schizophrenia
Imagine constantly thinking about being harmed regardless of living in a perfectly safe household. Imagine hearing random voices throughout your day even though people around you claim they hear nothing. Imagine not being able to communicate your thoughts, having them only come out in sputters and nonsensical phrases. These are common problems that people with schizophrenia face every day.
Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that results in a combination of hallucinations, delusions, and extremely disordered thinking and behavior that usually affects daily functioning. People with schizophrenia are considered disabled since the illness impairs their ability to function and will require lifelong treatment. However, the results of the treatment have proven to be successful for many patients.
“The United States is really a decade behind the rest of the world in doing what we already know works,” Vinod Srihari, an associate professor of psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine, said. “With the new findings, it’s possible now to say that in many community settings . . . it is possible to deliver this kind of coordinated care and the outcomes are good.”
Some common symptoms of schizophrenia include delusions or false beliefs that are not based in reality, hallucinations or seeing or hearing things that don't exist, disorganized thinking and speech, extremely disorganized and abnormal motor behavior, and lack of ability to perform daily and unconscious tasks. Symptoms usually vary in severity from time to time, but they are always present. Symptoms start showing around the early to mid-20s for men and late-20s for women, according to Mayo Clinic.
People with schizophrenia are most likely not aware that their problems stem from mental illness. Therefore, it is usually the duty of friends and family to persuade them to receive medical attention. One way to help a family member or friend with schizophrenia is by talking about their concerns and suggesting them to a qualified mental health professional. In severe cases where the person is a threat to themselves or others, call 911 immediately so they could be evaluated by a professional according to the National Alliance on Medical Health.