Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling psychiatric disorder in which affected individuals interpret reality abnormally. The disease can cause a combination of hallucinations, delusions, and severe thought and behavior disorders. This can lead to fear and make affected individuals withdrawn and easily irritable. It affects about 24 million people worldwide.

The exact causes of the disease are unknown, but it is believed to be the result of a combination of genetics and environmental and/or psychosocial factors that cause dysregulation of brain physiology. Studies conducted to date show that those affected experience an imbalance in neurotransmitter levels.

Among the risk factors that may contribute to the development of this disorder are:

• Presence of other undiagnosed mental disorders.
• Some complications during pregnancy and birth, such as malnutrition or exposure to toxins or viruses that may affect brain development.
• Use of psychoactive or psychotropic drugs during adolescence and youth.

Schizophrenia is usually diagnosed before the age of 30, being very rare in children and after the age of 45. Symptoms include problems with thinking, behavior, and emotions. The signs and symptoms can vary. The most common are the following:

• Delusions: those affected have false beliefs that have no basis in reality, such as believing they are being harassed or that a catastrophe is going to happen.
• Hallucinations, which involve seeing or hearing things that do not exist. They can involve any of the senses, but hearing voices is the most common.
• Disorganized or abnormal motor behavior, which can include resistance to following instructions, inappropriate posture, or lack of response in movement.
• Impaired communication, with nonsensical conversations.
• Negative symptoms are associated with the disruption of normal emotions and behaviors. They are more difficult to recognize. People who have negative symptoms need help with daily tasks.
• In adolescents, social withdrawal, decreased school performance, irritability, and lack of motivation may occur.

It is common for symptoms to change over time in terms of type and severity, alternating periods of worsening and remission.

The exact causes of schizophrenia are unknown, so total prevention of the disease is not possible. It is known that several factors contribute to its onset. Among the non-modifiable ones, the best known is genetic predisposition: 10% of people with schizophrenia have a close relative (parents, siblings) who has been diagnosed with it.

There are also a number of actions that can help reduce the risk of the disease:

• Control during pregnancy and after childbirth to avoid complications such as malnutrition of the baby, preeclampsia, or early management of possible neonatal infections.
• Avoid the use of drugs such as cannabis, alcohol, or cocaine.
• Avoid exposure to traumatic events in children and adolescents.
• Maintain good social relationships, which help to have good self-esteem, reduce stress, and avoid feeling lonely.
• Stress management.
• Use protective measures for head injuries, such as a helmet when riding a bike or motorcycle.
• Healthy lifestyle, with regular exercise and consumption of healthy foods.

Schizophrenia requires lifelong treatment, even if symptoms disappear. The available multidisciplinary treatments, which include pharmacological and psychiatric approaches, help to effectively control the disease and prevent the occurrence of episodes.