- By Iram Hussain
- Mon, 21 Apr 2025 02:12 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Schizophrenia, a chronic and severe mental disorder has recently gained widespread attention following the tragic death of former Karnataka DGP Om Prakash. His wife, Pallavi, accused of murder has been battling schizophrenia for 12 years, as per several media reports. This incident has sparked widespread attention and curiosity about the disorder and the complexities of mental health. Know what this health issue means, how it is caused and what are its treatment options.
What Is Schizophrenia?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, schizophrenia is a serious mental health condition that affects how your brain works. It can disrupt your thoughts, memory, senses and behaviours, making daily life challenging. If left untreated, it can damage relationships, make it hard to organise thoughts and lead to risky behaviours. This can increase the risk of injuries or illnesses. Schizophrenia requires proper treatment to manage its symptoms and improve quality of life.
As per Wedmed, schizophrenia typically first appears in men during their late teens or early twenties and in women during their late twenties to early thirties. Men and women are equally affected. Before full psychosis develops, there's a prodromal period where symptoms start to emerge. This phase can last from days to years, making early detection challenging.
What is schizophrenia (Image Credits: Canva)
Schizophrenia: Symptoms
Here are the common symptoms of the disorder-
Delusions
Delusions are false and firmly held beliefs not based on reality. People with schizophrenia may believe they're being persecuted or plotted against or somebody has control over all their actions and words.
Hallucinations
Hallucinations involve sensing things that aren't there such as hearing voices, seeing objects or feeling sensations. In schizophrenia, auditory hallucinations are common.
Disorganised or Unusual Movements
Disorganised or unusual movements involve abnormal body postures and movements. People with such conditions may exhibit rigidity, agitation or repetitive movements.
Negative Symptoms
There is a complete lack or diminishment of normal emotional responses and behaviours. They may exhibit a lack of motivation or show flat emotions. They may also struggle with social interactions, leading to social isolation.
Schizophrenia: Causes
The most common causes of schizophrenia can be
- Brain development problems
- Genetics
- Environment
- Imbalance in chemical signals in your brain
Schizophrenia: Treatment
Treating schizophrenia typically involves a multi-faceted approach, combining medication, therapy and self-management techniques to manage symptoms, improve functioning and enhance quality of life. According to the Cleveland Clinic, these are some approaches to treat schizophrenia.
- First- and second-generation antipsychotics
- Next-generation antipsychotics
- Psychotherapy
- Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)