Schizophrenia is a serious brain disease that causes the person to be unable to distinguish between real and unreal phenomena and prevents healthy thought flow, emotional control and normal behavior. Schizophrenia is a lifelong disease and therefore requires constant treatment. Since the disease often develops slowly, early diagnosis and treatment is very important. Early diagnosis allows the disease to be controlled before serious complications develop.
Schizophrenia disease is a disease that progresses in two forms: exacerbation and remission periods, and compared to many other psychiatric diseases, it causes negativities in the professional and social lives of patients. It is clearly the case that real and unreal elements cannot be distinguished from each other during exacerbations of the disease. This condition is called psychosis. After the symptoms of exacerbation subside, the person experiences situations that can be described as difficulty in coping with life in general, such as reluctance to do daily tasks, difficulty in overcoming some seemingly simple problems we encounter while shopping or going from one place to another.
Its severity varies from person to person and depending on the severity of the disease. Factors such as not using the medications prescribed for treatment, alcohol or substance use, severe stress, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder are factors that increase the severity of the disease.
What are the symptoms of schizophrenia?
In schizophrenia, as in many diseases, the symptoms are milder in the early stages of the disease, and during this period the patient's relatives may only notice that something is wrong. The symptoms of the disease include different problems related to emotion, thinking and behavior.
Although the symptoms vary from person to person;
- There is a situation of believing in unreal events.
- There are common situations such as seeing or hearing things that do not actually exist (hallucinations).
- Disordered thinking and speech are another common symptom.
- Irregular motor movements and behaviors
- Child Sudden movements,
- Agitation,
- Low energy
- Showing signs of asociality
- Difficulty in communicating
- Focusing on the target Symptoms such as straining,
- Unnecessary and exaggerated movements,
- Resistance to instructions,
- Inappropriate and strange behavior can be given as examples.
How is Schizophrenia Treated?
The aim of treating schizophrenia is to reduce the symptoms. The most common treatment is antipsychotic medication. Trauma-focused therapies such as Supportive Psychotherapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapies and EMDR are other methods used in the treatment of schizophrenia. With the combined use of medication and psychotherapy methods, there is a decrease in schizophrenia symptoms and it can be said that it is a more effective form of treatment. Schizophrenia requires lifelong treatment.
With proper treatment and constant follow-up, schizophrenia patients can lead a life like normal and healthy individuals. Therefore, if you or someone close to you has schizophrenia, it is important to consult a specialist as soon as possible and start the treatment process so that you can live a healthy life.
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