Schizophrenia

It is the most common serious mental disorder. It is defined bya group of characteristic positive and negative symptoms along with deterioration in social, occupational, interpersonal relationships. Lifetime prevalence of 1% and incidence rate of 0.15 to 0.25% and displays high heritability.

Symptoms:

  • Delusions
  • Hallucinations
  • Avolition
  • Apathy
  • Anhedonia
  • Asociality
  • Affective flattening
  • Alogia
  • Behaviour issues occurs mainly due to neurochemical disturbances in brain. Other contributory factors being neurodevelopmental abnormalities, psychological and environmental stressors.
  • Left untreated leads to severe disorganization and cognitive decline and increases the risk of violence, homicide and suicide.
  • Disorganization of speech

Diagnosis

Continuous signs and symptom of disturbance should be there for, at least 6 months (DSM) or 1 month (ICD).

Treatment

  • Pharmacological (Antipsychotics)
  • Non pharmacological intervention
  • ECT
schizophrenia
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