Schizophrenia is also known as precox dementia, a brain disorder that occurs when the neurotransmitter doesn’t function correctly. There could be a disordered arrangement of neurons or misplaced neurons. There have been many occasions of which studies are shown that the severity of schizophrenia is reduced but there is no cure discovered yet. Men are more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia at an earlier age, and it is rarely found in teens and adolescents. There are many symptoms of which some include: hallucinations, problems with attention, disoriented thinking, loss of speech and inability to express feelings or emotions. There is no known cause for schizophrenia, but “Researchers believe that a number of genetic and environmental factors contribute to causation, and life stresses may play a role in the disorder’s onset and course.” (Parekh, 2017). There are many factors that play the role in both the environmental and also the genetic factors, like if your parents were diagnosed with the disease, then you are more likely to have it as well. You are more likely, but the amount of people in the US that are diagnosed is about 1%. Meaning your chances are very slim.
Although this is what is going on the inside of the brain, one the outside a person with schizophrenia is much more chaotic. Suicide is a very serious thing and should not be considered to one, but people with schizophrenia feel as if they have no other options. They have voices inside their head telling them whatever they are about to do is right, or feel as if “the people watching them” are about to take over. Suicide is a higher factor in people from 18-34, with 52%. (Reutfors et al., 2003). More men have attempted suicide, rather than women. In another study, males are more likely to attempt suicide rather than women. Males with 67% and women coming in with just 33%. 84% of the people diagnosed with schizophrenia have attempted suicide, and 72% wish to die. (Shuji Iritani, 2016). This shows how many of patients are affected, and feel as if they have no way out. If we can provide help for the patients, and try to catch as early on as possible then there could possibly be less suicides, and fewer people attempting suicides.
Although there is no cure, there have been several experiments done to reduce to severity of the schizophrenia that the patient has. There was an experiment done showing how certain drugs affect the sickness differently. In order to qualify patients must have; be diagnosed a schizophrenia patient for at least a year, for patients to have been in a study for at least 6 weeks, or to be a newly diagnosed patient for females to not be pregnant or breastfeeding. (Nasrallah et al., 2017). In this project there was different anti-psychotics given to different patients. Some people would put great use to the treatment, while others abuse the use of anti-psychotic drugs being prescribed to them.
There was a study done on a man, that was dependent on alcohol and cocaine. He would use the drugs prescribed to him for his schizophrenia, and drink a 40oz beer. He was in a rehabilitation program where he participated in activities to help him and also where he worked. At first, he had several delusions, fearing that someone would break in to his house and feeling as if someone can control his body. The next thing he had experienced was hallucinations, he would voices in his head, telling him whatever he had done or was about to do was great. Eventually he was given anti-psychotic medications, and would attend meetings with a therapist and a case manager 2 times a month. He would go to the rehabilitation program 5 times a week. Soon he would start saying that he would need the drugs because it was “extremely important”.(Tenhula, Bennett, & Kinnaman, 2009).
Schizophrenic patients are yet to be thought of as a recovered patient. There have been studies of patients doing well but still have symptoms of being schizophrenic. The psychologists doing the study on these patients have one goal, “Ultimately, the ideal scenario is for people with schizophrenia living in the community to be free from social– environmental barriers, so that recovery and full community integration are possible. ” (Chan & Mak, 2014).