Schizophrenia was first identified as a mental disease by Dr. Emile Kraepelin in the year 1887. Written documents associated with this particular illness date back to the Pharaonic Egypt in the second millennium. Certain characteristics of the disease that include dementia and depression are described in the text known as the Book of Hearts. During this time, the disease was thought to a symptom of the uterus and the heart which has its origin from the blood vessels. Other misconceptions that were historically associated with the disease include that it originated from fecal matter purulence, poison, or evil forces. Dr. Kraepelin denoted the word ‘'dementia praecox'' to describe the symptoms that were exhibited by people who have schizophrenia.
The early signs of schizophrenia include episodes of depression and social withdrawal. People suffering from the illness can also exhibit extreme reactions coupled with hostility. The personal hygiene of an individual can also deteriorate and can also exhibit the inability to make expressions such as joy and laughter. Other early symptoms include insomnia, forgetfulness, and the inability to concentrate. As the disease progresses, the patient begins to show typical symptoms of the disease that include delusions, disorganized speech, hallucinations, negative symptoms, and disorganized behavior. The delusions experienced by the people with schizophrenia involve bizarre and illogical fantasies and ideas and occurs in almost 90% of the victims. With regards to hallucinations, the most common type includes those involving the auditory senses. Disorganized speech in people suffering from the disorder includes responding to questions with unrelated answers, shifting from topic to topic, speaking incoherently, and saying senseless and illogical things. The disorganized behavior might involve a decline in daily functioning, inappropriate and unpredictable emotional reactions, purposeless and bizarre behavior, and poor impulse control. Lastly, the negative response might include lack of emotional reaction, a diminished level of enthusiasm or interest, and speech difficulties.
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Treatment of schizophrenia takes a long-term approach. The two most important interventions include medication and psychological treatment. The most commonly prescribed drugs for schizophrenia are the antipsychotic drugs which control symptoms by affecting the dopamine neurotransmitter. The antipsychotic treatment manages the signs and symptoms and reduces them to the lowest possible level. Examples of antipsychotic medication include drugs such as Aripiprazole, Brexpiprazole, and Perphenazine amongst many others. Psychological treatments might involve individual therapy which is vital in ensuring that thought patterns are normalized. Social skills training improve communication and interactions in the day to day activities. Family therapy involves the provision of support and education to members of the family dealing with the illness.
Two major psychological explanations can be used to describe schizophrenia. The psychodynamic explanation postulates that the illness is as a result of problems in the subconscious mind. The symptoms seen in a patient reflect the child-like behavior or state that exist before the formation of the ego. On the other hand, the cognitive explanation asserts that schizophrenia is as a result of problems in thought processing. The faultiness involves in thinking results in the senseless and illogical behavior exhibited in an individual.
The onset of schizophrenia shows variations depending on age, sex, social class, and ethnicity. The environmental and social factors that might lead to the disease include deprivations that might exist in the form of unemployment, low income, and criminal activities. A sense of inequality can also impact the disease such as poverty. The misconceptions that are commonly associated with the disease include the fact that victims of the illness are violent. People also have an unfounded belief that patients who have schizophrenia have multiple personalities that are different. Others believe that poor parenting can result in the disorder while others have held that it is a genetic disorder.
In conclusion, the future treatment of the disease will focus on a combined medical intervention and psychological treatment. Schizophrenia is a psychological disorder that affects millions of people worldwide and has an effect on the behavior and cognitive ability of an individual.
