Schizophrenia as a Mental Health Problem

Introduction

There are various mental health problems that people do not fully understand presently, thus the need for research on some of them in an effort to present and explain facts and information on the same. Many are the times when people are misdiagnosed to have a certain mental health problem owing to the exhibition of symptoms that may be as a result of another mental health disorder. Schizophrenia is a mental health disorder that has been misinterpreted and misunderstood, thus the need to discuss it in detail, to establish an understanding of the same. According to Boyle (2014), Schizophrenia is a long-term mental disorder that causes a breakdown in the relation between thought, behavior, as well as emotion. This causes the person suffering from the mental disorder to experience mental fragmentation, faultiness with regards to perception, engage in behavior that is inappropriate, as well as causing the individual to withdraw from personal relationships and instead enter into a world of delusion and fantasy. It is therefore important to understand Schizophrenia with regards to its symptoms and implication in an effort to understand those individuals who live and suffer from the condition without abandoning them. 

Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia as a mental health problem has a negative implication on the cognitive abilities of the person suffering from the condition, thus causing them to exhibit certain symptoms. Understanding the symptoms of schizophrenia can be helpful in determining whether a person has Schizophrenia. The condition causes those suffering from it to developed impaired ability as they cannot perform their day-to-day functions normally. Among the signs and symptoms of Schizophrenia are delusions, whereby the patient develops false beliefs that are not based on any reality. At the moment of delusion, a person suffering from schizophrenia may feel like certain negative comments are directed towards them or someone is trying to inflict harm on them. Disorganized thinking which is inferred from the disorganized speech is another sign/symptom among people with Schizophrenia. A person suffering from the condition may demonstrate the inability to communicate effectively owing to their inability to put together meaningful words (Flack, Wiener, & Miller, 1991). Therefore, most of the times, when people suffering from Schizophrenia are asked a question, the response is usually unrelated to the question or an answer that cannot be understood. Another sign and symptom that a person suffering from Schizophrenia exhibits is that of experiencing hallucinations. People with Schizophrenia tend to see, as well as hear things that are not existent, with the hearing of voices being the most common hallucination for people with Schizophrenia. A person with Schizophrenia is also going to exhibit negative symptoms, as well as extremely abnormal motor behavior, which is characterized by the inability to perform daily duties and inappropriate posture, excessive movements, and resistance to instructions respectively (Flack, Wiener, & Miller, 1991). Studies have established that the symptoms presented vary in severity and type over time, with the possibility of both remissions and worsening of symptoms. In addition to that, certain symptoms are always present, thus a determining factor that a person is indeed suffering from Schizophrenia.

Causes of Schizophrenia

According to research and the findings of numerous studies the exact cause of Schizophrenia is unknown, however, most researchers argue that is caused by a combination of genetics, environmental influence, as well as brain chemicals. In the vent there are problems with some of the naturally occurring brains chemicals such as the neurotransmitters glutamate and dopamine, there is the likelihood of developing Schizophrenia as a result. Evidence of differences in the central nervous system and brain structure of people with Schizophrenia has been established through neuroimaging studies. Causes of Schizophrenia have been attributed to various risk factors, which are deemed as facilitating or increasing the chances of the triggering and development of the condition. One of the risk factors is that of having a family history of Schizophrenia (Abel & In Nickl-Jockschat, 2016). Certain pregnancy or birth complications can also increase the risk of triggering Schizophrenia in women. The consumption and use of mind-altering drugs during the teenage stage of life, as well as early adulthood such as psychoactive or psychotropic drugs, can increase the risk of developing Schizophrenia (Abel & In Nickl-Jockschat, 2016). Similarly, older age in fathers is a contributing factor that increases the risk of developing the mental health disorder. 

Diagnosis of Schizophrenia

Diagnosis is an important step towards examining and determining whether an individual may be suffering from a certain condition. Upon the exhibition of the mentioned signs and symptoms of Schizophrenia, it is important to conduct the diagnosis activity in order to conclude a person is indeed suffering from the condition. Diagnosis also facilitates the administrations of a plan towards the management and treatment of the condition, thus the significance of diagnosis. The diagnosis of Schizophrenia is characterized by particular steps that are conducted systematically and as mandatory in the examination of the condition. A physical exam is conducted first to check for related complications, as well as for the ruling out of other conditions that may be causing the symptoms of Schizophrenia. After the physical exam, tests and screenings are done for the purpose of ruling out conditions that have the same symptoms as Schizophrenia. Screening can entail the conduction of imaging studies such as a CT scan or an MRI (Janicak, Marder, Tandon, & Goldman, 2014). Drug and alcohol screening is also done to rule out the possibility that some of the symptoms exhibited by a patient may not be attributed to Schizophrenia but are instead attributed to intoxication and the effects of drug use. Test and screenings are then followed by a psychiatric evaluation, which is characterized by observation of demeanor, appearance, the asking of thoughts, mood, an experience of hallucinations and delusions, whether there has been substance use and possible thoughts of violence or suicide by a mental health professional or a doctor. These are done in an effort to establish whether the symptoms exhibited ad expressed by the patient are indeed enough or accurate towards the deduction that the condition of the patient is Schizophrenia. In addition to the mentioned procedures for the diagnosis of Schizophrenia, a doctor or mental health professional may use the Schizophrenia diagnostic criteria published by the American Psychiatric Association within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) (Janicak, Marder, Tandon, & Goldman, 2014). The treatment of Schizophrenia is long-term even in the event the symptoms have subsided. In an effort to manage the condition, treatment with medication, as well as psychosocial therapy are employed and in some cases hospitalization (Janicak, Marder, Tandon, & Goldman, 2014). The most commonly prescribed medication for people with Schizophrenia are antipsychotic medication some of which include Asenapine, Iloperidone, Clozapine, Lurasidone, and Ziprasidone among others. 

Conclusion

Schizophrenia is indeed a condition that can cause impairment as it limits or inhibits the ability of an individual suffering from it to conduct normally their day-to-day activities. Therefore, it is important to know the symptoms signs, causes and risk factors as well as the diagnosis and treatment of the condition in an effort to detect and treat the condition in its earlier stages. It is also important for people around those living with Schizophrenia to know of the conditions so as to understand and help such people, which will improve their living condition as well as prevent misunderstanding that can result in conflict. It is also important to understand other associated implications of Schizophrenia such as the complications of the condition and associated side effects of the medication used in treating the condition. Overall, understanding a mental health problem such as Schizophrenia is important for the general purpose of maintaining healthy living.

References

Abel, T., & In Nickl-Jockschat, T. (2016).  The neurobiology of schizophrenia .

Boyle, M. (2014). Schizophrenia: A scientific delusion? . Routledge.

Flack, W. F., Wiener, M., & Miller, D. R. (1991).  What Is Schizophrenia? . New York, NY: Springer New York.

Janicak, P. G., Marder, S. R., Tandon, R., & Goldman, M. (2014).  Schizophrenia [recurso electrónico]: Recent Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment .