Schizophrenia

            SCHIZOPHRENIA IS A MEDICAL ILLNES THAT CAUSES STRANGE THINKING, FEELINGS, AND UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR. A CHRONIC, SEVERE, AND DISABLING BRAIN DISEASE. ABOUT 1% OF THE POPULATION DEVELOPS SCHIZOPHRENIA DURING THEIR LIFE TIME. MORE THAN 2 MILLION AMERICANS SUFFER FROM THE ILLNESS IN A GIVEN YEAR. SCHIZOPHRENIA REQUIRES CHRONIC TREATMENT TO REDUCE SUFFERING AND TO RESTORE DAILY FUNCTION. PEOPLE WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA OFTEN SUFFER TERRIFYING SYMTOMS SUCH AS: HEARING VOICES NOT HEARD BY OTHERS, CONFUSED THINKING, DECLINE IN HYGIENE, DIFFICULTY RELATING TO PEERS AND KEEPING FRIENDS, BEHAVING LIKE A YOUNGER CHILD, WITHDRAWN AND INCREASED ISOLATION, CONFUSING T.V. AND DREAMS FROM REALITY, AND BELIEVING THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE READING THEIR MINDS, CONTROLLING THEIR THOUGHTS OR PLOTTING TO HARM THEM.
             THE MEDICATIONS USED TO HELP WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA ARE CLOZAPINE AND RISPORDAL. THE MOST COMMON SIDE EFFECTS ARE DROWISNESS, HYPRESALVATION, TACHYCORDIA, AND SEDATION. MEDICATION THAT INFLUENCES BRAIN ACTIVITY IS THE CORNERSTONE OF TREATMENT AND BEHAVIOR. MANAGEMENT THERAPY IS USED TO SUPPORT THE MEDICATION IN MOST CASES. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN A 90% CHANCE FOR RECURRENCE IN UNTREATED PATIENTS WITHIN A YEAR OF THE 1ST EPISODE. THE CHANCE FOR RELAPSE DROPS TO 30% WITH TREATMENT.
             HOSPITALIZATION IS USED TO ACHEIVE THE FOLLOWING GOALS: TO EVALUATE AND DIAGNOS A PERSON, TO STABLIZE DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR, TO BEGIN MEDICATION TO MONITOR AND ENSURE SELF-CARE AND SAFETY, AND TO FAMILIARIZE A PERSON WITH TREATMENT.
             WHEN A PATIENT RETURNS FROM THE HOSPITAL, MANY OF THEIR FORMER FEELINGS OF ILLNESS WILL BE GONE, BUT NOT ALL. SOME OFTEN BECOME WITHDRAWN AND APATHETIC. THE CONDITION TENDS TO GET WORSE (IN ABOUT HALF OF ALL CASES) UNLESS TREATMENT IS GIVEN. SCHIZOPHRENIA IS LARGELY CAUSED BY GENETIC FACTORS, BUT ENVIRONMENT STRESS CAN TRIGGER AN EPISODE OF ILLNESS. A PATIENT MAY DISCONTINUE MEDICATIONS OR STOP TREATMENT OFTEN LEADING TO A RETURN OF PSYCHOTIC SYMPTOMS.