Schizophrenia
A brain disorde which people interpret reality abnormally
What is it?
Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disorder that has affected many people throughout history.Schizophrenia involves a range of problems with thinking, behavior or emotions. Our brain consists of billions of nerve cells. Each nerve cell has branches that give out and receive messages from other nerve cells. The ending of these nerve cells release neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters carry messages from the endings of one nerve cell to the nerve cell body of another. In the brain of a person who has schizophrenia, this messaging system does not work properly.
What are the effects of Schizophrenia?
Individuals with schizophrenia may hear voices that are not there. Some may be convinced that others are reading their minds, controlling how they think, or plotting against them. This can distress patients severely and persistently, making them withdrawn and frantic.Others may find it hard to make sense of what a person with schizophrenia is talking about. In some cases, the individual may spend hours completely still, without talking. On other occasions he or she may seem fine, until they start explaining what they are truly thinking. Schizophrenia effects way more then just the person with the disease. schizophrenia does not only affect the person with the disorder. Families, friends and society are affected too. A sizable proportion of people with schizophrenia have to rely on others, because they are unable to hold a job or care for themselves.
What are the symptoms of Schizophrenia?
- Positive symptoms also known as psychotic symptoms
- Negative symptoms also know as what is being taken away from the individual
- Cognitive symptoms also known as the symptoms within the person's thought process
- Emotional symptoms, the symptoms within the person's feelings
Major symptoms include:
- Delusions, the patient has false beliefs
- Hallucinations, hearing voices is much more common than seeing, feeling, tasting, or smelling things which are not there, but seem very real to the patient.
- Thought disorder, the person may jump from one topic to another for no logical reason
Other symptoms, not very common but some patients experience them.
- Lack of motivation
- Poor expression of emotions
- Social withdrawal
- Unaware of illness
- Cognitive difficulties
Are there cures and or treatment options for a Schizophrenia patient?
Local facilities that offer what Schizophrenic patients need.
- Thriveworks Counseling - Charlotte
- CooperRiis Healing Community
101 Healing Farm Lane Mill Spring, North Carolina 28756
- Lifescapes Counseling Associates, PLLC
800 West Williams St. Suite 251 Apex, North Carolina 27502
- Carolina Outreach, LLC
2670 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd Durham, North Carolina 27707
- Inner Peace Psychological Services And Integrative Wellness Center
102 Towerview Court Cary, North Carolina 27513
Citations
http://www.livingwithschizophreniauk.org/modern-treatments/
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/schizophrenia/basics/symptoms/con-20021077
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/schizophrenia/index.shtml
http://www.helpguide.org/articles/schizophrenia/schizophrenia-signs-types-and-causes.htm
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/36942.php
https://treatment.psychologytoday.com/rms/prof_results.php?state=NC&spec=23