Top Psychiatry Hospital 

Symptoms

Symptoms develop gradually and become severe over several years.

• Memory loss (first sign of Alzheimer's Disease. Severity increases gradually)
• Confusion and disorientation
• Difficulty with language and speech
• Difficulty in making decisions
• Personality changes (e.g., aggressiveness, suspicion of others, hallucinations, low mood, Anxiety, etc.)

Causes

The exact cause of the disease is not known. It is believed that the cause of Alzheimer’s Disease could be genetic factors, or environmental and lifestyle changes which gradually affect the brain.

The disease causes death or damage to the brain cells. The surviving cells have fewer interconnections compared to those in the healthy brain. As the number of dead cells increases, the brain size starts to shrink.

Risk factors

Below are the factors which increase your risk of getting Alzheimer’s Disease

• Family history: Your risk is especially high if any of your first-degree relatives (parents or siblings) has the disease.
• Gender: Females are more likely to develop the disease attributed in part to their long life.
• Down Syndrome: The signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease appear nearly 10 to 20 years in advance, in people with Down Syndrome.
• Lifestyle and Heart conditions: Certain lifestyle factors which increase your risk for heart disease can also increase the risk of Alzheimer’s. These include smoking, Obesity, lack of physical activity, High Blood Pressure, and cholesterol, etc.
• History of severe Head Injuries.

Diagnosis

It is a challenging task for the doctors to diagnose Alzheimer’s Disease. A timely diagnosis gives the best chance to receive better treatment and support. However, there is no specific confirmatory test for Alzheimer’s Disease.

The doctor considers your symptoms and the information you provide and performs the below tests to check if you have Alzheimer’s Disease.

Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment

There is no treatment available to cure Alzheimer’s Disease. However, medications to relieve the symptoms and slow down the progression of the disease are available.

Cholinesterase inhibitors: These drugs increase the communication between the surviving brain cells by producing the required chemical called acetylcholine. They can improve the symptoms such as agitation and Depression. The most common drugs prescribed include donepezil, galantamine, and rivastigmine.

Memantine: It may be used either alone or in combination with cholinesterase inhibitors to slow down the progression of the disease and symptoms.

Antidepressants: These medications help to manage behavioural symptoms.

Self-management

Home remedies

•    Regular exercise, especially which benefits the heart
• Diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and low in fat
• Intellectual stimulation and social interactions

Complications

•    Due to the lack of proper communication, the patient may not be able to communicate any health problem clearly to the physician, thereby complicating the treatment.
• With the progress of the disease, functions such as swallowing, Bowel and Bladder control, and balance get affected. Thus, the patient becomes more vulnerable to falls, fractures, bedsores, inhalation of food into the Lungs (aspiration), etc.

Coping and support

As the patient with Alzheimer’s Disease has mixed emotions, coping with the disease may be difficult. Caretakers should provide support to such patients by listening to them, assuring them of betterment, protecting their dignity, keeping their surroundings calm and stable, etc.

Causes

Anxiety Disorders s are caused due to the imbalance of chemicals like dopamine, serotonin or norepinephrine in the brain. Genetic factors and stressful life situations also trigger Anxiety attacks. Anxiety can be linked to physical problems like Diabetes, Heart Disease, alcohol withdrawal, drug abuse, Asthma, Thyroid problems, muscle cramps, spasms, withdrawal from Anti-Anxiety medications, Tumours that produce adrenalin, also called flight or fright hormones, and prickling and tingling sensation whose cause is not known.

Anxiety- When it becomes a disorder

In life, we may face situations that cause Anxiety to us. Anxiety is the body’s way of alerting us to dangerous situations but in some people, Anxiety goes beyond control, interfering with day-to-day activities. This kind of Anxiety affects work, and relationships, and does not allow the person to enjoy life to the fullest. Finally, Anxiety takes a toll on health as well. 

Anxiety is continuous worry about issues that can be minor or major. The types of Anxiety Disorder are Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Panic Disorder, and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Generalised Anxiety Disorder 

In Generalised Anxiety Disorder, the person keeps worrying about things even if there is nothing to worry about. For example, the person constantly worries about his work even though he is doing well at his workplace. The symptoms are trembling, breathing problems, rapid heartbeat, muscle tension, fatigue, dry mouth, nausea, dizziness, loss of sleep, irritability, and poor concentration.

Treatment

Anxiety Disorder treatment depends on the symptoms and can be treated successfully. Your doctor will advise you to go for counselling and will prescribe the required medication to overcome Anxiety. When a thought starts worrying do not think about what might happen. Just focus on the present. There are around 30 minutes to worry about the thought every day at a particular time of the day. After that, do not entertain the worry anymore. You can practice relaxation techniques like meditation, deep breathing, and yoga or pursue a hobby you love. You can try the muscle relaxation technique in which you must hold a muscle tightly for a few seconds and then release the grip. It is very important to get enough sleep and exercise regularly.

Avoid caffeine which is present in coffee as it acts as a stimulant of the central nervous system which increases Anxiety. Over-the-counter medications, cough medications with decongestants, drugs, and alcohol must all be avoided. The medications that the doctor prescribes are antidepressants like paroxetine (Paxil), fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), imipramine (Tofranil) and venlafaxine (Effexor); Anti-anxiety drugs like Buspirone and sedatives like diazepam, lorazepam and alprazolam. All medications should be taken under a doctor’s prescription. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy is used in counselling where patients are taught skills to eliminate negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones.

Coping with Anxiety Disorders

Involving your family and friends is a way you can cope with your Anxiety. Talk to them and let them know about your fears. Their support will make a huge difference. You can also join support groups in which people with the same kind of experiences come together and share experiences and support each other.

Panic Disorder

When there is a sudden attack of intense fear for no known reason leading to severe physical reactions, it is known as a Panic Attack. During a Panic or Anxiety Attack, you may feel that you are having a Heart Attack or dying but the attack lasts for 5 to 30 minutes only. Generally, you can experience one or two Panic Attacks in your life but in chronic conditions of Panic Attacks, there can be several episodes of the attacks. The quality of life is affected by these attacks. The symptoms that are seen in Panic Attacks are chest pain, pressure on the chest, heartbeat racing, increase in pulse rate, body trembling, sweating, shortness of breath, nausea, Diarrhoea, hands and feet becoming numb, chills, and extreme fear.

Phobia

A Phobia is an extreme, unreasonable fear. Phobias can be of different types like phobias of snakes, spiders, crowds, heights, closed spaces, bridges, blood, water, animals, tunnels, flying, medicines, and humiliation in public. Phobia becomes a problem when it does not let the person lead a normal life. The symptoms you see when a person experiences Phobia is rapid heartbeat, breathing problem, trembling, fear, and a desire to get away from the phobia-causing situation.

Certain factors such as fear of gaining weight, desperately wanting to lose weight, and being unhappy with body shape and image are similar between Anorexics and Bulimics.

If you follow self-starvation, restrict your diet intake, fear becoming fat, and exercise heavily then maybe you suffer from Anorexia.

You may show traits of being a perfectionist with a sense of control in your life. If you are Bulimic, you would indulge in periods of binge eating followed by self-induced vomiting to overcome the feelings of guilt and Depression.

You may be overweight or fall within the normal range for your age and weight, unlike someone who has anorexia. You have a good long-term prognosis and higher chances of recovery.

Underlying cause

The causes of Bulimia are:

• A poor body image,
• Low self-esteem,
• Worthlessness,
• History of sexual or substance abuse,
• Stressful periods in life,
• Being in appearance-oriented professions/ activities is one of the major risk factors in the development of Bulimia.

While it may be difficult to single out any cause for Bulimia, your perception of your body image and weight plays important roles among other contributing factors.

You may also have trouble healthily managing emotions. You may be one of those who binge and purge when feeling angry, depressed, stressed or anxious.

Few organic causes such as abnormalities in the levels of chemical messengers within the brain, decreased perceptions of satiety, and abnormal production of hormones are being investigated.

You are likely to be suffering from bulimia if you have the following symptoms:

• Obsessed with your body and weight
• Food and dieting dominate your life
• No control over food
• You eat until you feel sick
• You feel guilty
• Ashamed
• Depressed after you eat
• Vomiting
• Use laxatives to control your weight

You may be suffering from bulimia if you satisfy the five basic criteria that include;

• Recurrent episodes of binge eating
• Sense of lack of control over eating during the episode
• Compensatory behaviour (self-induced vomiting, fasting, laxative use, excessive exercise) to prevent weight gain
• Twice weekly episodes for a minimum of three months
• Dissatisfaction with body shape or weight

Living with Bulimia

When you live with Bulimia you are not only putting your body, but also your life at risk. You are susceptible to a range of medical complications and adverse effects due to the condition.

You may develop Dehydration which is one of the most dangerous side effects of purging. Bulimia nervosa is a serious and potentially life-threatening eating disorder.

Electrolyte imbalances in your body due to the use of laxatives and diuretics can cause lethargy, cloudy thinking, irregular heartbeat, Kidney Failure and death.

Weight gain, Acid Reflux or ulcers, abdominal pain, chronic sore throat, tooth decay, ruptured stomach or Oesophagus, Chronic Constipation, and broken blood vessels in the eye are among the many possible complications.

If you are a woman, you may experience irregular menstrual cycles or loss of menstrual periods.

Fight against Bulimia

• The medical and psychological complications you may be present with need management with a multidisciplinary treatment approach.
• If you have developed medical complications, then they need to be attended to first by a medical specialist for either inpatient care (if symptoms are severe) or outpatient care.
• Certain drugs such as antidepressants may be prescribed by your doctor to reduce bingeing and vomiting. You may also need vitamin and mineral supplements.
• You may try alternative therapies such as herbs, Homeopathy, Acupuncture and massage but only in consultation with your physician.
• Psychotherapy has an important role to play in your fight against bulimia. Your doctor will phase out your therapy plan by initially attempting to break the binge and purge cycle, change your unhealthy thoughts and ideas, and solve emotional issues.
• During therapy you learn to monitor your eating habits, avoid situations that trigger binges, cope with stress in ways that don’t involve food, eat regularly to reduce food cravings and fight the urge to purge.
• You explore attitudes about eating and rethink the idea that self-worth is based on weight.
• The treatment would also target the emotional issues that caused the eating disorder in the first place.
• Therapy may focus on relationship issues, underlying Anxiety and Depression, low self-esteem, and feelings of isolation and loneliness.
• You may expect better results from the treatment if you stop dieting.
• Restricting calories and following strict dietary rules will help you to overcome cravings and thoughts of foods.
• Maintaining a normal diet can help you break the binge-and-purge cycle and still reach a healthy, attractive weight.

Seek help!!!

You may want to hide your problem for fear of ridicule from family and friends. But remember early treatment for Anorexia makes recovery easier and faster; so, talk to your friend or family member if you are worried.

Also, if you know someone who suffers from Bulimia, don’t force that person to change their behaviour or beliefs. While it may be undeniably difficult to bring up such a delicate subject don’t let this stop you from voicing your concerns.

• Communicate your concerns in a loving and non-confrontational way.
• Avoid critical and accusatory statements and instead focus on the specific behaviours that are of concern.
• You can make a difference in the person’s life by showing that you care, offering support, and encouraging him/her to seek professional help.

Depression - More than just sadness

If you are feeling low and worthless and wishing that the world would come to an end, then probably you are suffering from Depression. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide in the 21st century affecting nearly 120 million people worldwide.
When you are depressed, you may feel low and cry often. You lose interest in life, sex, and other activities that you usually used to enjoy. You feel helpless, guilty, and worthless. Most of the people suffering from Depression also have sleep problems; either they sleep too much or have difficulty going to sleep. Other Depression symptoms include weight gain or weight loss, fatigue, decision-making problems, suicidal thoughts and body pains that don’t subside even after taking medication.

Causes of Depression

Depression is caused due to stressful situations in life like

• Losing a job
• Going through a messy divorce
• Heartbreak
• Death of someone you love
• Being sick for a long time
• Taking drugs and alcohol

What happens in a depressed person is that in the brain there is a chemical imbalance due to which the cells in the brain cannot communicate properly with one another. During a depressed condition, the areas allotted in the brain for appetite, sleep, thinking and behaviour do not function properly. Depression is also known to run in the family. Depression is a combination of environmental, biochemical, psychological and genetic factors.

Diagnosing Depression

To diagnose Depression, the doctor will first ask questions regarding your previous and present health condition. He will then ask you about any family history of Depression and then about the symptoms you are experiencing. For complete evaluation, a physical examination is also done. The doctor may also recommend certain X-rays and blood tests to find out if there is any underlying illness.

Treating Depression

The sooner the treatment for Depression is taken, the better the chances of getting over it. You must visit a doctor if you are having symptoms of Depression. If the doctor finds that the Depression is not due to any illness, then he will refer you to a mental health professional who will do a complete evaluation of your condition. Once this is done, medications like antidepressants are given which help in regulating your mood. These must be taken only under the doctor’s supervision for the specified period prescribed by the doctor. If any physical disorder is present with Depression, the doctor prescribes anti-anxiety drugs which should also be taken only under the doctor’s supervision.

The doctor may also recommend Psychotherapy which includes Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Interpersonal Therapy (IPT).

In Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, depressed people are taught how to think positively and in interpersonal therapy depressed people going through personal relationship problems are taught how to overcome Depression. In people who have severe Depression Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is recommended in which the patient is given an electric impulse under General Anaesthesia. This is also called ‘Shock Therapy’ and is found to be very effective in severely depressed patients.

The duration of the treatment of Depression depends on the severity of the Depression and the recovery rate of the patient. It is also important to make certain changes in your lifestyle to overcome Depression. Eating healthy, doing regular exercise, taking up a hobby, practising relaxation techniques and getting emotional support from your friends and family will help a lot to overcome Depression.

Overcoming Depression

It is possible to overcome Depression by being positive for starts. You must never entertain negative thoughts that pull you down. Never keep blaming yourself for things that happened. Tell yourself that it’s okay to be sad sometimes and you are ready to move ahead.

During times of Depression do not make any major decisions regarding your personal life or work, all by yourself. Try confiding and taking the opinion of someone you trust in your family or friends. To cheer yourself try to involve yourself in any hobby or activity that will bring you happiness and that will help you keep your mind away from gloomy thoughts. Try exercising daily. This will keep you fit and change your mood for the better. Avoid alcohol and drugs as they can react with the antidepressant medications you are taking and make your Depression worse.

It takes time to get over Depression so take things slowly and gradually you will find that your Depression is doing the vanishing act.

Getting over suicidal thoughts

People who are severely depressed have suicidal thoughts. People suffering from bipolar disorder usually have this state of mind. Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder with shifts in mood a period of Depression and a period of elevated mood. They feel that life is not worth living. If such thoughts are crossing your mind, then you must confide in someone you can trust without making any hasty decision. For such people bipolar disorder treatment is essential.

Make sure you do not have any guns, knives, or drugs in your possession. There is a chance that you may use them to harm yourself in a moment of severe Depression.

Never stay alone at home. Always keep a member of your family or friends with you all the time.

You must let your doctor, counsellor, family, and friends know about your suicidal thoughts. They will surely give you the right advice and get you out of these negative thoughts.

Ray of hope

If you think that the rich and famous never get depressed then you are wrong. Famous personalities like Princess Diana, Winston Churchill, Charles Dickens, Sheryl Crow and Drew Barrymore have all gone through periods of Depression in their lives. You cannot avoid feeling sad at times in life, but you should never let the sadness take over your life. When you are depressed, remember that the gloomy clouds of Depression will soon pass away, and you will soon see the ray of hope again.

Causes

The major cause of illness Anxiety Disorder is not clear, but the following factors might be responsible for the condition:

Perceptions: You may not be able to differentiate between normal body sensations and severe sensations because, during this disorder, you may overthink even minor signs of the body which are normal.

Family: You might be more likely to have an illness or Anxiety Disorder if your parents had the same type of worry towards their health status.

History: You must have had a history of serious illness which makes you worry the same way looking at the physical sensations of your body.

Anxiety Disorder starts during the early or middle age and may worsen as you grow older. Most commonly, in old age, the patients may be more concerned about losing their memory.

Symptoms

You may get preoccupied with the idea that you are seriously ill even by looking at minor signs or symptoms such as a noisy stomach or a small rash.

The other signs and symptoms of Anxiety Disorder  include:

• Getting too concerned about health status
• Checking the body repeatedly for any signs of illness
• Worrying too much about minor symptoms
• Making frequent medical appointments
• Talking constantly about health and possible illnesses
• Avoiding people and places for fear of health risks

Risk factors

The common risk factors for illness Anxiety Disorder may include childhood abuse, threat of serious illness, and excessive health-related web searches.

Complications

Anxiety Disorder  may lead to certain complications that may include:

• Problems in the normal functioning of daily routine
• Financial burden due to too much of health screening
• Getting other mental disorders, or Depression due to too much thinking
• Problems with people around you, because too of your worrying may frustrate them

Medications

Your doctor would prescribe antidepressants and other medications that are used for treating mood or Anxiety Disorders. Your doctor would explain to you about the risks and benefits of the medications that are prescribed.

Prevention

The below suggestions may help prevent illness Anxiety Disorder:

• You must always stick to your treatment plan
• You must maximize yourself to be away from stress
• You must never neglect to seek professional advice if you have any problems with Anxiety

Diagnosis

Your doctor may perform a thorough clinical evaluation; the diagnosis is suggested by the fears and symptoms that you are exposed to, and other health disorders that require treatment are determined.

Your doctor may conduct a psychological evaluation; ask you answer to the questionnaire and about your habits such as alcohol consumption and smoking or drug abuse.

Treatment

The main purpose of treating illness Anxiety Disorder is to alleviate the symptoms and improve the quality of life by maintaining functional ability. Psychotherapy, especially Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can be beneficial for treating illness Anxiety Disorder. Your doctor may also add medications for Anxiety Disorder treatment.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy called CBT can be provided individually or in a group session, it helps you in the:

• Improving the functions of day-to-day life
• Identifying your beliefs and fears of having a serious health issue
• Reducing the habit of frequently checking of body for symptoms
• Learning about other ways to view body sensations rather than panicking

Your doctor may also prescribe therapies such as behavioural management and exposure therapy, which can also be worth trying.

Causes of Kleptomania

The causes of Kleptomania are unknown. It might be linked with Neurotransmission in the brain. Low levels of serotonin in the brain lead to impulsive disorders. Serotonin regulates moods and emotions and it might also be related to addictive disorders. Kleptomania can also coexist with conditions such as Obsessive-compulsive Disorder, Bulimia Nervosa, and clinical Depression.

Symptoms of Kleptomania

• Repetition of stealing
• Inability to resist stealing
• Increased tension and Anxiety leading to theft
• Pleasure and relief or gratification while stealing
• Feeling shame due to fear of arrest after the theft
• Feeling terrible guilt, remorse, and self-loathing

Complications of Kleptomania

Kleptomania is associated with some complications such as compulsive gambling, arrest and imprisonment for theft, alcohol and substance abuse, Depression, Anxiety, and eating disorders.

Diagnosis of Kleptomania

Diagnosis of Kleptomania is usually difficult as the patients feel too shy to seek medical help for this complaint. It is usually diagnosed when the patients seek treatment for other conditions such as Depression or Bulimia.

The diagnosis involves both physical and psychological evaluation. In physical evaluation, the assessment of underlying conditions that lead to Kleptomania is identified. To diagnose the condition, the doctors may ask questions such as

• How the impulses make feel
• The situations that trigger steal

Initial psychological evaluations may reveal a history of poor parenting, relationship conflicts that lead to stress. Psychological experts use the criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-5, to diagnose mental conditions. It is published by the American Psychiatric Association.

Treatment for Kleptomania

The treatment for Kleptomania involves medications and psychotherapy. There is no standard treatment for Kleptomania. Researchers are still trying to understand the best treatment method. Counselling in a group or one-on-one setting is useful. The treatment is aimed at dealing with underlying psychological problems that are contributing to Kleptomania. The treatment also includes behaviour therapy, traditional psychotherapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, family therapy, reality therapy, and medication. In Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, some techniques such as Covert Sensitization, Aversion Therapy, and Systematic De-sensitisation are used.

Serotonin Specific Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) could be effective in the treatment of Kleptomania as it is effective in Obsessive-compulsive Disorders. Some medications that are used in the treatment of Kleptomania are fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline, lithium, trazodone and valproate.

Causes

A theory suggests that Obsessive-compulsive Disorder is caused due to changes in the functioning of your brain. It can also be the result of learning certain habits over some time. Obsessive-compulsive Disorder can also occur due to low levels of serotonin, which is a chemical in the brain. There is a theory that this disorder occurs in children who have had a strep throat infection, but this is not proven.

Symptoms

The person having Obsessive-compulsive Disorder encounters obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are images, impulses and unwanted thoughts that disturb the person while compulsions are rituals or behaviour patterns that the person does repeatedly to get rid of obsessions.

Obsessions

The obsessions that you see in Obsessive-compulsive Disorder are:

• Distress when objects are not in order
• Fear of contamination with germs while shaking hands
• Visions of causing pain to your child
• Thoughts of a traffic accident caused by you
• Pornographic images coming to your mind repeatedly
• Impulse to scream in obscene language
• Repeated hair pulling causing bald spots
• Frequent hand washing leading to dermatitis
• Repeated picking of skin-causing lesions

The compulsions that you see in Obsessive-compulsive Disorder are:

• Following certain patterns for counting
• Placing cans with food facing one direction
• Repeatedly checking if you have switched off the stove
• Washing hands repeatedly till they hurt.
• Repeatedly asking someone for their approval
• Saving unwanted objects like old newspapers

Illnesses associated with Obsessive-compulsive Disorder

In people suffering from Obsessive-compulsive Disorder, you may find that they have fears like fear of flight and fear of insects. You may also find that they have learning disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, eating disorders and Depression.

Treatment

The treatment of Obsessive-compulsive Disorder consists of a combination of medication and Psychotherapy.

In psychotherapy, you come across Cognitive Behaviour Therapy that helps you get rid of unwanted thoughts by retraining your thought patterns. In exposure therapy, which is a part of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, you are exposed to objects that you fear, and then ways to cope with your Anxiety are taught. This therapy may take time but once you learn the techniques to overcome your Anxiety, your quality of life will be better.

The medications that are used in the treatment are antidepressants, that help to increase levels of serotonin that are usually low in Obsessive-compulsive Disorder patients. The antidepressants that are commonly prescribed are sertraline, fluoxetine, clomipramine and paroxetine. All medications should be taken only under a doctor’s prescription.

Obsessive-compulsive Disorder may lead to problems with other members of the family. Hence, family therapy is recommended, where the family members are made to understand the disorder so that they can help the person suffering from it. Group therapy is also recommended where you interact with other members of the group who are suffering from the same disorder. This way you can get the needed support from others, and you will not feel left out. For relief of Anxiety, you can practice meditation, deep breathing and yoga.

All about Schizophrenia

The word Schizophrenia was coined around 100 years ago by the well-known German Psychiatrist, Paul Eugen Bleuler. The meaning of the Greek word Schizophrenia is ‘split mind’. Schizophrenia is a chronic mental illness in which the person has abnormal thinking, delusions or false beliefs, and hallucinations, that is, to perceive imaginary visions, smells, tastes and sensations. The schizophrenic is disconnected from the reality of the world. The people suffering from this condition eventually lose their ability to take care of themselves.

Causes

The exact cause of Schizophrenia is not known. Researchers say that it could be due to a combination of environmental and genetic factors. It is also suggested that changes in chemical neurotransmitters in the brain which help in carrying messages from one nerve cell to the other, glutamate and dopamine may lead to Schizophrenia. Environmental factors that trigger Schizophrenia are premature birth, viral infections during infancy, separation or loss of parents and sexual or physical abuse in childhood.

Symptoms

When normal behaviour of healthy people is not present in the patient then those symptoms are called negative Schizophrenia symptoms, while abnormal behaviours present in the patient are referred to as positive symptoms.

Positive symptoms that a person suffering from Schizophrenia may have include:

• Hallucinations
• Delusions
• Behaviour that is not organised
• Difficulty in speech and thought organisation

Negative symptoms may include:

• No enthusiasm in life
• Lack of caring for self
• Inability to converse properly
• Expressionless face
• No eye-contact
• Social withdrawal

Diagnosis

For diagnosing Schizophrenia, the doctor conducts a complete physical examination and tests like complete blood count, drug and alcohol screening and MRI or CT scan to rule out any underlying disease. The mental health provider will conduct a psychological analysis of the patient. The patient’s behaviour, appearance and mental condition are studied. The criterion for diagnoses-  the doctor looks out for at least two symptoms of Schizophrenia, the inability of the patient to continue with normal daily activities and the duration of symptoms for more than 6 months. A new blood test known as ‘VeriPsych’ has been developed by the Cambridge University Research Centre which helps in early diagnosis of Schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia Treatment

Schizophrenia needs lifelong treatment. The treatment of Schizophrenia is a combination of medication and Psychotherapy.

Medication

To control the symptoms, antipsychotic drugs that act on neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine are used.

• If the patient is uncooperative or in a violent agitated mood, medication like Lorazepam is used in combination with the antipsychotic medication.
• Anti-psychotic drugs have many side effects like drowsiness, blurred vision, position changes causing dizziness, skin rashes, increase in heart rate, sensitivity to skin and menstrual problems in women.
• A new type of atypical antipsychotic drug is now available that has fewer side effects.

All the medications have to be taken under a doctor’s prescription and supervision.

Psychosocial treatment

Apart from medication, psychosocial treatment is very important. This treatment includes family therapy that involves educating families about Schizophrenia; social skill training that involves improving interactions and communication; rehabilitation and employment which involves getting jobs for people with Schizophrenia and helping them keep it; and individual therapy that involves teaching the patient skills to cope with stressful situations and the ability to recognize relapse of Schizophrenia.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy is a kind of psychotherapy that teaches patients how to manage symptoms and how to reduce the possible risk of relapse of Schizophrenia. Self-help groups are common nowadays that have people suffering from Schizophrenia come together. In these groups, they discuss the disorder and lend support to each other. If the patient is facing severe symptoms, then hospitalization is necessary to carefully monitor the patient’s condition and ensure that the patient does not hurt himself.

Future for Schizophrenics

Coping with a condition like Schizophrenia is challenging, not only for the patient but for the entire family. Due to extensive research on this condition, better medications with fewer side effects are available now. It is important to take medications and undergo psychosocial therapy regularly to lessen the severity of the symptoms. Most of all, the patient needs all the support he can get from family and friends.

Defeating Schizophrenia

The life of John Forbes Nash Jr who overcame Schizophrenia, is an inspiration to people suffering from this condition. John was a brilliant student. He was a genius at mathematics and a distinguished faculty at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After his marriage, his behaviour turned bizarre. He hallucinated that aliens were sending messages to him. After showing initial recovery, his condition again relapsed after stopping medication. After years of struggle, he completely defeated Schizophrenia by refusing to listen to ‘voices’ that were disturbing him. He later went on to win the Nobel Prize in Economics in the year 1994 which is a great achievement for someone who suffered from Schizophrenia. You can defeat Schizophrenia if you develop the strong will to do so.