World Schizophrenia Awareness Day is observed every year on May 24 to reduce the stigma associated with the mental health issue, which affects more than 20 million people worldwide.
Schizophrenia is a mental condition that causes an abnormal interpretation of reality. The disorder can impair daily functioning and can even become extremely disabling as it involves hallucinations, delusions and disordered thinking and behavior.
There are mainly two groups of symptoms of schizophrenia – positive and negative. The first group refers to changes in behaviors or thoughts after an individual develops schizophrenia, while the latter is the absence of normal behavior. Then there are cognitive symptoms that include difficulty paying attention and having trouble focusing and remembering things.
Common negative symptoms
- Withdrawal from friends and family
- Reduced speech and energy
- Lack of emotion and motivation
- Lack of interest in daily social activities
Positive symptoms
1. Delusions – It is the most common symptom when the patient has false beliefs that are not based on reality. Even though the beliefs are unrealistic and mistaken, the patients may have full conviction and can develop hallucinations to support them.
2. Hallucinations – It is when a person sees, hears, smells, tastes or feels things that do not exist.
3. Catatonia -It is a group of symptoms when a person stops responding to other people or their environment. It often involves a lack of movement and communication and the person stays in a single position for a long time.
When to seek help?
In most cases, schizophrenic patients may not realize that they need help and treatment. So, family and friends need to encourage them to seek support if they notice symptoms or when the patient has stopped taking medications. Emergency help needs to be taken if the patients have suicidal thoughts or threaten to harm themselves or someone else.
Although the diagnosis can be shocking, early treatment can help to manage the symptoms and…
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