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What is Schizophrenia?

Information and 'Inside' Coping Skills for Dealing with This Disease

By Sierra IPublished 6 years ago 5 min read
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Schizophrenia is many things, depending on how you look at it. Neuroscientists and others who study the brain see a phenomenon. This illness has no known cause. They see an illness that eats away at the brain and causes unusual, potentially dangerous behavior. For those who don't know anyone with this disease or much about it, they think of it as a mental illness and nothing more, something that only affects the sufferer. For those who know a little more, it is seen as a "zombie" disease that eats the brain and makes people crazy.

But for those of us who live with this disease (whether we suffer from it ourselves or not), it is so much more. Schizophrenia is more than a brain-eating disease or a mental illness or a phenomenon. It is destruction. No one ever believes that this can happen to them, but it can happen to anyone. In this article, you will find information on what schizophrenia is, what the symptoms and phases are, and how to cope with this illness if it is wreaking havoc in your household. If you would like to read an inside story, please see my related article, Living With a Schizophrenic, for examples on how it has been from an inside perspective.

Let's get started...

What is Schizophrenia?

There is no known cause of schizophrenia, though certain things (environment, genetics, brain structure, and chemistry) are thought to play a part in developing this disease. Some neuroscientists believe that an imbalance in dopamine and serotonin, two of the brain's chemicals, cause symptoms of schizophrenia. But, like all of the other theories, this is still unknown.

In 2013, an article from the University of Iowa documented the 15-year long study of a woman named Nancy Andreasen. Andreasen studied the brain tissue of over 200 patients found to have schizophrenia after their first episode. It was found in her research that these patients had significantly less brain tissue than healthy patients after the study. The hopes for this documentation were to identify when there was an increase in brain tissue deterioration and find a way to stop or decrease it.

Unfortunately, during her study, she also found that there was more severe tissue damage in higher doses of antipsychotic medication. Of course, results varied for every patient, but in general, it was found that antipsychotic medication may help to alleviate the symptoms, but it does not stop the progression of the disease.

In layman's terms, schizophrenia eats away at the brain tissue, causing the victim to be unable to think clearly.

The most common symptoms are:

  • Hallucinations - This is the symptom that most commonly causes the violent outbursts.
  • Paranoid delusions
  • Confused/disoriented speech patterns
  • Disoriented movements/jumpy
  • Social withdrawal
  • Cognitive "shutdown" - The victim has a hard time comprehending seemingly simple things or instructions; the memory and ability to multitask may also be affected.

The Three Phases of Schizophrenia

There are three major phases of schizophrenia:

Prodromal schizophrenia is the first stage. This is the stage where the very first symptoms of schizophrenia show. Unfortunately, they are so minute that most people don't notice a change. The symptoms of this stage are slight social withdrawal and an increase in anxiousness. This is also the stage where the victim is frequently lucid, normally for up to weeks or months at a time, between episodes.

The second stage of schizophrenia is active schizophrenia. Active schizophrenia is where the victim exhibits more of the common symptoms, such as hallucinations, delusions, and slurred or confused speech. This is also the stage where loved ones and friends first notice the symptoms and should start encouraging the sufferer to seek treatment.

The final stage is residual schizophrenia. This is the stage where the victim will most likely start to exhibit violent (fight or flight) behavior, along with the symptoms of both prodromal and acute schizophrenia. The victim is no longer lucid frequently. He or she may be lucid for a very brief period, but it normally does not last longer than a few days. This is also the stage where it is almost impossible to get them treatment without forcing it, which no one wants to do.

Coping With a Schizophrenic Loved One

If you know someone or live with someone living with this disease, there are things that you can do to cope with this, and even help them cope. A few of those things, I have listed below for you:

  1. First and foremost, always try to keep the line of communication open, in all the phases aforementioned. If the victim feels close enough to you to open up about the way that they are feeling and the things that they are seeing, you want to them keep feeling that they are able to talk to you, even if, and they will, become paranoid of you. This will help you to understand how to help them.
  2. If your loved one has already begun to distrust you, you can cope by disengaging from potential arguments and conversations. If you feel that your loved one is beginning to argue with you and say things that don't make sense or that are hurtful to you, calmly walk away before it gets to the point where you feel that you have to say something. Remind yourself that it is the illness talking, and not the corporeal person that you see in front of you. They do not mean what they are saying, and they love you deep down. The illness clouds that, not the person.
  3. If you have reached the residual stage of the disease and are at your wit's end, you are not alone. Many people have gone through this and feel that they will have to live like this the rest of their lives. This is not true. There are many resources available that will help you to get them the help that they need.
Research and discussion videos, such as the Voices of Recovery Video Series, Google+ Hangout on First Episode Psychosis, and Psychosis-Early Detection Saves Minds can help you and your loved one to understand this illness and what it is like to deal with them. Courtesy of NIMH >> RAISE resources.
National Organizations such as EASA (Early Assessment & Support Alliance), NAMI Helpline, and PEPPNET (Prodrome and Early Psychosis Program Network) are great for information and resources to help you and your loved one get the help that you need and the coping skills required to deal with the illness. Courtesy of NIMH >> RAISE resources.
To find specialists and caregivers for this illness in your area, online resources like SAMHSA Behavioral Health Services Locator, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and Shared Decision-Making Information are available 24/7 to assist with finding the right care and treatment for you and your loved one. Courtesy of NAMI >> RAISE resources.
Lastly, phone resources are a great way to get information and assistance finding the right care for you and your family. Here are some helplines that are open 24/7.National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1 (800) 273 - TALKSAMHSA's 24-hour Referral Helpline: 1 (800) 662 - HELPCourtesy of NIMH >> RAISE resources.

There are so many resources available to help you and your family. However, if you can't get your loved one into treatment willingly, you may need further assistance to get them the help that they need. If this is the case, please call your local police department and see what you can do legally to get them the help that they need.

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About the Creator

Sierra I

FT mom, writer, and 'doer'. Coffee obsessed and science-based, I thoroughly enjoy broadening people's horizons and mental processes through the written word.

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