5 significant things you need to know about schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by delusions, hallucinations, and/or paranoia. It is a mental disorder where a psychological disconnection occurs from reality in which affected individuals can no longer perceive or respond appropriately to their environment, they contain socially unacceptable emotions or behaviours and may slowly become socially withdrawn and enter a state of psychosis.

In contrast to popular belief, schizophrenia has nothing to do with having multiple/split personalities. The thing about schizophrenia is it has to be the most misunderstood illness in all of medicine. People with schizophrenia are seen as dangerous and are alienated. People seem to have the idea that people with schizophrenia are going to murder someone. Some people even say things like: "Why don't we lock all these people up?"

The truth is schizophrenics, just like the rest of the mentally ill, are much more likely to hurt themselves than anyone else. Some people are trying to get all schizophrenic people institutionalized, but all that results in making people with the signs of schizophrenia simply afraid to get a diagnosis, or afraid to seek help. It is misunderstood and stigmatized.

Dr Kedar Tilwe, Consultant Psychiatrist, Department of Mental Health & Behavioural Sciences at Fortis Hospital, Mumbai enlists the five significant things you should know about the mental disorder to help your near and dear ones.

1. Diagnosis of schizophrenia requires the presence of at least two out of the following five symptoms for a period of six months:

a.     Delusions

b.    Hallucinations

c.     Disorganised speech

d.     Disorganised behaviour

e.     Negative symptoms

2. Delusions are persistently held false implausible beliefs that the patient will not reconsider in spite of clear cut evidence to the contrary. Delusions of control, reference and paranoia are the most commonly encountered ones.

3. Hallucinations are often auditory and are best described as “hearing voices of people who are not around”. Sometimes the person may hear a running commentary or people giving them instructions to perform certain acts.

4. A marked decrease in self-care and personal hygiene is often an under-reported symptom (not bathing, wearing dirty clothes, etc). Social withdrawal and isolation are also commonly encountered.

5. Aggressive, abusive and assaultive behaviour may come to fore during the peak episodes and is usually the reason for seeking help from relatives.

Most symptoms of the mental health disorder can be treated with medication. Newer medications can produce effective treatment without many undesired side effects (previously, the side effects were quite lifestyle-changing).