Mental Disorders: The Symptoms Of Schizophrenia

A mental disorder is a condition marked by sufficient disorganization of the personality, mind, and/or emotions to impair the normal psychological functions. There is a list of mental disorders that one may or may not have heard of before such as: Bipolar Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, ADHD, Eating Disorders, Personality and Mood Disorders and Schizophrenia. One you may have heard about but don’t actually know much about is Schizophrenia. It is commonly confused with a disease colloquially known as Multiple Personality Disorder. Schizophrenia is not about a split personality, but literally translates to split mind. This makes deciphering thought and action or perception and reality difficult. As Tartakovsky states, “While 85 percent of Americans

Schizophrenics are commonly stigmatized because of the lack of knowledge about the disease and the myths associated with it. Schizophrenic people aren’t crazy and violent contrary to popular belief; they can live normal lives. All schizophrenic people don’t have the same symptoms either. This is because this illness consists of different types. Schizophrenia isn’t purely genetic, doesn’t develop quickly and is treatable. It has been genetic in some cases, although other factors such as stress, environment and life challenges also contribute to the development. This is why it is difficult to develop this disorder in a month or so. Symptoms can also come in intervals. A slight unnoticeable whisper from five years ago could turn into a loud voice in the back of your head that only comes around when something triggers it. Schizophrenia can be maintained and minimized with the correct treatment(s) and all sufferers don’t need hospitalization to receive

Family and close-friends also help a great deal with treatments. The knowledge of what to do when symptoms are present, making sure the patient takes the correct medications, and watching for the return of symptoms all contribute to the betterment of the patient. Rehab centers can help patients learn how to live life as normal as possible again by teaching them how to drive, cook and bathe again. A schizophrenic may try to resist treatment as he or she may think that the delusions and hallucinations are real. Therefore, families must stay persistent in trying to receive help for the patient. However, in some states you can’t force people with mental disorders to go to the hospital. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is typically used for treating depression; still, it can be used to treat sufferers of schizophrenia. It is mostly used to treat catatonic schizophrenia because of the specific symptoms. During an ECT, doctors send an electric current through the scalp to the brain to medically induce a seizure. This helps with catatonic stupor and catatonic excitement. They are usually done either two or three times a week, and this can happen for up to a