Schizophrenia is a severe and chronic mental disorder that impairs a person's thoughtfulness and behavior in which people decipher truth abnormally, resulting in some combination of hallucinations, delusions, and remarkably disordered thought and behavior that impairs daily functioning.
Symptoms
Schizophrenia is characterized by a combination of symptoms that are identified as “positive” or “negative” symptoms. Positive expressions of schizophrenia include hallucinations, repetitious behaviors, and delusions, while negative symptoms consist of anhedonia, and anxiety in socializing.
Causes
It's not associated with what causes schizophrenia, although researchers conclude that a combination of heredity, brain chemistry (neurotransmitters called dopamine and glutamate), taking mind-altering (psychoactive or psychotropic) drugs during teen years and young adulthood, and environmental factors (such as exposure to viruses or malnutrition before birth, problems during birth), and other not yet known factors to the development of the disorder.
Complications
If schizophrenia is left untreated, it can result in severe problems that affect every domain of life. Complications that schizophrenia may cause or be associated with are Depression, Aggressive behavior, Suicide attempts, or thoughts of suicide, Anxiety disorders or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Abuse of alcohol or other drugs, including nicotine, and Social seclusion, etc.
Prevention
There's no certain way to prevent schizophrenia, although holding with the treatment plan can help to prevent recurrences or worsening of symptoms. Researchers believe that learning more about risk factors for schizophrenia may lead to speedier diagnosis and treatment.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of schizophrenia requires managing other mental health disorders and discovering symptoms which are not due to substance abuse, medication, or a medical condition. Managing a diagnosis of schizophrenia such as
Physical exam - to aid rule out other difficulties that could be causing symptoms and to monitor for any related complications.
Tests and screenings - to aid in preventing conditions with similar symptoms, and screening for alcohol and drugs by imaging examinations, such as an MRI or CT scan.
Psychiatric evaluation - to analyses mental status by observing appearance and behavior and asking about thoughts, moods, hallucinations, delusions, substance use, and potential for violence or suicide, a review of family and personal history through a doctor or mental health professional.
Treatment
Schizophrenia requires lifelong treatment, despite when symptoms have subsided. Principally, Treatment with medications and psychosocial therapy can aid in regulating the condition. While in some cases, hospitalization may be necessitated.
In treatment, antipsychotic medications are the most commonly prescribed drugs and are also considered to be effective to control symptoms by modifying the brain neurotransmitter dopamine at the lowest possible dose.
The psychiatrist may suggest different drugs, different doses, or combinations overtime accomplish the desired result.
Other medications also may help, such as antidepressants or anti-anxiety drugs that can take several weeks to notice an improvement in symptoms.
However, medications for schizophrenia can cause severe side effects; people with schizophrenia may be hesitant to take them. Therefore, apart from medication, willingness to cooperate with treatment may also affect drug selection. For example, someone who is immune to taking medication consistently may require to be delivered injections, preferably of taking medicine.
Schizophrenia and Diet
People with schizophrenia often have unhealthy diets or Bad eating habits that lead to other health problems that can put them at high risk for conditions like cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Research recommends that some diet modifications can also surprisingly benefit and also help to Balance blood sugar and avoid stimulants in patients with schizophrenia medication.
Some foods to recognize best are-
Fruits such as raspberries, pears, apples, and others are the best sources of fiber and healthy vitamins that help to lower bad cholesterol and aids in digestion, and may drop your chance of some health problems that frequently are associated with schizophrenia, like heart problems, diabetes, and obesity.
Vegetables such as spinach, kidney beans, lima beans, black-eyed peas, asparagus, and sweet potatoes are low in fat and calories, bound with fiber and essential vitamins, potassium, and folate that help to ease symptoms of schizophrenia.
Many on-growing research shows that Omega-3 fatty acids rich foods such as Salmon and mackerel are beneficial in preventing and alleviating the symptoms of schizophrenia and slow the disease’s progress.
Some studies have compared bad gut bacteria to schizophrenia. Eating more prebiotics, which is found naturally in fruits and veggies, may help. Additionally, more live-culture probiotics foods such as yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut may help, also.
Yoga, Exercise and Physical Health
Yoga can be beneficial for people who may become isolated by their mental health problems. Yogic-based exercises have been shown in improving various problems observed in schizophrenia, such as cognitive deficiencies in neurocognition and social cognition, as well as relieving depression and anxiety symptoms in patients and also helping to lessen symptoms of suicide, aid in recovery, and prevent relapse.
Simply doing more physical exercise or aerobic exercise can help to resist the problem of weight gain and can also serve to reduce physical health problems like heart disease and diabetes. Research has revealed that people's interest in exercise programs aids to reduce the risk of developing conditions like stroke and diabetes and also problems like osteoporosis (a long-term weakening of the bones) that are a problem found in some people who take antipsychotics.
Conclusion
Schizophrenia is life-long, and often impairing psychiatric disorder that affects the brain functions with disordered thoughts and behaviors and impairs signs such as hallucinations, delusions, and absence of emotional character. The exact causes are unknown, although it has both genetic and environmental risk factors that usually require lifetime care and treatment to help people accomplish their symptoms to live full and active lives.
Apart from medications, the researchers are also suggesting that yoga therapy, physical exercise, social changes, and nutritional changes can provide a solution to treat the neurocognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia.
