FREE ESSAY ON SCHIZOPHRENIA

SCHIZOPHRENIA

Schizophrenia is a serious brain disorder. It is a disease that makes it difficult for a
person to tell the difference between real and unreal experiences, to think logically, to
have normal emotional responses to other, and to behave normally in social situations.
People with schizophrenia may also have difficulty in remembering, talking, and behaving
appropriately. Schizophrenia is one of the most common mental illnesses. About 1% of the
world population has schizophrenia. In the United States, there are about 2.5 million
people with the disease. Schizophrenia is the cause of more hospitalizations than almost
any other illness. Schizophrenia most commonly begins between the ages of 15 and 25.
Although it strikes men and women equally, the symptoms may appear later in women than in
men. Very rarely, the symptoms of schizophrenia can appear before the age of 12.
Childhood schizophrenia has a more chronic disease course and involves poor early
language development. 
People with schizophrenia can have a variety of symptoms. Sometimes, these symptoms come
on suddenly. Usually, though, the illness develops slowly over months or even years. At
first, the symptoms may not be noticed or may be confused with those of other conditions.
For example, people with schizophrenia may feel tense, be unable to concentrate, or have
trouble sleeping. They often become increasingly isolated and withdrawn as their grip on
reality loosens. They do not make or keep friends. They may stop caring about the way
they look. Dropping out of school or doing badly at work are other early signs of
schizophrenia. As the illness progresses, symptoms of psychosis develop. The person
starts to act strangely and talk nonsensically. People with schizophrenia may develop
paranoid delusions. Examples of this would be that they might see, feel, smell, or hear
things that are not really there. They may have physical symptoms, like frowning or
unusual movements, and may stand or sit in strange positions. Some people become almost
motionless. Others move around constantly. The severity of symptoms will vary from one
person to another. The symptoms also tend to worsen and improve. When the symptoms are
improved, the person may appear to behave relatively normally, but usually there will be
repeated episodes of the illness that will cause symptoms to reappear.
Schizophrenia is a complex and puzzling illness. Even the experts are not sure exactly
what causes it. Some doctors think that the brain may not be able to process information
correctly. People without schizophrenia usually can filter out unneeded information: for
example, the sound of a train whistle in the background or a dog barking next door.
People with schizophrenia, however, cannot always filter out this extra information. One
possible cause of schizophrenia may be heredity, or genetics. Experts think that some
people inherit a tendency to schizophrenia. In fact, the disorder tends to "run" in
families, but only among blood relatives. People who have family members with
schizophrenia may be more likely to get the disease themselves. If both biologic parents
have schizophrenia, there is nearly a 40% chance that their child will get it, too. This
happens even if the child is adopted and raised by mentally healthy adults. In people who
have an identical twin with schizophrenia, the chance of schizophrenia developing is
almost 50%. In contrast, children whose biological parents are mentally healthy - even if
their adoptive parents have schizophrenia - have about a 1% chance of getting the
disease. That is about the same risk as for the general population of the United States.
Some researchers believe that events in a person's environment trigger schizophrenia.
Some studies have shown that influenza infection or improper nutrition during pregnancy
and complications during birth may increase the risk that the baby will develop
schizophrenia later in life. Many believe that schizophrenia is likely caused by a
complex combination of genetic and environmental factors. Certain people are born with a
tendency to develop the disease. But the disease only appears if these people are exposed
to unusual stresses or traumas.
Schizophrenia is usually treated with antipsychotic medication. Some people with
schizophrenia also benefit from counseling and rehabilitation. They may need to go to the
hospital during an acute attack. The goal of treatment is to reduce symptoms during acute
attacks and to help prevent relapses. At this time, there is no cure for schizophrenia.
Antipsychotic medications are very effective in controlling the symptoms of
schizophrenia. These medications first became available in the mid-1950's. They have
greatly improved the lives of thousands of people. Before that time, people with
schizophrenia spent most of their lives in crowded hospitals. With antipsychotic
medication, however, many people with schizophrenia are able to live in the outside
world. Because each person with schizophrenia has a unique mix of symptoms, no single
medication works best for all people. The ideal medication for one person may not be the
best choice for another. Although antipsychotic medications do not cure the disease, they
can reduce hallucinations and delusions and help people with schizophrenia regain their
grip on reality. Medication also reduces the risk of they symptoms returning. If the
person does have a relapse of symptoms, medications may make the symptoms less severe.
People with schizophrenia can have a hard time communicating with other people and
carrying out ordinary tasks. Counseling and rehabilitation can help people with
schizophrenia build the skills they need to function outside the sheltered setting of a
hospital. However, these treatments are not very helpful during acute attacks.
Rehabilitation programs may help people with schizophrenia develop skills such as money
management, cooking, and personal grooming, for example, needed for ordinary life. They
may also prepare the person to go or return to work. Individual psychotherapy may help
person with schizophrenia learn to sort out the real from the unreal. Group therapy may
help them learn to get along with others. Self-help groups may help persons with
schizophrenia feel that others share their problems.
The best way to prevent relapses is to continue to take the prescribed medication. People
with schizophrenia may stop taking their medications for several reasons. Side effects
are one of the most important reasons that people with schizophrenia stop taking their
medication. It is hard for people to put up with unpleasant side effects for months or
years. It is especially hard when the person feels well. It is very important to find the
medication that controls symptoms without causing side effects. Convenience is also
important. Some medications need to be taken two, three, or even four times a day. Others
may be taken just once a day. People are more likely to remember to take a medication
once a day than several times a day. Some people profer to get injections every month of
long-lasting medication. Taking medications regularly is the best way to prevent repeated
illness and hospitalization.