Schizophrenia is a mental health disorder in which people progressively lose their ability to feel, think, decide, and behave rationally. Schizophrenia affects an individual’s brain and reduces much of the organ’s functionality. Due to this, people with various stages of schizophrenia tend to show symptoms such as slurred and disorganized speech, delusions, hallucinations, and an inability to perform the simplest of tasks. Keep reading to learn about how to manage this condition.

Symptoms

Some common warning signs of schizophrenia are listed below.

Hallucinations
People with schizophrenia may sometimes see, hear, smell, taste, and feel things that do not exist. However, in the mind of someone with schizophrenia, these experiences feel perfectly normal at the time and also incredibly vivid in nature. Auditory hallucinations – wherein an individual hears voices like murmurs or whispers – are one of the most common symptoms experienced by people with schizophrenia.

Loss of decision-making ability
Decision-making is a crucial aspect of one’s brain functionality. However, due to the brain’s reduced capability in schizophrenia, individuals find it hard to create plans, express the right emotion at specific times, find pleasure, and choose the correct words while speaking.

Trouble with logical thinking
Due to problems with decision-making, people with schizophrenia often fail to work their way out of situations logically.

Causes

The exact cause of schizophrenia remains unknown, as the condition is driven by a combination of factors. A person’s genetic, environmental, and familial aspects influence their brain development. Additionally, a change in brain chemistry due to accidents, trauma, illness, or treatments can also contribute to schizophrenia with time. An individual is at risk of schizophrenia if their sibling or parent has the condition. Besides genetic factors, exposure to certain viruses and toxins can be a contributing factor in the development of schizophrenia. Moreover, some experts believe psychological factors like stress can trigger the condition.

Treatment

Healthcare professionals usually suggest a combination of treatments to manage schizophrenia symptoms. Some common management options are listed below.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
This therapy helps clients with changing their behavioral and thinking patterns. In this treatment, a therapist shows clients different ways to deal with the voices in their heads and hallucinations. Coping mechanisms like listening to music, engaging in physical activities, breathing in and out rhythmically, or journaling are advised when a patient hallucinates.

Individual psychotherapy
In this treatment, a psychiatrist teaches individuals how to manage their thoughts and behaviors rationally. It is a highly methodical and practice-driven therapy wherein people with schizophrenia learn to control their brain function. Besides explaining in-depth what their brain condition is all about, healthcare experts also train their clients to differentiate between what is real and what is unreal.

Social skills training
This therapy focuses on improving communication and other skills required for independent living. Individuals will be taught how to speak to others, pursue leisure activities, and deal with specific social situations.

Rehabilitation
This treatment involves job counseling, education, problem-solving support, and all-around emotional and physical support to ensure that the patients regain their ability to make decisions independently.

Schizophrenia is a severe mental health disorder that can trigger neurological damage if left untreated for long. Therefore, it is necessary to be wary of the warning signs and triggers associated with the condition to diagnose it early and seek proper treatment.