Definition:
Schizophrenia is a psychiatric term used in reference to a mental disorder characterized by an impaired perception of reality.
Diagnosis:
A psychiatric diagnosis of schizophrenia is usually based on the self-described experiences of the patient, as well as his/her behavior as observed by others. Currently, there is no laboratory test that will confirm the diagnosis.
Treatment:
A cure for schizophrenia remains a controversial concept, particularly because there is no consensus regarding the definition of the disease itself. Symptom management seems to be a more realistic treatment mode rather than curing the disease itself. A common medication used in symptom relief today is chlorpromazine.
Severe episodes of schizophrenia may require hospitalization of the affected individual. Hospitalization may either be voluntary or involuntary. Currently, long-tern inpatient stays are becoming a common supportive treatment option for schizophrenics.
Symptoms and Signs:
Schizophrenic patients suffer from an impaired sense of reality, which may take the form of paranoia, auditory hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, and confusion or muddled thinking. Patients with schizophrenia usually have severe social or occupational dysfunction. Initial symptoms typically manifest in young adulthood and frequently persist throughout the patient’s lifetime.
Causes:
No specific cause of schizophrenia has been identified. However, psychiatric research correlates the disease to genetics, early environmental triggers, neurobiological and psychological factors, as well as a number of social processes.
Although current research efforts are focused on the role of neurobiology, no single organic cause of schizophrenia has been identified.
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