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Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a diagnosis given to some people who have severely disrupted beliefs and experiences. They may lose touch with reality, see or hear things that are not there and act in unusual ways. An episode of schizophrenia can last for several weeks and can be very frightening.

 

Most people with schizophrenia are prescribed drugs. Some people need a great deal of help in managing the more unpleasant symptoms of schizophrenia whilst others learn to cope well with experiences such as hearing voices and do not necessarily wish to receive any treatment.

 

What is schizophrenia?

  

Schizophrenia is a diagnosis given to some people who have severely disrupted beliefs and experiences.  However many people diagnosed with schizophrenia and some professionals dispute whether there is such a condition.

 

During an episode of schizophrenia, a person's experience and interpretation of the outside world is disrupted - they may lose touch with reality, see or hear things that are not there and act in unusual ways in response to these 'hallucinations'. An episode of schizophrenia can last for several weeks and can be very frightening.

 

Schizophrenia can affect men and women from all countries, cultures, backgrounds and walks of life. About 1 in 100 people will have one episode, and two-thirds of these will go on to have further episodes. Schizophrenia usually starts in the late teens or early twenties, but can also affect older people for the first time.

The causes are unknown but episodes of schizophrenia appear to be associated with changes in some brain chemicals. Stressful experiences and some recreational drugs are thought sometimes to trigger an episode.

 

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Symptoms

 

Doctors describe two groups of symptoms in people with schizophrenia - positive and negative. Positive symptoms are abnormal experiences and negative ones are loss of normal behaviour. Although the positive symptoms are often the most dramatic and, at least initially, the most distressing, it is usually the negative ones that cause the most problems, as these tend to be longer lasting.

 

Positive symptoms

The three main positive symptoms are:

 

  • feelings of being controlled by outside forces (i.e. having one's thoughts and actions taken over)
  • hearing, seeing, smelling or feeling things which are not there (hallucinations)
  • unusual beliefs (delusions).

 

The delusions can often be very frightening, with the person believing, for example, that others are plotting to kill them or that their conversations are being recorded. Positive symptoms all tend to occur during acute episodes and can be particularly frightening.

 

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Negative symptoms

The negative symptoms include tiredness, loss of concentration, and lack of energy and motivation, which may be exacerbated by the side-effects of drugs used to treat the positive symptoms. Because of these symptoms, people with schizophrenia are often unable to cope with everyday tasks, such as work and household chores. Suicide and self-harm are common in those with a diagnosis of schizophrenia: around 1 in 10 ultimately take their own life.

 

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Treatment

 

Most people with schizophrenia are prescribed drugs, which seek to reduce the positive symptoms. The drugs may be prescribed for lengthy periods and may have unpleasant side effects.

 

Some people need a great deal of help in managing the more unpleasant symptoms of schizophrenia whilst others learn to cope well with experiences such as hearing voices and do not necessarily wish to receive any treatment.

 

Sometimes, people in an acute phase of the illness may need to be admitted to hospital under the Mental Health Act for their own, or other people's safety. It is worth noting that people with schizophrenia are not usually dangerous to other people. Many people who have had an episode of schizophrenia are concerned about how they can have a say in the treatment they will receive if they have to go into hospital again. Many people now carry Crisis Cards or set up Advance Directives , which make their wishes known.

 

If you, or someone you care for, are experiencing the symptoms of schizophrenia you may wish to contact your GP who can prescribe drug treatments and help you to access psychiatric help and possibly involve social services and the local Community Mental Health Team.

 

In an emergency you can go to the accident and emergency department of your local hospital or dial 999. If you are already in touch with your local Community Mental Health Team you may want to contact their duty team.

 

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Written in 2003

 

 

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