All You Need To Know About Schizophrenia

Can you connect Vincent Van Gogh, the famous painter who killed himself at 37, with Mary Lincoln, the First Lady of the United States who outlived many of her own children?

How about Peter Green, the world-famous British rock guitarist with Brian Williams of The Beach Boys fame? Or for that matter, Nobel Prize winning mathematician, John Nash with Edmund Einstein, son of the world-famous theoretical physicist Albert Einstein?

No? Well, all of them suffered from a mental disorder called ‘Schizophrenia’.

Scores of books have already been written and movies have been made on this subject. 

The Beautiful Mind, Through a Glass Door Darkly, Shutter Island, 15 Park Avenue, Karthik calling Karthik are just to name a few. 

However, this disorder—which affects one in every hundredth person on earth—is much less talked about and known. The media has often highlighted the links of schizophrenics with violent crimes as if all such cases are potential serial killers. Whereas, the reality is much different, as majority of them are law-abiding people who suffer in silence.

What, Who and How? 

To begin with, schizophrenia is a chronic, severe mental disorder that attacks the mind and thoughts of the victim, robs or tinkers with their feelings and affects their behavior. 

The symptoms of schizophrenia can be classified into three categories: 

Positive symptoms - Hallucinations, delusions and unusual thoughts

Negative symptoms - Reduced speaking or facial expressions 

Cognitive symptoms - Total lack of feelings and loss of memory and focus

This disorder generally starts at a young age, i.e. somewhere between 16 to 30. However, it can start at an earlier age too. It’s supposed to be more prevalent in males as compared to females.

Although schizophrenia by itself is not a fatal ailment, it can, however, potentially result in loss of life either due to self-harm or accidents.

The disorder cannot be attributed to any one causative factor. Often, it’s a combination of a few factors, like genes and the environment. It’s believed that the changes that happen to our body during puberty could be one of the triggers for the disease.

Sometimes, patients have a family history of mental disorders which may bypass a generation or two. Environmental factors like malnutrition and substance abuse (cannabis and alcohol) can also lead to schizophrenia.

Way Out 

The very nature of the disease leaves little scope for prevention. 

However, with treatment and management, the victim can be helped to live a long and productive life. The very first challenge is to diagnose. 

Due to the scope of illness in young people and a wide range of symptoms, it’s often diagnosed late or misdiagnosed, as the first symptoms like bad grades, withdrawal from family are akin to an adolescent behavior. 

Medication, combined with psychosocial treatment, can go a long way. Environmental factors like family involvement and supportive employment further help. 

The bottom line is to be understanding, helpful and supportive and to encourage the victim to take treatment without tolerating inappropriate or dangerous behavior. In extreme cases, involuntary hospitalization is also recommended. Help of support groups, if available can also be beneficial.