SYMPTOMS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA
SCHIZOPHRENIA IS A WELL KNOWN DISORDER.
HERE IN THIS ARTICLE I HAVE TRIED TO EXPLAIN THE BASICS FACTS REGARDING THIS
DISORDER SCHIZOPHRENIA, WHICH WILL SURELY HELP YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE CONDITION.
IF THE FAMILY MEMBERS AND RELAES UNDERSTAND THE BASIC FACTS REGARDING
SCHIZOPHRENIA THEY CAN SEEK THE PROFESSION HELP ON TIME AND HELP THE PATIENT TO
LIVE A BETTER LIFE.
TO KEEP IT SIMPLE I HAVE KEPT IT IN
QUESTION ANSWER FORMAT.
Q: WHAT IS SCHIZOPHRENIA?
ANS: IT
IS A SYNDROME (COLLECTION OF DIFFERENT SYMPTOMS) CHARACTERIZED BY
DISTURBANCE IN COGNITION, EMOTION, PERCEPTION, THINKING AND BEHAVIOR.
LETS UNDERSTAND SOME TERMS:-
1.
COGNITION IS PERSON’S ABILITY
TO UNDERSTAND THINGS.
2.
EMOTION IS MOOD CHANGES
EXPERIENCED BY THAT PERSON.
3.
PERCEPTION IS THE PERSON’S OWN
PERCEPTION THROUGH SENSE ORGANS LIKE E.G. SEEING, HEARING, TASTING ETC.
4.
THINKING IS THE THOUGHT CONTENT
IN MIND.
5.
BEHAVIOUR IS THE PERSON’S DAY
TO DAY BEHAVIOR WITH HIMSELF AND HIS SURROUNDINGS.
ABOVE FIVE FACTORS ARE FOUND TO BE DISTURBED IN
SCHIZOPHRENIA.
Q: WHAT ARE DIAGNOSTIC CHARACTERS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA? WHAT ARE SYMPTOMS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA?
ANS: 1. DELUSIONS.
2. HALLUCINATIONS.
3. DISORGANIZED SPEECH.
4. GROSSLY DISORGANIZED OR CATATONIC BEHAVIOUR.
5. NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS (AFFECTIVE FLATTENING,
ALOGIA OR AVOLITION.
DURATION
OF SYMPTOMS MAY BE FROM 1 MONTH TO 6
MONTHS.
Q: WHAT ARE DELUSIONS?
ANS: IT
IS FAST, FIRM, UNSHAKABLE BELIEF WHICH IS NOT IN KEEPING WITH SOCIAL BELIEFS;
WHICH PERSISTS DESPITE
GIVEN CONTRARY EVIDENCE IS CALLED DELUSION.
IN
SIMPLE LANGUAGE THESE ARE THE THOUGHTS WHICH ORIGINATE IN MIND WITHOUT ANY CONNECTION WITH REALITY. THAT MEANS THOSE
THOUGHTS ARE NON-REALISTIC THOUGHTS. IF
YOU TRY TO PROVE THAT THEY ARE UNREAL THOUGHTS OR BELIEFS, THE PERSON
DOES NOT
GET CONVINCED AND CONTINUES TO HOLD THE SAME BELIEF OR THOUGHT.
Q: WHAT ARE HALLUCINATIONS?
ANS: THESE
ARE THE PERCEPTIONS WITHOUT ANY STIMULUS.
EXAMPLE:-
A PERSON STARTS HEARING VOICES; AS IF SOMEONE IS TALKING TO HIM. BUT IN REALITY THERE IS NO ONE AROUND SPEAKING.
THESE ARE CALLED AUDITORY HALLUCINATIONS. SOMETIMES
PERSON STARTS SEEING IMAGES OR PEOPLE AROUND HIMSELF; EVEN IF NO ONE IS THERE IN REALITY.
THIS
IS CALLED AS VISUAL HALLUCINATIONS. THESE TWO ARE VERY COMMON HALLUCINATIONS.
SOMETIMES, TOUCH SENSATIONS OR SMELL SENSATIONS ALSO GET THESE TYPES
OF HALLUCINATIONS.
Q: WHAT IS DISORGANIZED SPEECH?
ANS: SPEECH
IS EXPRESSION OF ONE’S THOUGHTS. SINCE SCHIZOPHRENIA IS A THOUGHT DISORDER; IT PRIMARILY AFFECTS THE THOUGHTS
OF AN INDIVIDUAL. PERSON STARTS GETTING MULTIPLE NUMBERS OF THOUGHTS WHICH SOMETIMES ARE NOT INTERCONNECTED. HENCE
WHILE SPEAKING THE PERSON
MAY SPEAK IN A VERY DISORGANISED PATTERN; WHICH CAN CAUSE DIFFICULTY IN UNDERSTANDING MEANING OF
SPEECH.
Q: WHAT TYPE OF GROSSLY DISORGANIZED BEHAVIOUR OR CATATONIA IS SEEN IN SCHIZOPHRENIA?
ANS: SINCE
PERSON’S THOUGHTS ARE DISORGANISED HIS BEHAVIOUR ALSO BECOMES DISORGANISED. E.G. PERSON MAY TAKE
HOURS TOGETHER TO EAT A SMALL MEAL. PERSON MAY
START SPITTING INAPPROPRIATELY; OR MAY START SAYING SORRY TO EVERYONE AND SOMETIMES TOUCHING FEET OF PEOPLE
WITHOUT ANY REASONS.
CATATONIA
IS A CONDITION IN SCHIZOPHRENIA IN WHICH PERSON MAKES HIS/ HER BODY STIFF FOR HOUR TOGETHER. THAT PERSON EVEN
DOES NOT GET THOUGHTS OF SLEEPING OR EATING.
Q: WHAT ARE NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA?
ANS: THIS
POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE IS NOT RELATED TO TERMS ‘POSITIVE THINKING AND NEGATIVE THINKING’.
IT
MEANS; POSITIVE SYMPTOMS ARE SYMPTOMS WHICH ARE NOT SEEN IN COMMON NORMAL PERSON. THEY ARE SOMETHING EXCESS
THAN REGULAR BEHAVIOR.
E.G.
HALLUCINATIONS AND DELUSIONS WHICH ARE NOT SEEN IN NORMAL INDIVIDUALS BUT THEY ARE SEEN IN INDIVIDUALS WITH
SCHIZOPHRENIA HENCE THEY ARE LABELED AS POSITIVE SYMPTOMS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA.
NOW LETS SEE NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA. THESE ARE THE BEHAVIOURS WHICH ARE COMMONLY SEEN IN NORMAL
INDIVIDUALS; BUT SEEN IN LESS QUANTITY OR QUALITY
IN SCHIZOPHRENIA.
E.G.
AFFECTIVE FLATTENING, ALOGIA, AVOLITION.
·
AFFECTIVE FLATTENING IS ‘WE CAN NOT SEE INTENSITY OF EMOTIONS ON PATIENT’S FACE’. EVEN
IN CASE OF SEVERE SORROW THE PERSON’S EXPRESSIONS SHOW LIMITED SADNESS ON FACE.
IN CASE OF SOME JOKES OR
ENJOYMENT ACTIVITY PATIENTS DON’T GET THAT HAPPY OR EXCITED.
·
ALOGIA:- PERSON CAN NOT SPEAK WITH
DETAILS OF EXPRESSION. IF YOUGIVE SOME POINTS TO MAKE A STORY HE WILL FIND IT
DIFFICULT TO MAKE A BIG STORY. ONLY FEW SENTENCES HE CAN BUILD UP TO FORM A
STORY.
·
AVOLITION: - THE PERSON’S MOVEMENTS, ACTIVE INTEREST AND ENTHUSIASM IS LESS
AS COMPARED TO NORMAL INDIVIDUAL. THE
PERSON RESPONDS VERY SHOWLY TO COMMANDS. HE TAKES TIME TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS.
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