Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is one of the most serious and debilitating mental disabilities. Even though it can seem frightening to others, especially when one is not familiar with it, most schizophrenic people are not violent. However, schizophrenia leads often to extreme suffering, which is enhanced by rejecting reactions from their social environment. Schizophrenia can come in a variety of different forms defined by different combinations of the symptoms below.

Common symptoms

Symptoms of perception and conduct

  • Delusion / mania: Fundamentally wrong thoughts which cannot be reconciled with reality. A few examples are
    • Paranoia: The conviction that others are tracking or stalking you
    • Relationship delusion: The conviction that everything you see, hear or experience somehow is meant to be a sign to you (e.g. the perception that anything said in the radio is meant to target you). This delusion is called that way because every perception is put into relation to oneself
    • Delusion of guilt: The conviction that everything is one’s own fault (this might even be the case for a plane crash at the other end of the world)
    • Grandiose delusions: The conviction of oneself as an unduly important person.
  • Hallucinations: Fundamentally wrong perceptions which cannot be reconciled with reality (e.g. hearing sounds and voices or even seeing unreal things).
  • Emotionally inadequate behaviour.
  • Movement disorders, e.g.
    • Jumpy behaviour
    • Ongoing repetition of the same behaviour
    • Long freezing in an unusual position.

Symptoms in the way to think, e.g.

  • Confused thoughts and disorganised speech
  • Difficulties to follow in discussions
  • Jumbled and meaningless sentences
  • Sudden interruption of sentences.

Lack of psychological functioning in the following areas

  • Social withdrawal
  • Reduced intensity of emotions
  • Listlessness
  • Loss of interest
  • Loss of linguistic diversity.

What to do

  • Knowledge, knowledge, knowledge… The more details you as well as your close entourage know about Schizophrenia the easier it gets to live with it. Some symptoms of schizophrenia cannot be completely healed. However, everyday functioning can mainly be restored using a range of coping mechanisms and the higher the amount of knowledge about the disease and specifically your personal symptoms the more likely you are to find appropriate behaviours and patterns to effectively deal with it.
  • Get in contact with other schizophrenic people. In addition to the relief that comes with knowing that other people are living with similar struggles, this can give you valuable insights on how they managed difficult situations.
  • Find further professional psychological help: The best way to handle Schizophrenia is with help from a professional psychologist. They can help you understand your struggles and the emergence of Schizophrenia in your specific case. Moreover, they will assist you building up required coping competencies and getting access to appropriate medication.

For more ideas on what you could do, see also the page  What can you generally do.

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