Schizophrenia is one of the most identifiable mental health problem in the world. It is a part of Psychotic Spectrum Disorders.
Absence of Insight:
- This is the hallmark of the illness in psychotic spectrum disorder, including schizophrenia.
- Insight is the awareness and knowledge about one’s own symptoms. For e.g. if a patient has pain in his/her abdomen, they are aware of this painful sensation and can report it.
- Patients with schizophrenia are not aware of their symptoms and hence are often uncooperative in treatment.
Such patients might present with violence or irritability due to psychotic symptoms such as suspicions. They require immediate attention, including the need to hospitalise.
Key features of illness
- The illness has two time periods of presentation: 15-30 years and 40-50 years.
- Males and females are equally affected
- Hereditary plays a very important role in the illness. (Family Transmission)
- Illness can last a life time
- Symptoms can wax and wane over time
Understanding the Schizophrenia Symptoms
Positive symptoms
also known as psychotic symptoms. For example, delusions and hallucinations.
Negative symptoms
these refer to elements that are taken away from the individual. For example, absence of facial expressions or lack of motivation.
Cognitive symptoms
these affect the person's thought processes. They may be positive or negative symptoms, for example, poor concentration is a negative symptom.
Emotional symptoms
these are usually negative symptoms, such as blunted emotions.
Symptoms
Delusions
The patient displays false beliefs and might not believe even when contrary proof is given. The false beliefs might include people plotting against them, trying to kill them, talk of high matter, people talking about them etc.
Hallucinations
Hearing voices is much more common than seeing, feeling, tasting, or smelling things which are not there, however, people with schizophrenia may experience a wide range of hallucinations.
Thought disorder
The person may jump from one subject to another for no logical reason. The speaker may be hard to follow or erratic.
Irritability
Patient might resort to violence and get angry on trivial matters.
Restlessness
Patient keeps moving or wandering around aimlessly. They might even leave the house without informing.
Poor self-care
The patient might not feel like taking a bath or brushing or wearing clean clothes. They have to be motivated to do the same.
Lack of motivation (avolition)
The patient loses their drive. Everyday actions, such as washing and cooking, are neglected.
Poor expression of emotions
Responses to happy or sad occasions may be lacking, or inappropriate.
Social withdrawal
When a patient with schizophrenia withdraws socially, it is often because they believe somebody is going to harm them.
Unawareness of illness
As the hallucinations and delusions seem so real for patients, many of them may not believe they are ill. They may refuse to take medication for fear of side effects, or for fear that the medication may be poison, for example.
Cognitive difficulties
The patient’s ability to concentrate, recall things, plan ahead, and to organize their life are affected. Communication becomes more difficult.
Diagnosis is the First Step to Recovery
Diagnosis is based on clinical signs and symptoms
Structured clinical scales may be used to quantify severity of symptoms and monitor treatment progress
Early and aggressive treatment in a patient with schizophrenia is most vital for symptom control and functional recovery.
Sometime due to the presence of aggression and other psychotic, the patient needs to be hospitalised for treatment.
Diagnosis is the First Step to Recovery
Anti-psychotic medications
Brief Pulse Therapy
It is the gold standard in treatment of schizophrenia.
Indications for use include:
At Parth Hospital, we provide the highest quality care with the best quality machines. For more information on Brief Pulse Therapy, please Refer “link”
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS)
It has been used in patients with negative symptoms and resistant auditory hallucinations extensively.
At Parth Hospital, we provide the highest quality care with the best quality machines. For more information on Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, please Refer “link”
PLEASE NOTE:
- There is no role of counselling in the acute stage of the illness.
- Counselling can be of value only during rehabilitation phases of the illness
Consultation Timing
Monday - Saturday
Morning: 9:00 -1:00 PM
Evening: 4:00 - 7:00 PM
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Parth Hospital,
3rd Floor Sigma Excellence,
Near Management Enclave,
Opposite Falguni Gruh Udyog,
Ahmedabad, 380015
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