Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that affects an individual's cognition. It causes chronic problems like a disturbance in day-to-day activities, disoriented behaviour and thoughts, and some major observable symptoms like hallucinations, delusions, and loss of emotional expression.
The exact cause of schizophrenia is not yet known. However, both genetic and environmental factors, such as birth defects, brain chemistry, life stressors (loss of loved ones or jobs), and viral infection, can contribute to it. According to research, women are more likely to suffer from this ailment. Nevertheless, men are also at risk from a young age. Moreover, it's usually less common in children and can be diagnosed between the ages of 16 and 30.
Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Some major psychotic symptoms that are experienced by the patient include:
1. Disorganized Thinking:
The individual feels that his thoughts are vague and everything is disorganized. They may not be able to follow through with what they said because their thinking capacity declines.
2. Thinking You're Being Controlled:
The patient feels as if someone is controlling their thoughts, for instance, a spiritual power like God, the devil, or even aliens. Furthermore, they also feel that the outer power can hear and reciprocate their thoughts.
3. Hallucinations:
During hallucinations, the patient hears some outer voices or sounds and believes them blindly. However, those sounds don't exist in real life, and they are created by disoriented brain neurons.
4. Delusions:
The individual feels that people all around them are spying on them; hence, they avoid people. It may develop suddenly or over time. All in all, the patient believes things that are not true in real life.
Some other symptoms to identify schizophrenia include lack of emotional expression, low motivation, depression, an irritable mood, and so on.
Living with Schizophrenia: A Story of Mathematician John Nash
John Nash was an American mathematician and Nobel Laureate who died on May 23, 2015, in a car accident. He was well-known for his decade-long battle with schizophrenia. The struggles of his life were filmed in the Oscar-winning movie "A Beautiful Mind." Nash experienced a few symptoms of schizophrenia, specifically paranoia, in the 1950s, when he was 30 years old. According to the New York Times, he started exhibiting bizarre behaviour and experienced paranoia and delusions. He began to believe that people who wore red ties were part of the communist conspiracy and were after him. In addition to this, Nash reported that in 1964, he started hearing some voices, and later he used to engage himself in a process of consciously rejecting them. He even experienced a lack of emotional awareness.
Over the next 9 years, he was on antipsychotic medication and used insulin shock therapy to recover from this illness. Nevertheless, in the mid-1980s, Nash started recovering from schizophrenia but died in a car accident at the age of 86. Nash's supportive colleagues and his wife protected and aided him in his fight against schizophrenia.
Treatment for Schizophrenia
Unfortunately, there is no cure for schizophrenia; however, there are some therapies, medicines, and diets that aid people in managing and controlling the symptoms for better functioning.
1. Medication:
Antipsychotic drugs are prescribed to the patient so that further psychotic episodes can be prevented. It contains drugs like Haldol and Thorazine, which control motor functions.
2. Psychotherapies:
Some therapies, like Individual Therapy, specifically CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), are practised so that the patient can gain a better sense of motivation to regulate their emotions and behavior. Furthermore, a few other therapies, like Family Therapy and Group Therapy, also aid in helping the patient deal with schizophrenia.
3. Dietary Supplements:
Some nutritional supplements, like Omega-3 fatty acids, amino acids, antioxidants, and vitamins B and D, are extremely beneficial for those suffering from schizophrenia.
4. Care:
It is extremely difficult for someone to toil with Schizophrenia day in and day out. Nevertheless, apart from professional help, loved ones can take care of them using the following methods:
Helping them to overcome social isolation and motivating them to remain energetic and optimistic.
Act by responding to their hallucinations, and instead of blaming them, try to talk to them patiently.
Motivating them to practise journaling and self-love techniques like exercise, watching their favourite movie, or listening to songs.
Schizophrenia deteriorates their ability to perform day-to-day activities. Thus, their loved ones must motivate them to take their medications at the right time, make the bed, maintain hygiene, go shopping, manage money themselves, and so on.
Conclusion
In essence, schizophrenia is a mental disorder that deteriorates the normal brain function of an individual and eventually disturbs their daily life. Its symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, a feeling of being controlled, hoax voices, and low emotional expressions. Renowned mathematician John Nash is well known for his struggles with schizophrenia. It took him more than nine years to combat schizophrenia, but he died in a car accident.
Every year, many people suffer from schizophrenia, and the shocking thing is that they don't even know what it is. Hence, we must talk about such issues openly in society and help such patients combat them. Suffering from schizophrenia or some other mental disorder is not abnormal; it just needs normal treatment and support. Treatment for schizophrenia includes medication, therapy, diet, love, care, and support from loved ones.
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