RSS
Facebook
Twitter
Linkedin
View My BlogSchizophrenia
People with schizophrenia sometimes lack insight into their illness, thus do not see the need for medication. Medication may also have unpleasant side effects and this may discourage individuals from continuing to follow their prescription.
Early treatment can prevent unnecessary suffering and hospitalization. The first signs of schizophrenia or other mental illnesses are:
• Withdrawal from activities and social contacts
• Irrational, angry, or fearful responses to friends and family
• Sleep disturbances
• Deterioration in studies or work
• Inappropriate use of language—words do not make sense
• Sudden excesses, such as extreme religiosity, extreme activity
• Deterioration in personal hygiene
• Difficulty controlling thoughts, difficulty concentrating
• Hearing voices or sounds others don’t hear
• Seeing people or things others don’t see
• A constant feeling of being watched
• Inability to turn off the imagination, delusions, off-the-wall ideas
• Mood swings, increased anxiety
• Somatic symptoms: weakness, pains, bizarre body sensations
There may be a variety of reasons why a person with schizophrenia does not seek help, including lack of insight due to the illness; the brain is not functioning as it should; it cannot “tell” the person what is wrong. Also, society’s prejudices about mental illness discourage people from disclosing their symptoms. There is fear of the stigma of mental illness and subsequent rejection and isolation.
In addition to good medical care, what other kinds of support can help a person recover and improve his/her quality of life? Friends and family who are supportive; acceptance and understanding from society; education, rehabilitation and counseling to help cope with the illness; support to continue education; housing; and community supports and services.
What are some of the challenges facing individuals with Schizophrenia?
Accepting having to take medication; overcoming stigma and prejudice caused by ignorance; avoiding stress; having a social life; continuing going to school; finding a job and a place to live, establishing and maintaining relationships, and the challenges of recovery.
How are families affected by the illness?
The family is often in chaos. Bewildered and overwhelmed by the symptoms, they may be in denial about the seriousness of the changes. They may be exhausted and emotionally drained from trying to get help, especially if there is a lack of appropriate information. Where do you get affordable housing, counseling, psychosocial rehabilitation and medical services in the community.
How do you improve their likelihood of ongoing success with treatment?
Psychosocial rehabilitation must be a strong component of any recovery-oriented mental health system. Social skills training is often necessary for patients who experience stress and anxiety about social situations. Similarly, proven life skills training is often necessary for patients who are having difficulty with tasks of everyday living in the community.
Hospitalization is only part of the recovery process for individuals with schizophrenia; therefore it is important that the patient and his or her family are supported after the patient is discharged. Support should include ongoing patient follow-up to ensure adherence with his or her treatment plan, as well as help with accessing the range of programs and resources available in the community.
People want to feel respected, listened to, and included in planning decision. They want treatment to focus on their recovery goals and this is often not the case. They recognize that multiple supports enable them to live independently in the community. Often these needed services are not available.
For more information on our story visit:
