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Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder that affects about one percent of the population. When schizophrenia is active, symptoms can include delusions, hallucinations, trouble with thinking and concentration, and lack of motivation. However, when these symptoms are treated, most people with schizophrenia will greatly improve over time.
See definition, symptoms, & treatment
The use of telepsychiatry is increasing in the primary care settings, including pediatrician’s offices, and in schools where psychiatrists or other mental health professionals can collaborate with teachers and other school staff.
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a time for mental health advocates and professionals, survivors, allies and community members to raise awareness, share resources and work to prevent suicide.
Just as children across the country head back to school, new research shows that the growing number of school-based mental health programs are effective in helping students.
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
Schizophrenia and Related Disorders Alliance of America (SARDAA)
SAMHSA
My friend with schizophrenia smokes marijuana and drinks a lot, it that related to the schizophrenia?
Substance abuse is a common problem in persons with schizophrenia, including tobacco, marijuana, alcohol and other drugs. Abuse has all the usual health-related problems, but the presence of schizophrenia complicates this issue. Patients may stop their antipsychotic medications if they believe it interferes with the marijuana or alcohol effect. Disorganized thinking and behavior may be made worse. Marijuana appears to increase the risk of schizophrenia in vulnerable young people and may complicate the course of schizophrenia. Impaired cognition is common in schizophrenia and misused drugs adversely affect cognition, such as attention, memory, task orientation and the like. There are many good reasons to avoid substance misuse. More
Does everyone with schizophrenia need to take medication? Can therapy help someone with schizophrenia?
All persons with schizophrenia need drugs some of the time and most will do better with continued use of medication to help control symptoms and prevent relapse. But the drugs are not effective for all aspects of the illness. Cognitive behavioral therapy may help with certain symptoms and supportive psychotherapy can support personal strengths and improve quality of life. Vocational programs increase the chances of successful employment. Family psychoeducation can give patients and family members a better understanding of the disorder and what will be helpful. A relationship with a case worker may help with the problems of daily living.
So, yes, drug treatment is important, but many patients will not take medication continuously for long periods and many experience side effects that have to be addressed. An integrated, comprehensive approach works best. More
What are the first symptoms someone would notice if they had schizophrenia?
The earliest signs and symptoms come before a diagnosis can be certain. There is now a growing emphasis on identifying young people at high risk for a psychotic disorder and offering treatment and services in advance of a full psychotic experience. At this stage symptoms and signs include problems with personal relationships and school or work performance, experiencing odd phenomena such as hearing a voice or noise but being uncertain if it was really heard, or becoming excessively suspicious. Also, some people may develop a “loner” lifestyle, a sense that something is wrong and that one’s mind is playing tricks, and other things that mark a change in life course. These may not be early schizophrenia symptoms, but it is a good time for clinical assessment and care in hopes of preventing a progression to a full first episode of psychosis.
At first episode of schizophrenia, common symptoms include paranoia, hearing voices or seeing visions, disorganization of thoughts and behavior, anxiety, fear, depression, sleep disturbance, social withdrawal and sometimes poor emotional control seen as anger and hostility.
All the signs and symptoms can occur at a mild level in people who are not ill. A diagnosis must look at the severity of the symptoms, their impact on function and resulting distress. More
About the Expert:
William Carpenter Jr., M.D. Professor of Psychiatry and Pharmacology University of Maryland School of Medicine Editor-in-Chief, Schizophrenia Bulletin May 2015
Myles was a 20-year old man who was brought to the emergency room by the campus police of the college from which he had been suspended several months ago. A professor had called and reported that Myles had walked into his classroom, accused him of taking his tuition money and refused to leave. More
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AUG 10, 2017
Schizophrenia is a word I learned even before I could speak properly. I don't know when I heard it. We never said it out loud. Not in our family. Now my concern for the mental health of my children is making me finally face my family’s past.
Treatment of schizophrenia with long-acting injectable antipsychotic agents resulted in significantly lower rates of rehospitalization compared with oral formulations, according to results of a large, prospective, Scandinavian follow-up study published in the July issue of JAMA Psychiatry. Treatment failures in the study were lowest with injectable clozapine and highest with olanzapine, the most common oral antipsychotic.
AUG 13, 2017
A group of researchers in Japan performed a longitudinal study to measure the effects of physical activity on various neurocognitive indicators in people diagnosed with schizophrenia. They found that certain types of exercise are associated with improved executive function and reaction time.
Schizophrenia and Related Disorders Alliance of America
Mental Health America
National Alliance on Mental Illness
National Institute on Mental Health
Schizophrenia.com
Physician Review By:
William Carpenter Jr., M.D. Ranna Parekh, M.D., M.P.H. July 2015