Paranoid Schizophrenia

How to deal with paranoid schizophrenic patients

admin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 08:25:27 +0000

In case the physician or medical practitioner feels that the patient is suffering from schizophrenia or similar mental disorders, then it is essential to run the patient through a flurry of medical tests and similar examinations.

Basically, medicinal tests and mental exams are conducted when your health provider believes that you may be suffering from dreadful schizophrenia. Such an analysis can help in finding out other related symptoms that you are suffering from.

The major things included in this analysis are -

1. Physical exam: Important signs such as heart rate, blood pressure and hotness of the body including height and weight are tested.

2. Laboratory tests: Tests on alcohol content and thyroid functioning are done.

3. Psychological evaluation: Medicinal tests and mental exams are conducted when your health provider believes that you may have paranoid schizophrenia in you. This analysis can help in finding out other related symptoms that you are suffering from.

Analytic criteria for Paranoid Schizophrenia:

American psychiatric association had published a manual, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders, to be used by mental health providers for examining the people who are having similar symptoms.

Analytic criteria for paranoid schizophrenia include anxiety accompanied by occurrence of frequent hearing hallucinations and delusions.

Analytic criteria for Paranoid Schizophrenia include:

• Occurrence of an anxiety with frequent hearing hallucinations and delusions

• Due to similar symptoms in other diseases, it is difficult to predict the symptoms early on, and get a suitable treatment.

Originally posted 2009-05-07 00:07:00.

Types of Schizophrenia

admin — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 06:30:46 +0000

Schizophrenia can be defined as the mental dysfunction, leading to an abnormal behavior, and the symptoms of the patients can be taken into the consideration for the types of schizophrenia. However, it has been observed that the more than one type of schizophrenia disorder may also affect a person.

Broadly, the diagnosis has been divided into five types-

1. Catatonic
2. Paranoid
3. Residual
4. Disorganized
5. Undifferentiated Disorder Schizophrenia.

The most common form is the Paranoid Scizophrenia, which may be regarded as the auditory hallucinations or delusions. The patients think that people are behaving as enemy to them, such as feeding poison to them, harassing them, cheating or spying about them and also disbelieving them, though, it may not be the case in reality.

In the Auditory Hallucinations, patient hears false voices of the surrounding people. Patients may hear some voices ordering them, warning them of some kind of danger and talking about the affection of the syndrome. But, the people around the person may not be doing all these activities in reality. However, the Paranoid Schizophrenia affected person does not get any disorder in his thought process or in its behavior, which may be observed in the other form of the Schizophrenia.

The catatonic Schizophrenia affected people becomes unusual coordinated behavior, clumsy in behavior, movements of the body involuntarily etc. However, this is a rare type of the Scizophrenia. The patient may repeat its certain motions or actions continuously again and again. As the name indicates, the disordered person becomes catatonic.

If a person affected by any Scizophrenia for a long time, then he may be affected by the Residual Scizophrenia. It is considered as a negative schizophrenia in which, the person looses interest in day to day life, shows less ability in interaction to other person after many times to speak, lack of action for any planned activity, neglect their living style and hygiene etc.

The type of schizophrenia, which affects the person mainly on its thought process, is known as the disorganized schizophrenia. This is also known as the Thought blocking disorder. As a symptom, the patient having this disorder performs not understandable speeches and stops, while speaking continuously. The patient forgets about his speech and lead to the neologisms. The disorder affects the facial expressions and the voice also making it monotonous one.

The Undifferentiated Schizophrenia is not a consistent form of disease. The people, who are affected by it, show multiple symptoms of verbal and behavioral activities inconsistently.

Originally posted 2009-04-25 17:02:05.

Hebephrenic Schizophrenia

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 04:30:15 +0000

The schizophrenic disorders are mainly classified into three primary types, which include Paranoid Schizophrenia, Catatonic Schizophrenia as well as Hebephrenic Schizophrenia. All the categories of Schizophrenic disorders are characterized by distinct symptoms as well as other typical behaviors.

The main hebephrenic type symptoms include bizarre delusion, jumbled speech, emotional shallowness, hallucination, gross disintegration of the personality as well as possible tendency to childish silliness. Although these are the high-flying symptoms of Hebephrenic type Schizophrenia, the patients suffering from this chronic disorder exhibit vivid kinds of illogical acts.

Over time, the decision-making abilities of such patients are seriously hampered, making it tougher and tougher day-by-day to actually behave like normal human beings. The patients tend to get dull, and idle, while their speech becomes confused, senseless, disconnected as well as disordered.

The patients suffering from Hebephrenic Schizophrenia also show sudden outburst of emotions, which may be either fits of laughter or severe anger and sobbing. They may also hallucinate about peculiar odor, which others may not detect, while in other cases, they may even see heavenly bodies, or see weird things such as snakes and insects of the wall.

The occupational and group psychotherapies are known to bring some kind of relief to such patients, while the electric shock therapy is used to treat those who are suffering from severe levels of this disorder, as it becomes tough to handle such patients with normal ways. Moreover, re-learning is also considered to be quite helpful to improve the condition of the patients suffering from Hebephrenic Schizophrenia

As far as medicinal treatments are concerned, this disease may also be cured substantially with insulin injection and use of metharanol.

Originally posted 2009-05-05 05:40:48.

Need for Schizophrenic Medication

admin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 03:24:10 +0000

The schizophrenia is a mental disorder causing the thought disorder, hallucinations and delusions amongst young teenagers, adults and even senior citizens above 70 years of age. The medication or diagnosis is quite vital for the affected person to make his/her life normal again. The schizophrenia medication involves the observation of the affected person for a particular time duration, symptom managements, and improvement of the behavioral function of the patient by guiding and treating him effectively.

The recovery process helps the patient in gaining the new hopes, social inclusion, normal official and social activities and empowerment etc. the medication has been started since 1950 after the discovery of the chlorpromazine for the schizophrenia treatment. The medicine started a new revolution in the world of mental health diagnosis and treatment of other mental disorders. However, the medicine had shown certain fatal and harmful side effects in the later part of the time. It has been observed that the medication in the non-western countries is quite effective in comparison to the Western countries in Europe.

The non-western countries use to medicate the schizophrenia in a traditional, informal and mainly by the community led methods. The prognosis of the disorder reveals that the medication leads to the full recovery for one third of the persons, one third with the improvement over the disorder but another one third persons remain schizophrenic affected through out their life and death only cause the end of the trauma due to the schizophrenia. It has been observed that the sufficient vocational and social functioning for a continuous two years time has shown a recovery rate of only 14 percentage and improvement over the disorder in five years.

The World Health Organization is also not far behind the medication of the schizophrenia. The WHO had conducted two long term processes on more than 2000 people from different countries. The long term outcome of the organization was quite effective for the countries such as – India, Nigeria and Colombia in comparison to the UK, Ireland, Slovakia, Denmark, Japan, Russia and USA. In case of the severe ness the patient is admitted to the hospital under the supervision of the medical support staffs and psychiatric experts. The antipsychotic medication reduces the symptoms of the patient with in the 14 days of medicine intake.

The Risperidone, Chloropromazine, trifluoperazine, haloperidol are some famous medicines for the treatment of schizophrenic disorders. However, you must remember that the medicines may cause obesity and diabetes to the patient as its side effects.

Originally posted 2009-04-29 15:52:56.

Disorganized schizophrenia

admin — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 02:10:19 +0000

Disorganized schizophrenia is one of the most prominent types of schizophrenic disorders, in which the patient basically suffers from incoherent and illogical thinking, basically leading to uncontrolled actions. As a result, such patients are unable to even lead a normal life and do the usual activities on a day-to-day basis.

As a matter of fact, such schizophrenic patients even fail to take meals on their own, or take bath etc. Moreover, not only do such patients fail to convey their thoughts, but also to understand what others are trying to say. In fact, the patients suffering from disorganized schizophrenia also show frustration, due to their inability to cope-up with the normal activities, which others carry out effortlessly.

The Disorganized schizophrenic disorders are also alternatively known as hebephrenic schizophrenia. It is also termed as psychosis, but it is quite different from the other mental disorders such as split personality and the likes of them.

Disorganized schizophrenia has got nothing to do with multi-personality, or multiple sclerosis, though they are known to arise from the brain dysfunction. However, the exact causes of such disorders are not known precisely, nevertheless there are certain common factors, which may actually increase the risk of triggering or developing the disorganized schizophrenia.

Some of such possible factors include exposure to viruses while in the womb, older paternal age, trauma or child-abuse during early ages, effect of intake of psychoactive drugs during adolescence, Malnutrition while in the womb, family history of schizophrenia as well as Stressful or tragic life circumstances.

As per the recent facts and figures only about one percent of the population gets affected from chronic disorders like schizophrenia, while the count of those affected by disorganized schizophrenia is further lower. The schizophrenic disorders are known to be prevalent from 20s to mid 30s, while the disorder schizophrenia is known to occur during the young age. It is mainly prevalent amongst the young teens or the adolescents.

There are several prescribed medications for schizophrenia, but the cure of disorganized schizophrenia is not really known yet. As a result, various tactics like physiotherapy and similar activities tend to bring some relief to these schizophrenic patients in the longer run.

Originally posted 2009-05-05 05:39:34.

Chronic Schizophrenia

admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 01:07:43 +0000

Chronic schizophrenia is primarily characterized by depression, social withdrawal, odd behavior, and under activity. However, all the Schizophrenic patients do not necessarily suffer from these symptoms, and hence these are termed as ‘negative’ symptoms.

Moreover, the individuals who’re suffering from chronic schizophrenia usually get the feeling that people are trying to get at them, while they don’t really react emotionally to these delusions.

More often than not, lack of conversation or interests and neglect of appearance are the biggest symptoms of chronic schizophrenia, while the longer-term state of this chronic disorder is mainly characterized by social withdrawal.

If such patients are left on their own, then they don’t mind spending long spans of time idling, and doing meaningless acts over and again. They’re not really self conscious under such schizophrenic attacks.

The treatment of such chronic schizophrenic disorder is not well-defined though cognitive behaviour therapy as well as Psychotherapy often proves to be useful, to help the cause. On the other hand, the positive symptoms like delusions and hallucinations can be taken care of, with the help of antipsychotic drugs, but they don’t really prove to be helpful against the negative symptoms.

In any case, the chronic schizophrenic patients exhibit extreme behavior where it is positive or negative. Likewise, the duration of either form, is usually quite longer and there are good chances that the disorder may easily relapse within a couple of months or so. A period of six months is considered to be a safer margin for the prevention of such chronic attacks.

There are several tests, which may test the symptoms of chronic Schizophrenia, though it is not possible to conclude anything with the help of these tests. Furthermore, there’s no proven master treatment available for these chronic schizophrenic disorders.

However, long term medication is one of the common criteria for the treatment for all forms of Schizophrenia. If it gets clubbed with other forms of nervous or mental disorders like split-personalities, the treatment becomes all the more difficult, while chronic schizophrenic disorders must not be confused with other mental disorders, nor treated along similar lines of such mental disorders.

Originally posted 2009-05-05 05:38:38.

How to Diagnose Schizophrenia

admin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:13:35 +0000

Schizophrenia is a type of syndrome, which affects the behavior, emotions and thinking of a person, who has been affected by it. This disease can be controlled by alternative treatment and medication, while there is no heal for this illness. To diagnose the schizophrenia, knowing the symptoms is always the first step. Becoming confused or showing strange behavior in social situations are some of the symptoms of the disorder. The behavior of patient changes from time to time like being depressed or moody.

To diagnose the schizophrenia, one has to study the actions of the patient of schizophrenia closely to confirm whether the patient actually have it or not. It can be noticeable from their behavior with other peoples around him, their relationship with family members and friends, and their personal worry about themselves. Their thinking process, complexity with speech and extreme mistrust are the signs of schizophrenia. The final diagnosis can be determined using the symptoms of the disorder, as no scans or blood tests can be used to find it out. Combination of five types of symptoms makes up the schizophrenia disorder. Strange behaviors, unorganized speech, hallucinations, and illusion of the imaginations are all those symptoms, which must be observed closely, while diagnosing this disorder.

This diagnosis becomes more complex as there are five distinct kinds of schizophrenia. When it is finally found that the patient have schizophrenia, then it would be put into one of the kinds of schizophrenia to make more exact diagnosis.

Both figment of the imagination and delusion are involved in the features of Paranoid schizophrenia, while disorganized behavior and speech are characterized as the disorganized schizophrenia, which can associate with some negative symptoms. There should be less delusion and hallucination in order to confirm that it is Disorganized schizophrenia.

The signs of excessive activity or inactivity are found in the Catatonic schizophrenia, wherein the behavior of the person is considered bizarre or abnormal. To identify this type of disorder the patient should have the combination of disorganized behavior and speech, delusion, and hallucination. To diagnose the schizophrenia, one must learn the residual schizophrenia, which is used less with respect to others.

Those who’ve suffered from other forms of schizophrenia mentioned above or any other form in their life, but no longer have well-known symptoms fall in this category. The diagnosis of the schizophrenia is only the process of monitoring the symptoms related with the patient of schizophrenia disorder than something else.

Originally posted 2009-05-06 23:57:17.

Catatonic schizophrenia

admin — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 23:07:50 +0000

Catatonic schizophrenia happens to be one of the older forms of schizophrenia, which has been termed as psychosis alternatively. However, in current times, this form of schizophrenia is almost non-existent, thanks to superb medication and preventive measures available today.

Catatonic schizophrenia is also known to be the extreme form of schizophrenic disorders, as it is characterized by extreme behavior of the patients, as they may either act overexcited producing loud sounds or fail to hear, speak or respond thoughtfully.

As far as the root of the cause of Catatonic Schizophrenia is concerned, nothing substantial is known in this regard, except the fact that brain dysfunction is one of the major contributors. Issues with neurotransmitters have also been reported to be one of the major causes of Catatonic Schizophrenia. Moreover, it has been discovered by the researchers that the patients suffering from Schizophrenic disorders exhibit not only weird behaviors outwardly, but even their brain undergoes internal changes. But, till date nobody has been able to relate to these changes, and it’s a matter of deep interest to the researchers at the moment.

There are several diagnostic criteria for catatonic schizophrenia, which primarily include inability to speak, move, or express normally. Moreover, remaining in the same position for long periods, as well as excessive or overly excited behavior with no clear purpose are also typical characteristic behaviors of the patients suffering from catatonic schizophrenia.

Furthermore, resisting instructions or attempts to move, mimicking words and movements of others as well as peculiar movements, like grimacing or unusual postures are also known to be typical signs of catatonic schizophrenia.

However, it usually becomes pretty tough to diagnose these patients as these disorders are also characterized by other conditions such as drug intoxication, severe depression, autism, and mania as well as seizure disorders. Therefore, one might get confused with these disorders and the catatonic schizophrenia, as there’s a great deal of similarity in the symptoms.

Lastly, you must make sure that you continue medication for the treatment of catatonic schizophrenic disorders or any form of schizophrenic disorder for a considerably longer period of duration, so as to rule out any chances of relapse of these chronic disorders.

Originally posted 2009-05-05 05:37:54.

Residual Schizophrenia

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 20:36:52 +0000

Residual Schizophrenia is considered as the negative type of schizophrenia in its category. The affected patients suffer a mental disorder and loose interest in life. The patient does not interact with the other folks and shows irritation. The person may be affected by the Residual schizophrenia, if he has been affected by the other prominent schizophrenia such as the paranoid, undifferentiated, catatonic schizophrenia etc.

This can be found out from the fact whether the affected person is showing the other characteristics such as delusions, hallucinations or other mental disorder. Moreover, the residual schizophrenia is not considered as the dangerous one as it is usually discovered at the last stage of the diagnosis.

During the Residual schizophrenia, the patient looses his/her severity in the mental chromic disorder. Due to lesser activeness of the symptoms of the scizophrenia category, the patient may be well treated by a psychiatric. The treatment must be done by the psychiatric expert, taking utmost care of the patient suffering from Residual schizophrenia. The patient may be well kept in a psychiatric hospital, under the supervision of the psychiatric experts and other support staffs. However, the treatment may be also done for the patient in a familiar environment, in presence of the close relatives.

The family members should show the sympathy and empathy and try to make the affected person feel normal. As the Residual schizophrenia is not considered to be the extreme case, the person may lead his life actively at work, in college, office, or at home. The people with the high rate of activeness and functioning in their normal life prior to this schizophrenia can be diagnosed easily. Moreover, women have well prognosis of it. On the contrary, the dull, abnormal condition of the person during his childhood days takes a long time for the treatment of the Residual schizophrenia.

The experienced psychiatric expert observes the patient in his psychometric test continuously. The symptoms of the poor verbal capacity, less eye contact, lack of initiation capacity, auditory problems, poor facial expression or non verbal communications, ineffective body postures, social segregation, negligence to the self hygiene and activities and other mental disorders are observed in the psychometric test. These are proved with the evidence from the close relatives and family members during at least 1 year duration of time.

However, the lesser severity of these activities makes the psychiatric diagnosis easy, yet time taking. At last, the diagnosed patients behave normally in the society and at work place, though they may have been initially diagnosed to be affected by the Residual Schizophrenia.

Originally posted 2009-04-25 14:51:27.

Wondering what’s Schizophrenia Brain all about?

admin — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:00:56 +0000

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder found only in 1 to 2 percent of people in the world. This disorder also affects the feelings, actions, perceptions, behaviors, emotions, and thoughts of the patient of schizophrenia. A five-year-old child can have this disorder, although it is very rare. Young adults between the ages of 16 to 25 commonly develop this type of illness.

However, there is difference in age for development of this disorder between men and women, but they are in the same way at threat of schizophrenia. Yet, there is no particular cause for the disorder. It may be combination of early brain injure, pre-natal virus, and hereditary composition, which creates neurotransmitter troubles in the brain. These problems cause Schizophrenia symptoms like strange behavior, speech, disorder in thinking, delusions, and hallucinations.

No cure for this disorder has been discovered yet. One out of five patients recovers fully by implementing many different methods in this modern age. Supervision of antipsychotic drugs is the common treatment for this schizophrenia disorder. Electro-convulsive therapy is another treatment that is occasionally used today, which causes seizures by supplying a little amount of electric current all the way through the brain. Vitamin B is also an important dose for the cure of the disorder.

From the neurological studies it is found that the affected peoples have abnormal structural connectivity of their brain. Neurotransmitters releasing from the neurons causes the symptoms of the disorder. Thus the antipsychotic drugs have been become the commonly used treatment. It was thought that the excessive of dopamine in the brain causing the disorder problem. However, later it was found that the neurotransmitter serotonin is also playing a great role in the cause of the symptoms.

Later on, some other tests revealed that the blood flow in the frontal region is lower in the affected people than the normal people, which condition was termed as hypo-frontality. The prefrontal cortex, which is linked with the memory in the brain, is found to be affected severely. There are many drugs to control the schizophrenia, though they can’t help you to simply kill the disease. Researchers are trying hard to get all the answers to the causes and preventions of this disorder.

Some scientists are still finding the conclusion for the data they have, while others are still working to find out the cause of the schizophrenia. It is still a kind of mystery, and only time can tell what’s the real deal behind it!

Originally posted 2009-04-29 15:37:27.