| The disease schizophrenia remains to be a troubling | | | | the chemical imbalance in the brain. Primarily there was |
| one. When one says somebody is "schizophrenic", it is | | | | clozapine. The schizophrenia medication clozapine is |
| generally connoted with being severely crazy. Well | | | | quite as effective as the newer drugs. But the problem |
| that craziness is merely a result of a physical | | | | with it is that the drug has many side effects. They |
| irregularity in the body, or the brain. Yes, schizophrenia | | | | are in fact severe. Then there are also newer drugs |
| is a physical ailment, but its consequences are mental. It | | | | for the disease such as risperidone and olanzapine. |
| leads to a mental breakdown which would appear as | | | | Just as effective as clozapine but with lesser side |
| "crazy" to other people. The nature of this disease | | | | effects. There are also other modes of treatment |
| remains to be vague, and medical science has yet to | | | | such as ECT or electroconvulsive therapy. Such |
| discover more about it. The same thing with the | | | | treatments are aimed on managing the disease and |
| causes of schizophrenia- they're not fully known. | | | | controlling the symptoms. As for the symptoms, they |
| Studies have cited that the disease is genetic in nature. | | | | can be hallucinations and delusions. One salient |
| It's because of bad genes, they say, and it runs in | | | | symptom of a schizophrenic is their grandiose |
| families. That's what is often said about mental | | | | delusions. They have an aggrandized perception of |
| illnesses. Some people are predisposed to it- it's in their | | | | themselves, thinking that they're a "cut above the rest". |
| genes as said. And later on triggers would appear. This | | | | Being "special" that they are, they think that others are |
| would aggravate their predisposition to the disease until | | | | trying to do them in. This is very fundamental to a |
| they develop it. They would then become mentally ill. | | | | schizophrenic- delusions of persecution and grandeur. |
| The predicament of the mentally ill is further | | | | These symptoms are those which treatments of the |
| aggravated by the stigma attached to their illness. | | | | disease aim to eliminate or at least control. |
| They're regarded as "crazy". People mock them and | | | | Medications and psychotherapy often go hand in hand |
| regard them with shame and dislike. Even abhorrence. | | | | in treatment of schizophrenia. Proper psychiatric care, |
| Such people are discriminated simply because their | | | | family support and group therapy are often helpful for |
| illness is misunderstood. What has to be | | | | a speedier recovery. Much has yet to be known about |
| acknowledged with mental health issues is that they're | | | | the causes of schizophrenia as well as its diagnosis |
| much like any other illnesses. | | | | and treatment. But if it strikes a person, it can be |
| And a large number of patients have been treated | | | | debilitating. Efforts should then be concentrated in |
| and are able to live functional lives. So the causes of | | | | treating the patient, and most often, they could not do it |
| schizophrenia are mostly physical, in the brain's | | | | on their own. The disease has stripped them of |
| workings and processes. Not much has been known | | | | themselves and their sanity. Such is why help and |
| about it yet, as said. But what of the treatment? | | | | concern from close relations and family, friends and |
| Pharmaceutical drugs have been formulated to correct | | | | concerned agencies are necessary. |