The early warning signs appear in a period called the prodromal stage. The onset of the illness may last from months to years. The early indicators can differ depending on the age at which the disorder develops.
- In Young Children
Young children may exhibit certain characteristics. These can include:
- Delayed Motor Development: Unable to walk until over 18 months of age.
- Delayed Language and/or Speech Development: Unable to speak meaningful phrases until over 36 months of age.
- Impaired social development: Failure in regulating expressions and unable to communicate through gestures.
However, these aren’t always indications of this illness. These signs can also indicate some other medical conditions.
- In Teenagers
Adolescents may undergo a lot of behavioral, emotional, and other changes so it may be challenging to diagnose this chronic mental illness, as these characteristics are also common during the normal development of teens. Some early signs in teens include:
- Depression
- Loneliness
- Aggressive behavior
- Difficulty in concentrating
- Reduced attention span
- Suicidal ideation
- Bizarre/unusual behaviors
- Unexplained functionality decline, i.e., inability to engage in daily activities
- Substance use and abuse
- In Early Adulthood
As this illness develops, some indicators are visible during early adulthood. The onset is usually marked by behavioral changes and deterioration in normal life functioning. The early markers can include:
- Low self-esteem
- Nervousness
- Restlessness
- Lethargy or becoming slow in performing daily tasks
- Lack of clarity of thoughts and difficulty in concentrating
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Social withdrawal
- A worrying decline in job performance or a drop in grades
People with this illness might not show the traits at the same time in their lives. These can be present in the prodromal stage for years.
A Quick Definition
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that affects how one thinks. It can often cause difficulty distinguishing between reality and fantasy. It can make the individual have unclear thoughts. They may also be unable to manage emotions or function. This is because the disease alters your perception of the world.
As per research conducted by NIMHANS, the illness affects 3 in every 1000 people in India. Its symptoms may appear in early adulthood. The diagnosis can happen earlier in men (late teens to early 20s) than in women (late 20s to early 30s). Though the illness is incurable, it is manageable with the correct treatment. The disorder is often episodic. However, it could be treated with a combination of the proper treatment, medication, and therapy. In most cases, the condition can get better over time.
What are the Different Types?
There are various types. Some of them are as follows:
- Paranoid: This is the most common type and usually develops later in life. Hallucinations and delusions are common traits. But, it might not affect your speech and emotions.
- Catatonic: It is the rarest form of the illness. The characteristic traits include limited, sudden, or unusual movements. It is usually a switch between being very active or very still. You may not participate in the conversations but may mimic others’ movements and speech.
- Simple: In this type, the negative features are most prominent and worsen over time. The positive signs are rarely present.
- Hebephrenic: It is also called ‘disorganized schizophrenia.’ It usually develops between 15-25 years of age. The characteristic traits include short-lasting hallucinations and delusions. Disorganized thoughts and behaviors might also be present. Individuals with this type show little to no emotions in their daily lives.
- Residual: If you have a history of psychosis, there is a possibility of a diagnosis of this type. One will experience only the negative characteristics, i.e., a lack of speech, emotion, and expression, in residual schizophrenia.
What Causes It?
As of now, no specific cause is known for this chronic illness. But many scientists and researchers believe that a combination of genetics, physical, psychological, and other environmental factors can play a major role in contributing to the onset of the disorder.
Severe stress is also associated with the development of symptoms. Some stressors include:
- Exposure to low oxygen levels during birth
- Prenatal exposure to a viral infection
- Sexual or physical abuse in childhood
- Exposure to a virus during infancy
- Early parental loss or separation
- Abnormal brain structure: Along with abnormal brain chemistry, any abnormality in the brain structure may play a role in developing this ailment.
The risk of developing this ailment also increases due to:
- Genetics: Although the illness tends to run in families, a single gene is not responsible for it. Studies of twins act as evidence of the inheritance of this disorder.
In the case of identical twins, if one twin develops schizophrenia, the probability of the other twin developing the illness increases by half. This can happen even if they are raised separately.
For fraternal twins with different genetic makeup, if one twin develops the disorder, the other twin has only a 1 in 8 chance of developing the condition. - Brain development: Studies show a subtle difference in the brain structure of people with this illness. But, these changes are not visible in every individual and can also occur in people with no mental illness.
- Neurotransmitters: An imbalance between the two neurotransmitters, dopamine, and serotonin, may lead to the development of this disorder. Brain activity that alters the level of these two neurotransmitters can cause certain symptoms of the ailment.
- Triggers: Stress and drug abuse may also contribute to the development of this disorder in an individual.
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Characteristics and Signs
Some characteristic traits include hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech and behavior, and negative characteristics, such as a lack of speech, enthusiasm, and emotional expression. These may differ in every individual. Not every individual will experience all the characteristics, which can also change over time.
Here are some common signs:
- Disorganized Thoughts: You might experience a lack of clarity of ideas and have cluttered speech that might be difficult for others to understand. You might zone out in the middle of a conversation because you might feel the thought has gone off your head. This is also known as withdrawal. Another type is when you go silent while talking and only resume when a new thought enters your mind.
- Movement Disorders: You might make body movements as if to show you are upset or completely stop moving or responding. This condition is known as Catatonia.
“Positive” Symptoms
These are the ones in which you experience things along with reality. You may hear or see things that others do not. “Positive” refers to the presence (rather than absence) of indicators. They are exaggerated ideas, actions, or perceptions that prevent one from differentiating between reality and fantasy.
Some of these include:
- Hallucinations: These might be auditory, visual, tactile, and/or olfactory. This means that they can cause one to hear, see, feel or smell things that may not be present in reality.
- Delusions: Delusions are strange beliefs that are easy to prove wrong. Individuals experiencing these might think someone is trying to control their brain and movements or experience a sense of identity crisis. For example, they might think they are some famous personality.
- Thought Disorder: Those with this condition frequently have trouble recalling their thoughts and conversations. Some people may struggle to focus and jump from one idea to another. They might struggle to watch or read something. These people might call their thinking “hazy” or “misty.” Their conversations can become challenging and difficult for other people to grasp when thoughts and voices become muddled or confusing.
- Changes In Behavior Or Thoughts: With this condition, a person’s behavior may become more disorganized and unpredictable. Those diagnosed may describe their thoughts as being controlled by someone else. They may also feel that their thoughts are not their own and have been planted in their mind by another person.
Some may also feel that their thoughts are disappearing, as though someone is removing them from their mind. Some people may also feel their bodies being taken over or controlled by someone.
“Negative” Symptoms
These are those when you lose control over things and the ability to do something. You may lose interest in things or become withdrawn. It can also be referred to as the absence of normal behaviors in healthy individuals. The negative features often last longer than the positive ones. These can include:
- Lack of emotional expression: This includes a lack of facial expressions, restricted expressions, a flat voice, absence of eye contact, and blank stares.
- Lack of interest or enthusiasm: This can include feeling demotivated, lacking self-care, and loss of interest in even daily activities.
- Lack of interest in environment: Unawareness of environment and surroundings, social withdrawal.
- Speech difficulties: Inability to carry a conversation, disconnecting or zoning out while talking or talking monotonously.
- Relationship problems: Those with this condition can be misunderstood as being lazy and rude on purpose. Therefore, it can create tension in relationships.
Hallucinations and Delusions
There are some characteristics that every diagnosed person may experience. These include:
- Hallucinations: It is one of the most common features of the illness. You may see things or hear voices that are not present in reality. The voices might be manipulative and lead you to do something you otherwise would not.
- Delusions: Another most common characteristic feature is being delusional. You may believe untrue things, even upon showing proof and pieces of evidence about them. Your beliefs and ideas may alter reality and rationality. This may seem bizarre to others around you.
When to Get Treatment
The progression of the illness is slow, and so it might get challenging to pinpoint the period of occurrence of symptoms. You may need to consult a mental healthcare professional if you notice a pattern of worrying and bizarre behaviors. You also should be exhibiting any of the two indicators from the following for at least six months.
The symptoms may intensify over time and lead to an acute episode of psychosis in schizophrenia. The warning signs of getting treatment are mentioned below:
- Not having clear thinking or reduced concentration.
- Lack of self-care or personal hygiene.
- Social withdrawal and isolating yourself.
- A worrying drop in academic performance.
- Poor job performance.
- Suspiciousness or uneasiness with others.
- Difficulty in separating reality from fantasy.
- Confused or cluttered speech.
- Trouble communicating.
- Intense or unusual ideas or feelings, or no feelings at all.
Beginning your treatment upon the diagnosis with an experienced mental health professional is the path to your recovery. You can lead a healthy life, regain normal functioning, and even become symptom-free with the right cure, medications, and therapy.
The illness requires long-term treatment. It usually combines medications, therapy, lifestyle changes, and social support. Since the disease is incurable, some people may need to continue with remedial methods even when they have stopped experiencing the symptoms to prevent its recurrence and stay symptom-free. Your medical healthcare professional will adjust the dosage depending on the severity of your illness.
Medications such as antipsychotic drugs are prescribed to treat the symptoms like hallucinations, delusions, social withdrawal, a feeling of demotivation, and lack of emotional expressions.
Along with these drugs, cognitive behavioral therapy or supportive psychotherapy and counseling are also done for the patients. It will help you cope with daily life chores, manage stress, improve life skills, manage relationships, and better your communication skills.
Social support or group therapy is also one of the ways to treat the illness as people experiencing similar things may help provide insights and overcome the challenges together.
Seek Schizophrenia Counseling from a Trusted Therapist With DocVita
It can be challenging to deal with the illness alone. If you or any of your loved ones are experiencing the symptoms of schizophrenia, you may want to consult a therapist.
At DocVita, we have various kind, compassionate, and empathetic specialists. Our user-friendly interface allows easy browning and aids you choose one that best suits your needs. Seek counseling from a trusted therapist with DocVita, a safe and trusted platform for you.