What is schizophrenia?
Simply put, schizophrenia is a primary enduring psychotic illness in which patients have abnormalities in how they perceive reality and is not related to any substances or other psychiatric disorder.
Psychosis refers to a collection of symptoms characterised by a loss of touch with reality due to a disruption in neural pathways in brain. A person with schizophrenia experiences thoughts and perceptions that are disturbed as well as problems with cognitive functions.
Schizophrenia usually occurs in late adolescence or early adulthood (although in very rare cases can manifest in early childhood).
The cause of the illness is not yet known, but research has yielded several important clues. Researchers are actively investigating different aspects of this disease.
Symptoms of schizophrenia include:
- Hallucinations - can involve hearing, seeing, tasting, feeling or smelling that does not exist but believed by the individual to be real.
- Delusions - fixed false beliefs about anything which is not in keeping with socio-cultural background.
- Disorganised thinking and speech - referring to thoughts and speech that is jumbled and/or does not make sense. For example, the person may switch from one topic to another or respond with an unrelated topic in conversation. The symptoms are severe enough to cause substantial problems with normal communication.
- Disorganised behaviours - can also include abnormal motor behaviours as well as strange behaviours.
- Social withdrawal or lack of motivation.
- 'Blunted’ emotions.
- Inappropriate responses.
- Lack of insight.
Not every person affected by schizophrenia will have all of these symptoms nor will they all experience a chronic course of them. For some people they will be present for shorter periods through an episodic course. Every person is different in how it affects them and the treatment has to be tailored to the individual needs.
Schizophrenia: the most misunderstood mental disorder of our time
Despite only a very small number of people with schizophrenia becoming violent while experiencing a psychotic episode, the disorder has developed quite the reputation in the media for being an illness associated with exhibiting extremely aggressive and threatening behaviour.
While sensationalised media reporting is documented to perpetuate violent or dangerous stereotypes or incite community fear when it comes to covering the subject of schizophrenia in the news, the lifetime risk of a person with schizophrenia actually inflicting serious harm on, or killing another individual, is a nominal 0.005 per cent.
The trouble with myths and misconceptions
According to St John of God Langmore Centre psychiatrist Dr Brij Kishore, the shame, stigma and misunderstanding surrounding schizophrenia is damaging to both the individual with the disorder and the broader understanding of it within our communities.
“Not only do these misconceptions create further distress to people living with schizophrenia,” explains Dr Kishore. “They also present challenges in diagnosis and treatment, especially when shame prevents individuals from seeking the help and support they really need.”
The good news is that schizophrenia can be treated.
While treatment of schizophrenia should be provided under the care of a psychiatrist, the good news is ─ with adequate treatment many patients can recover enough to be able to function well in the community or at least manage their symptoms to a point where they can flourish in many aspects of their lives.
Dr Kishore adds: “Studies have shown that early intervention and treatment can be more effective as it reduces the amount of time the illness has to cause extended damage. According to research, the longer the psychosis goes untreated the risk of residual dysfunction increases, resulting in a poorer long-term prognosis.”
Antipsychotic medications are the mainstay for treating this disorder. People with schizophrenia now have access to a six-monthly injection (depot) which can help improve adherence with treatment and improve outcomes.
Antipsychotic medications can effectively treat the psychotic symptoms, but do not cure the disease, although some patients on anti-psychotic medications can achieve remission and be able to live near normal lives.
For a small percentage of patients (approximately five out of 100 patients) they can become treatment-resistant, however there are options available to combat that.
“At St John of God Langmore Centre we work together with a team of mental health professionals to tailor recovery to an individual’s specific needs,” says Dr Kishore.
“In addition to prescribing the right medication, we can also offer patients evidence-based treatments such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and psychological interventions such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)”.
“If you are concerned you may be experiencing some of the symptoms of schizophrenia or have a loved one who is, I’d recommend seeing your GP as soon as possible,” suggests Dr Kishore. “While schizophrenia is generally a long-term illness, it can cause serious disability if it’s left untreated.”
For more information about the treatment options available at St John of God Langmore Centre or how to obtain a referral call: 03 9773 7200 or email: [email protected]
