Properly Diagnosing Schizophrenia
Half the battle against schizophrenia relates to being able to diagnose it properly and on time. A lot of time is required to diagnose schizophrenia and this is mostly because a complete study needs to be done with regards to a person’s thought process and actions. Patients may develop various symptoms including confusion, anxiety and suspicion. Patients may even deny that they have a problem and that they should get help. It is very important to diagnose schizophrenia as soon as possible if you want to be able to fight it. Any symptoms including scattered thinking, delusions, hallucinations, poor concentration, emotional flatness, etc. are all indications of schizophrenia.
The way a person thinks is greatly affected in this brain disorder. You might start finding their ideas to be strange or make little sense. It will also be quite difficult for them to think logically. This will result in a feeling of loneliness & isolation in them and they will prefer being isolated from the rest of the world rather than face it.
Hallucinations are another major problem in schizophrenic patients. Researchers say that around 4 % of the people diagnosed with schizophrenia admit to hearing voices in their head. These voices can be familiar or unknown. They can be friendly or hostile as well. The most common voices heard are usually hostile. These voices are usually present inside their sub consciousness somewhere and get triggered by some external events which cause them to become aggressive.
Patients that experience delusions usually see things and believe them even though they don’t really happen or exist. This can cause isolation from the rest of the world as well.
The remaining symptoms are known as negative symptoms. The main reason for this is because they aren’t as easy to diagnose as the ones mentioned above. A person might be more withdrawn than usual or be apathetic towards others or not be able to concentrate. There are many causes for these problems and it is quite difficult to determine whether it is occurring as a result of schizophrenia or not. Patients are also known to show extreme reactions to certain things around them or to not show any reaction at all. They can even sit in a single spot for hours on end without talking to anyone or moving. These actions are often misunderstood and people start ignoring such persons. This only further aggravates the problem.
One out of every hundred people are believed to suffer from schizophrenia. It usually occurs in people in the age group of 20 & 30. The illness shows no inclination to a particular sex although men tend to be a lot younger than women when diagnosed.
So you see diagnosing schizophrenia isn’t the easiest thing in the world. That is why it is important to consult a doctor immediately if you notice anything even remotely similar to schizophrenic symptoms in a person. While waiting for your appointment, check some of the helpful online communities, like Schiz Life, a play on the phrase “schizophrenia life”, or Schizophrenia.com forums.
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