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Schizophrenia.docxDownloaded on December 2, 2015 from: http://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/guide/schizophrenia-symptoms
Schizophrenia Symptoms
In this article
Schizophrenia changes how you think, feel, and act. Its symptoms will be different for everyone who gets the disease. The symptoms can come and go, too. No one will have all of them all of the time.
In general, there are three kinds:
· Positive (things that start to happen)
· Negative (things that stop happening)
· Cognitive (related to processing information)
They usually start between ages 16 and 30. Men often get them earlier than women.
When the disease is in full swing and symptoms are severe, the person with schizophrenia can't tell what's real and what's not. This happens less often as they get older.
People with the condition usually aren't aware that they have it until a doctor or counselor tells them. They won't even realize that something is seriously wrong. If they do happen to notice symptoms, like not being able to think straight, they might chalk it up to things like stress or being tired.
If you're concerned that you or someone you know is showing signs of schizophrenia, talk to a doctor or counselor.
Positive Symptoms
The changes you see are "add-ons" to normal behavior. The person starts thinking or doing things they didn't think or do before.
Hallucinations . They might hear, see, smell, or feel things no one else does. Most often they'll hear voices inside their heads. These might tell them what to do, warn them of danger, or say mean things to them. The voices might talk to each other.
Delusions. These are beliefs that seem strange to most people and are easy to prove wrong. The person affected might think someone is trying to control their brains through their TVs or that the FBI is out to get them. They might believe they're someone else, like a famous actor or the president, or that they have superpowers.
Confused thoughts and speech. People with schizophrenia can have a hard time organizing their thoughts. They might not be able to follow along when you talk to them. Instead, it might seem like they're zoning out or distracted. When they talk, their words can come out all jumbled and not make sense.
They can also have trouble concentrating. For example, they might lose track of what's going on in a TV show as they're watching.
Different movements. Someone with the condition can seem jumpy. Sometimes they'll make the same movements over and over again. But sometimes they might be perfectly still for hours at a stretch, which is called being catatonic. Contrary to popular belief, people with the disease usually aren't violent.
Negative Symptoms
You'll see changes because the person loses the interest in and ability to do things. These symptoms can be hard to spot, especially in teenagers, because it's normal for them to have big emotional swings between highs and lows.
Depression has some of the same symptoms, too.
Emotionless. A person with schizophrenia might seem like they have a terrible case of the blahs. They might not talk much or show any feelings. And when they talk, their voice can sound flat, like they have no emotions. Doctors call this a "flat affect."
Withdrawal. Someone who has the condition might stop making plans with you or become a hermit. Talking with them can feel like pulling teeth: If you want an answer, you have to really work to pry it out of them.
Struggling with the basics of daily life. They may stop bathing or taking care of themselves.
No follow-through. People with schizophrenia have trouble staying on schedule or finishing what they start. Sometimes they can't get started at all.
Cognitive Symptoms
Cognition has to do with how good your brain is at learning, sorting, and using information.
Someone with schizophrenia might have a hard time with their working memory. For example, they may not be able to keep track of different kinds of facts at the same time, like a phone number plus instructions.
Along with having trouble paying attention, it can be hard for them to organize their thoughts and make decisions.
WebMD Medical Reference
Reviewed by Joseph Goldberg, MD on August 19, 2015
© 2015 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
Downloaded on December 2, 2015 from: http://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/guide/mental-health-psychotic-disorders
Psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia are a group of serious illnesses that affect the mind. These illnesses alter a person's ability to think clearly, make good judgments, respond emotionally, communicate effectively, understand reality, and behave appropriately. When symptoms are severe, people with psychotic disorders have difficulty staying in touch with reality and often are unable to meet the ordinary demands of daily life. However, even severe psychotic disorders usually are treatable.
There are different types of psychotic disorders, including:
Schizophrenia : People with this illness have changes in behavior and other symptoms -- such as delusions and hallucinations -- that last longer than six months, usually with a decline in work, school, and social functioning.
Schizoaffective disorder: People with this illness have symptoms of both schizophrenia and a mood disorder, such as depression or bipolar disorder.
Schizophreniform disorder: People with this illness have symptoms of schizophrenia, but the symptoms last between one and six months.
Brief psychotic disorder: People with this illness have sudden, short periods of psychotic behavior, often in response to a very stressful event, such as a death in the family. Recovery is often quick -- usually less than a month.
Delusional disorder : People with this illness have a delusion (a false, fixed belief) involving real-life situations that could be true, such as being followed, being conspired against, or having a disease. These delusions persist for at least one month.
Shared psychotic disorder (also called folie à deux) : This illness occurs when one person in a relationship has a delusion that the other person in the relationship adopts for him or herself.
Substance-induced psychotic disorder: This condition is caused by the use of or withdrawal from some substances, such as hallucinogens and crack cocaine, that may cause hallucinations, delusions, or confused speech.
Psychotic disorder due to a medical condition: Hallucinations, delusions, or other symptoms may be the result of another illness that affects brain function, such as a head injury or brain tumor.
Paraphrenia: This is a type of schizophrenia that starts late in life and occurs in the elderly population.
What Are the Symptoms of a Psychotic Disorder?
Symptoms of a psychotic disorder vary from person to person and may change over time. The major symptoms are hallucinations and delusions.
Hallucinations are unusual sensory experiences or perceptions of things that aren't actually present, such as seeing things that aren't there, hearing voices, smelling odors, having a "funny" taste in your mouth, and feeling sensations on your skin even though nothing is touching your body.
Delusions are false beliefs that are persistent and organized, and that do not go away after receiving logical or accurate information. For example, a person who is certain his or her food is poisoned, even if it has been proven that the food is fine, is suffering from a delusion.
Other possible symptoms of psychotic illnesses include:
· Disorganized or incoherent speech
· Confused thinking
· Strange, possibly dangerous behavior
· Slowed or unusual movements
· Loss of interest in personal hygiene
· Loss of interest in activities
· Problems at school or work and with relationships
· Cold, detached manner with the inability to express emotion
· Mood swings or other mood symptoms, such as depression or mania
What Causes Psychotic Disorders?
We don't know the exact cause of psychotic disorders, but researchers believe that many things play a role. Some psychotic disorders tend to run in families, suggesting that the tendency, or likelihood, to develop the disorder may be partly inherited. Environmental factors may also influence their development, including stress, drug abuse, and major life changes.
In addition, people with certain psychotic disorders like schizophrenia may have abnormalities in the functioning of pathways in the brain that control thinking, perception, and motivation. In schizophrenia, it is thought that nerve cell receptors that interact with a brain chemical called glutamate may not work properly in specific brain regions, and that this in turn may contribute to symptoms of abnormal thinking and perception.
How Common Are Psychotic Disorders?
About 1% of the population worldwide suffers from psychotic disorders. These disorders most often first appear when a person is in his or her late teens, 20s, or 30s. They tend to affect men and women about equally.
How Are Psychotic Disorders Diagnosed?
If symptoms of a psychotic disorder are present, the doctor will perform a complete medical history and physical exam to determine the cause of the symptoms. Although there are no laboratory tests to specifically diagnose psychotic disorders -- except those that accompany a physical illness, such as a brain tumor -- the doctor may use various tests, such as blood tests and brain imaging (e.g., MRI scans), to rule out physical illness or intoxication with drugs like cocaine or LSD as the cause of the symptoms.
If the doctor finds no physical reason for the symptoms, he or she may refer the person to a psychiatrist or psychologist, mental health professionals who are trained to diagnose and treat mental illnesses. Psychiatrists use specially designed interview and assessment tools to evaluate a person for a psychotic disorder.
How Are Psychotic Disorders Treated?
Most psychotic disorders are treated with a combination of medications and psychotherapy (a type of counseling).
Medication: The main medications used to treat psychotic disorders are called antipsychotics. These medicines do not cure the illnesses but are very effective in managing the most troubling symptoms of psychotic disorders, such as delusions, hallucinations, and thinking problems. Antipsychotics include medications such as Haldol, Thorazine, Loxapine, and Mellaril and other medications (often called atypical antipsychotics) such as Abilify, Clozaril, Geodon, Invega, Latuda, Risperdal, Saphris, Seroquel, and Zyprexa.
The atypical psychotics are often considered first-line treatments because they have fewer and more tolerable side effects. Some of the medications are available by injection and only need to be taken once or twice a month. For patients this can be easier to keep up with compared to a daily pill.
Psychotherapy: Various types of psychotherapy, including individual, group, and family therapy, may be used to help support the person with a psychotic disorder.
Most patients with psychotic disorders are treated as outpatients. However, people with particularly severe symptoms, those in danger of hurting themselves or others, or those unable to care for themselves because of their illness, may require hospitalization to stabilize their condition.
How Long Does It Take to Recover From a Psychotic Disorder?
Each person being treated for a psychotic disorder may respond to therapy differently. Some will show improvement quickly. For others, it may take weeks or months to get symptom relief.
Some people may need to continue treatment for an extended period of time, and some, such as those who have suffered several severe episodes, may need to take medication indefinitely. In these cases, the medication usually is given in as low a dose as possible to control side effects.
What Is the Outlook for People With Psychotic Disorders?
The outlook varies depending on the type of psychotic disorder and the individual. However, these disorders are treatable and most people will have a good recovery with treatment and close follow-up care.
Can Psychotic Disorders Be Prevented?
In general, there is no known way to prevent most psychotic disorders, but many of the related symptoms can be prevented with early detection and treatment. Seeking help as soon as symptoms appear can help decrease the disruption to the person's life, family, and friendships. Avoiding drugs and alcohol can prevent psychotic disorders associated with these substances.
Downloaded on December 2, 2015 from: http://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/ss/slideshow-schizophrenia-famous-names
· Vincent van Gogh
· Jim Gordon (drummer and composer)
· Veronica Lake
· John Nash, Jr. PhD (A Beautiful Mind)
· Lionel Aldridge (Green Bay Packer)
· Peter Green (rock guitarist, founder Fleetwood Mac) http://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/ss/slideshow-schizophrenia-famous-names
