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Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder that affects less than one percent of India. population. When schizophrenia is active, symptoms can include delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, trouble with thinking, and lack of motivation. However, with treatment, most symptoms of schizophrenia will greatly improve and the likelihood of a recurrence can be diminished.

While there is no cure for schizophrenia, research is leading to innovative and safer treatments. Experts also are unraveling the causes of the disease by studying genetics, conducting behavioral research, and using advanced imaging to look at the brain’s structure and function. These approaches hold the promise of new, and more effective therapies.

The complexity of schizophrenia may help explain why there are misconceptions about the disease. Schizophrenia does not mean split personality or multiple-personality. Most people with schizophrenia are not any more dangerous or violent than people in the general population. While limited mental health resources in the community may lead to homelessness and frequent hospitalizations, it is a misconception that people with schizophrenia end up homeless or living in hospitals. Most people with schizophrenia live with their family, in group homes or on their own.

Research has shown that schizophrenia affects men and women fairly equally but may have an earlier onset in males. Rates are similar around the world. People with schizophrenia are more likely to die younger than the general population, largely because of high rates of co-occurring medical conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes.

Definitions

  • Psychosis refers to a set of symptoms characterized by a loss of touch with reality due to a disruption in the way that the brain processes information. When someone experiences a psychotic episode, the person’s thoughts and perceptions are disturbed, and the individual may have difficulty understanding what is real and what is not.
  • Delusions are fixed false beliefs held despite clear or reasonable evidence that they are not true. Persecutory (or paranoid) delusions, when a person believes they are being harmed or harassed by another person or group, are the most common.
  • Hallucinations are the experience of hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, or feeling things that are not there. They are vivid and clear with an impression similar to normal perceptions. Auditory hallucinations, and “hearing voices,” are the most common in schizophrenia and related disorders.
  • Disorganized thinking and speech refer to thoughts and speech that are jumbled and/or do not make sense. For example, the person may switch from one topic to another or respond with an unrelated topic in conversation. The symptoms are severe enough to cause substantial problems with normal communication.
  • Disorganized or abnormal motor behavior are movements that can range from childlike silliness to unpredictable agitation or can manifest as repeated movements without purpose. When the behavior is severe, it can cause problems in the performance of activities of daily life. It includes catatonia when a person appears as if in a daze with little movement or response to the surrounding environment.
  • Negative symptoms refer to what is abnormally lacking or absent in the person with a psychotic disorder. Examples include impaired emotional expression, decreased speech output, reduced desire to have social contact or to engage in daily activities, and decreased experience of pleasure.

Symptoms

When the disease is active, it can be characterized by episodes in which the person is unable to distinguish between real and unreal experiences. As with any illness, the severity, duration, and frequency of symptoms can vary; however, in persons with schizophrenia, the incidence of severe psychotic symptoms often decreases as the person becomes older. Not taking medications as prescribed, the use of alcohol or illicit drugs, and stressful situations tend to increase symptoms. Symptoms fall into three major categories:

  • Positive symptoms: (those abnormally present) Hallucinations, such as hearing voices or seeing things that do not exist, paranoia, and exaggerated or distorted perceptions, beliefs, and behaviors.
  • Negative symptoms: (those abnormally absent) A loss or a decrease in the ability to initiate plans, speak, express emotion, or find pleasure.
  • Disorganized symptoms: Confused and disordered thinking and speech, trouble with logical thinking, and sometimes bizarre behavior or abnormal movements.

Cognition is another area of functioning that is affected in schizophrenia leading to problems with attention, concentration, and memory, and declining educational performance.

Symptoms of schizophrenia usually first appear in early adulthood and must persist for at least six months for a diagnosis to be made. Men often experience initial symptoms in their late teens or early 20s while women tend to show first signs of the illness in their 20s and early 30s. More subtle signs may be present earlier, including troubled relationships, poor school performance, and reduced motivation.

Before a diagnosis can be made, however, a psychiatrist should conduct a thorough medical examination to rule out substance misuse or other neurological or medical illnesses whose symptoms mimic schizophrenia.

Treatment

Though there is no cure for schizophrenia, many patients do well with minimal symptoms. A variety of antipsychotic medications are effective in reducing the psychotic symptoms present in the acute phase of the illness, and they also help reduce the potential for future acute episodes and their severity. Psychological treatments such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or supportive psychotherapy may reduce symptoms and enhance function, and other treatments are aimed at reducing stress, supporting employment, or improving social skills.

Diagnosis and treatment can be complicated by substance misuse. People with schizophrenia are at greater risk of misusing drugs than the general population. If a person shows signs of addiction, treatment for the addiction should occur along with treatment for schizophrenia.

Rehabilitation and Living With Schizophrenia

Treatment can help many people with schizophrenia lead highly productive and rewarding lives. As with other chronic illnesses, some patients do extremely well while others continue to be symptomatic and need support and assistance.

After the symptoms of schizophrenia are controlled, various types of therapy can continue to help people manage the illness and improve their lives. Therapy and psychosocial support can help people learn social skills, cope with stress, identify early warning signs of relapse, and prolong periods of remission. Because schizophrenia typically strikes in early adulthood, individuals with the disorder often benefit from rehabilitation to help develop life-management skills, complete vocational or educational training and hold a job. For example, supported-employment programs have been found to help people with schizophrenia obtain self-sufficiency. These programs provide people with severe mental illness competitive jobs in the community.

For many people living with schizophrenia, family support is particularly important to their health and well-being. It is also essential for families to be informed and supported themselves. Optimism is important and patients, family members, and mental health professionals need to be mindful that many patients have a favorable course of illness, that challenges can often be addressed, and that patients have many personal strengths that must be recognized and supported.

Testimonials

I realized I had bipolar disorder when my son was about 6 months old. I was feeling very good at one time, able to accomplish so much. I slept little and still had so much energy. My mind was constantly going. I would get upset easily at my husband for small things and be a different me infact unusual me. I finally was reading an article about bipolar and what the symptoms were. I recognized that this was me. I went to my friend and she suggested me to prefer Shanti Home. Then Shanti Home gave me with the right guidance and medication to help me be balanced.

Keerthi

I am Garima Bajaj daughter of Mrs. Santosh Kapoor My mom is the best mother a person can ever dream of. She is a kind soft-spoken, humble and loving lady. My mother had 2 daughters me and my younger sister Meenu Kapoor, who is in the USA. As a child my whole world revolved around her, she was there for me every time I needed her. She taught us to be good human beings, and never to give hope before trying. Whatever I am today, I am because of her. It is difficult for me to find words to express what she is to me. She ran a primary wing school, that school was doing quite well, looked after us, her husband and she did all her tasks with perfection. My father died when she was 56 years, and that was a major setback in her life. From the outside she looked strong as she had to take care of her younger daughter, she had to marry her, but inside she took a lot of tension, which I think affected her memory loss problem. After my sister got married, she was left all alone, that thought that all have gone leaving me alone was a major cause of her Dementia problem. I sold her house in Amritsar and bought her a flat in Gurgaon near my house so that she does not feel lonely, she never complained but she missed Amritsar, which also triggered her memory loss problem. She was not able to take care of her house, so I brought her to live at my place. Initially, I was not aware of the disease and the problems related to them, as the disease progressed problems related to the disease came up, and her behavior changed, she became hyper, was restless the whole day, and repeated the same thing again and again. Then I came to know about Shanti Home. It was a place for dementia patients. I talked to the doctors they were all very helpful to me. They suggested I keep her there for some period as these patients need a lot of care and monitoring which is not possible at home, so I kept her there, she was given good care at Shanti Home, her behavior also improved, there the patients are made to do a lot of activities which keep their mind involved which is very helpful for them, they have a specific area for these brain activities, this is a boom for these patients, I especially thank all the doctors at Shanti Home for their help and support, it has been a great help to me, I think Govt must also take some steps to help fight against this deadly disease. Regards Garima Bajaj

Mrs. Santosh Kapoor (Garima Bajaj)

I have been their patient for one year. They are always thorough and great listeners.

Fatima Sheikh

Easy to talk to and thorough, making for a really good experience overall.

Sanket K

The doctor was very thorough and spent time listening to me as well as conducting a complete exam. She clearly cares about her patients. I am very confident in her

Swati Verma
Swati Verma

In November 2014, I had the privilege to visit Shanti Home Psychiatric Care and Rehabilitation Center. I was very keen on this visit and it was a very pleasant experience for me. The Rehab home is very well equipped with trained staff, a fully functional kitchen serving nutritious meals (planned by nutritionist) to residents, surrounded by a well-maintained garden. The center has lots of activities and the daily schedule is carefully planned to provide stimulation to enhance cognition, expedite healing, teaching vocational skills so that after discharge from home the person is able to fulfill a useful role in society. Activities also included personality and linguistic skills development along with yoga, aerobics, etc. skillful use of music therapy; physiotherapy, etc. has also been incorporated. I was very happy to see the availability of doctors round the clock which ensured proper medical care. Skilled psychologists, psychotherapists, and Occupational Therapists are providing their best under the guidance of learned and eminent psychiatrists from Delhi. But the thing which made the biggest impact on my mind and heart was the human touch at the center which could be seen in the overall attitude of the staff and the environment of the rehab home. I was pleasantly surprised that even the supporting staff was attending to residents with respect and was trying their best to put a smile on residents’ faces. And then I realized why it can truly be called a (rehab) HOME. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to visit this home and spending a few hours with its loving family

Dr Rashmi Moghe Hirave

Our son was suffering from Schizophrenia, and depression and was a chain smoker. We had been to many psychiatrists, psychologists, and healers over the last six years. Finally, we admitted him in Shanti Home, Greater Noida. His recovery has been phenomenal in just three months and our son seems a ‘totally new person to us. We owe deep gratitude to the team under Dr. Rupali for providing us hope when all around us was gloomy. We have cherished our relationship with Shanti Home and with each of the doctors, psychologists, and all. While we will still be coming back regularly for counseling, the bond of trust will be everlasting. Thanks again to the entire team and with best wishes.

Sanjay
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