SYMPTOMS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA : DETAILED EXPLANATION TO YOUR QUERIES

 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.