. Best For The Elderly Calling a home doctor is the best option for elderly family members that you have at home. With selections like a home doctor, Sydney, you can get access to the best kind of medical care for them without actually having to step a foot out of the house. Older people are more receptive to germs and illnesses as they have a weaker immune system. Trying to protect them from it while taking them to the hospital is very overwhelming. By scheduling their visits at home from a doctor, you can protect them from the environment, which can keep them safer and healthier from any kind of issue. 4. Less Stressful Let’s face it; a trip to the doctors’ can be very stressful in more ways than one. Apart from the hassle of getting an appointment, transportation to the office can also be a massive cause for concern. You might need to take a day or two in advance to set up your visits to the doctor’s office. However, if you schedule a doctor’s appointment at home, then things can be remarkably stress-free. You do not need to take extra time to see around your schedule and check where you can fit it in. You can just set it up at the time that is convenient for you. No need to take extra time planning the trip but rather just be at home at the time the doctor gets the schedule to visit. 5. You Can Get A Detailed Diagnosis If you are into the process of getting a more detailed and thorough diagnosis, then calling the doctor at home is your safe bet. This way, the session is just between the two of you without anyone else in the queue. It gives the doctor the ability to concentrate solely on you and thus give you the exact diagnosis that you need. The result of this will provide a higher quality of medical treatment that can help you get batter much faster than the traditional method. This way, you connect with the doctor that can help you fight the illness more effectively. 6. Extremely Convenient If you are feeling unwell or might have a sick child, then the last thing that you want to do is go down to the doctor’s office. The opportunity of calling the doctor at home makes it so much more convenient. For instance, if you a disabled family member at home, then taking them to the doctor’s office can put quite some strain on them. That is where calling the doctor at home can work like magic. They can come in with the necessary medical equipment and deal with the patient in the most operational manner. Trust me; nothing can be more appropriate than this. 7. Saves You Money Trips to the doctor’s office can be costly. Apart from the regular fees, you might need to deal with some additional costs, like getting a taxi to the clinic. When you call a doctor at home for your visits, you can save money. You might only need to pay the regular fees for the tour, which is not that high. That saves money on the additional costs that may have to arise. By doing it, you can save time, money, and even hospital resources that may come in handy for someone else. 8. Accepts Health Insurances The great news is that even if you call a doctor home to visit, you can still be applicable to use your health insurance. Yes, you read that right; home visits by doctors cover under the health insurance policy. That makes it super easy to do it. If the health insurance is also including a home visit, then why not avail it? Make sure you so take advantage of it, as it truly is beneficial for you. Conclusion All these advantages of calling a doctor at home for a visit are quite high. You can skip the traditional method of going to the doctor’s office and instead focus on things that suit you. Having being treated in the comfort of your own home can help you get back on your feet much faster than any other thing. Read Also: Symptoms and Treatments for Shingles 10 Tips for Saving on Prescription Drug Costs Have You Heard of Upcoding? It’s a Big Part of Medical Fraud

Nerves vs. Excitement: How To Manage Nerves And Perform At Your Best

Anyone who has ever been called to come and speak or perform in front of a public gathering knows the importance of holding nerves. From the time we are in school, some of us have dreaded raising our hands and speaking out the right answer even though we know what we are. We have looked at astonishment at so-called confident individuals and wondered what makes them do things that we cannot. Common terms like ‘performance anxiety, ‘stage fright’, ‘nervousness’, etc. are all common emotions and feelings that we harbor. The key is- how do we overcome the same? In this resource article, we are going to help a lot of people come to grips with their nerves. If you are someone who dreads talking in front of a crowd, we recommend that you stick around till the end of the article. Being ‘Nervous’ Versus Being ‘Excited’- How a Change in Terms Can Help: ‘I am too nervous; I can’t go out there and speak’! According to leading psychologists, a simple interchanging of the terms nervous and excited can go a long way in dispelling the fear. Rather than say or think that you are getting the nervous try and say to yourself that you are feeling excited. What you need to understand is that nervousness is associated with being a negative feeling. On the other hand, excitement is something that is deemed to be positive. This simple exercise wires your brain in a specific way, which then lets the body flow from the same feeling. For example, as soon as your brain starts comprehending that you are nervous, it sends a signal to your body, which then results in stomach pains and churnings. This is why you need to start feeling excited and look forward to the opportunity. There is a lot of energy that builds up in the body in such situations. The key is to effectively manage the same productively and positively. The ‘Fight’ and ‘Flight’ Instinct that Defines a Nervous State of Being: To understand these better leading scientists have spoken about the ‘Fight and Flight Syndrome’. They point out that whenever the brain is faced with a complex and problematic situation, it does one of two things- It either wants to escape and run away from the scenario. Or, It starts to swing madly to bring the situation under control. However, in some instances, and I am sure, you are going to relate to this, the brain goes into a hung position. Meaning, it neither fights nor flights. In this situation, the resultant action is a freeze! You get frozen and cannot do anything. According to experts, the fight or flight instinct needs to be properly managed by telling your brain some important things. What are those things? In very simple words, not every such scenario is going to be a life and death one. Meaning it is not at all serious and does not amount to anything. Once your brain can understand this, it starts processing emotions and feelings differently. Following this, it then sends these signals to the rest of your body. List of 5 Important Ways to Help Overcome Nervousness- In this section, we compile the top recommendations from the leading mental health experts to combat nervousness- 1. Undertake Adequate Preparation- According to scientists, 50% of all nervousness results from inadequate preparedness. This means that the more you are prepared, the lower will be your levels of nervousness. Reflect on your school days. Remember when did not know the answers to the question the teacher was asking, how you would try to avoid making eye contact? However, if you were prepared, you would not do the same. Practice makes perfect when it comes to combating nervousness. 2. Focus on ‘You’ providing Value to the Audiences- Whenever we are nervous, we keep thinking about ourselves. However, the key in this regard is to shift focus to the audiences that are sitting right in front of you. Start thinking of all the value, information, education, and enjoyment that you are going to give to the audiences. This will put you in comfortable headspace. Let me in you on a little secret. Audiences want everything should be about them. So, you can simply shift the spotlight on them. 3. Take Help from your Friends and Family Members- Leading comedians and artists have pointed out how having their near and dear ones in the audience helps them overcome stage fright. This is a simple, yet effective solution to combating nervousness on stage. Many also point out how they keep looking for their near ones in the audience and use them to make eye contact with different sections of the audience. This boosts their confidence and makes their brain understand the support there is on offer. 4. Breathe, Relax and Take it Easy- Remember, this is not a life-and-death situation. No one is perfect and even the best ones make mistakes. Once you can tune your brain accordingly, you will be able to get a hold of your nerves. Try breathing and being patient at all times. You can do mistakes, it is alright. Realize that you’ve done the work. The more relaxed you are, the better will you be able to convey. There will always be errors, and you should not worry about making them. 5. Engage with Positive Relaxation Techniques- In the last few years, relaxation strategies like Yoga, Massages, Aromatherapy, etc. have become very popular. They help channel positive energy within the body and calms down the senses. Regular meditation is great for your body mentally, as well as physically. By making such healthy practices a part of your daily life, you will be able to control your emotions in a much better way. Try meditating for 15 minutes every morning and see the difference. The Final Word: At the end of the day, you need to realize that we are all humans. We have a range of emotions, feelings, and characteristics that make us special in our way. No two individuals are the same and we must acknowledge the same. By paying attention to all the pointers in the article, you too can expect to combat nervousness and be better prepared for the next time you face the audience. Read Also: 5 Protein Enriched Food To Improve Mental Health 6 Effective Ways to Improve Your Mental Health

Understanding The Anatomy Of Vaporizers – All You Need To Know!

Vaporizers are made up of multiple small components and pieces that can be disassembled and separated from one another. Knowing the different parts that make up a vaporizer helps you to understand your device better. This way, you know how to clean and maintain your device and enjoy the vaping experience to its fullest. In this article, we will look at the parts that make up a vaporizer. What Are The Different Parts Of A Vaporizer? The vape consists of multiple different parts that are assembled together to form a complex device. All of these parts can be separated and replaced whenever required, if necessary. If one component of your vape gets damaged and stops working, then you do not have to throw away the entire device. Simply detach the damaged component and replace it with a new one. Following are the different components that form the vaporizer. Atomizer The atomizer is one of the most important components of the vape. It is the heat-resistant component of the device that is responsible for turning the liquid material into vapor form. Some vaporizers have detachable atomizers, whereas others have atomizers that are built into the tank. These tanks are responsible for producing a large amount of vapor. Mod Vape mods are used by people who wish to build their vaporizer from scratch. The mod is a self-contained device that comes with a tank and atomizer, which you can replace and detach according to your needs. Tank As the name suggests, the tank is where the e-liquid is stored and Is also known as the cartilage. The tank can be replaced if it is damaged because they have a significant impact on your vaping experience. In order to have the best vaping experience, you must make sure the tank is intact and functioning properly. If not its best, you buy a new one. Check getfurna.com for vaporizer tanks and other cool components. The tank offers multiple features, including the ability to alter the airflow. Batteries The vaporizer works on batteries. Usually, lithium-ion batteries are used for vaporizers because you can recharge them when they are done out of power. But there are many other alternatives available. The main objective of the batteries is to provide maximum power but without consuming too much of the device's space and increasing its weight. Also, it is very important for you to know how to care for the batteries. If not properly taken care of, the batteries can explode, causing injuries and harm. No damaged or wet batteries should be used. The batteries should be kept in a separate container away from any metal object such as keys and coins. Vape Coils The atomizer consists of coils that are known as atomizer heads. When you turn on the vaporizer, the coil starts to heat up using the power from the batteries. Heating the coils causes the liquid to vaporize. The coils must be replaced every now and then to ensure maximum efficiency of the device. Wicks The wicking material is responsible for transferring the e-liquid from the tank where it is stored to the coils where the liquid gains heat and turns into vapor. The wicking material may be made out of mesh, ceramic, cotton, or rayon. E-Liquid Last but not least, the component of the device is the e-liquid. Without the e-liquid, the coils would have nothing to heat or turn into vapor. The e-liquid is stored in the tank and is transferred to the coils through the wicks. The market has a wide range of e-liquids differing in flavor. The flavors available include fruity, classical tobacco, and menthol. More Resources: What To Look For In A Night Vision Weapon Sight? Portable Generators: 5 Ways To Keep Them Clean and Running Vaping in the Workplace: Legal Considerations

An Overview of Schizophrenia

Prevalence of schizophrenia

Risk factors