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Schizophrenia

Definition.
The brain is a complex network of nerve cells. These nerve cells communicate with one other through electrical impulses and chemical signals. Chemicals in the brain, called neurotransmitters, help you receive accurate information, process the information (make sense of it), and make decisions based on the information you receive and process.

Schizophrenia can affect the way your brain receives information in several ways:

• Your brain receives an overload of information.
• You become more sensitive to stimuli around you, such as lights, noises, and background information, and your brain has trouble sorting out what you hear and see. Often, messages get jumbled
• Your brain receives information that may not be accurate. Because your brain is not receiving accurate information, your senses may play tricks on you, and you might hear, see, taste, touch, or smell things that others do not. This is known as a hallucination.
• Your brain may store information incorrectly. As new information is received, your brain may store it with memories that are not related to it. This may cause you to respond with an inappropriate emotion, such as laughing at sad news.

Schizophrenia may affect the way your brain understands information in the following ways:

• Your brain processes information more slowly.
• Your mind may be flooded with information, making it overworked and overloaded. Your response time may slow down because there is just too much information to think about. It may take you longer to learn a new skill.
• Your brain doesn't have all of the information it needs to understand the message.
• Your brain may receive only bits and pieces of information, like pieces of a puzzle. You may have to struggle to fit those pieces together so that the message makes sense.
• Your brain may reach incorrect conclusions. Using incomplete messages can lead to illogical or incorrect conclusions???resulting in false beliefs, such as delusions.

How Schizophrenia is Diagnosed

Most people with schizophrenia are not diagnosed until a serious event or crisis happens. Diagnosis of schizophrenia is complex and can change over time as symptoms change. There are several factors doctors consider in making a diagnosis of schizophrenia. By far, your symptoms provide the most important clues in diagnosing your illness. Your doctor may consider the following:

• The types of symptoms you're having
• How severe your symptoms are
• How long you've had your symptoms
• What your life was like before your symptoms appeared
• If you've ever had medication to treat your symptoms
• If you did take medication:
  • Did the symptoms improve?
  • If your symptoms improved, how soon was it after you started treatment?
  • Did any of your symptoms disappear completely?

Your doctor may use blood tests and brain scan to eliminate other possible causes for your symptoms. Tests are also used to rule out alcohol or street drugs because these substances can cause symptoms that resemble schizophrenia or can make symptoms of schizophrenia worse.

Treatment Options

Depending on your needs, your overall treatment may involve some of the following:

• Medication
  • to improve your concentration
  • to relieve symptoms such as insomnia, nervousness, depression, fears, voices, feelings of suspicion, and confused thinking
• Counseling sessions
  • to provide emotional support on a regular basis
  • to help you learn how to cope with or solve problems caused by your illness
  • to help you structure your time and activities
• Education
  • to help you learn about your illness
  • to learn how to manage it
  • to learn how to reduce the risk of relapse
• Therapeutic recreation
  • to help you learn how to manage stress
  • to aid you in sharing your thoughts more easily
  • to learn to enhance your friendships and relationships
  • to find activities you may enjoy in your free time
• Rehabilitation
  • to help learn skills you need to be successful at home, work or school
• Support groups
  • to allow you to give and receive support from others who have similar problems

People suffering from mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, often can find a treatment program that can lead to some relief. Treatment programs often include a combination of medication and therapy leading to a renewed sense of confidence and life comfort.

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