Untold Truth about Schizophrenia (Essay Sample)

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Untold Truth about Schizophrenia
In principle, scientists believe that schizophrenia is a result of an imbalance in complex chemical reactions involving neurotransmitters glutamate and dopamine of the brain. Moreover, the brains of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia are a bit different from the brains of healthy persons (Lieberman, TS, and Diana, pg. 74). In essence, this quotation has been proved by the presence of large ventricles in the brains of people with schizophrenia.
Scientists have gone further and noted that schizophrenia is as a result of small changes taking place in an individual’s brain way before childbirth. Therefore, with the brain developing slowly, the small changes stay intact. However, due to the significant changes undergone by the brain during puberty, symptoms of psychotic episodes are witnessed such as hallucinations (Hogarty, pg. 155). In essence, it is wise to note that schizophrenia does not just pop up from nowhere but is an incubated disease from childbirth.
Schizophrenia is hardly diagnosed in teens simply because that is when the first signs start showing, for example, sleep apnea, poor performance in school, interest in solitude, and change in friends all together. However, in youths combining the above factors give an 80% chance to predict the probability of those highly at risk to develop the illness. Although, Schizophrenia rarely occurs at childhood stage, the need for awareness of the risk of childhood-onset disease increases daily.
In essence, with the causes of schizophrenia remaining unknown, scientists have opted to focus research on treatments on symptoms elimination so as to curb the disease. Therefore, antipsychotic medications and other psychosocial treatments represent the type of treatments utilized so far (Weinberger and PJ, pg. 1916). However, with every benefit comes a side effect, and schizophrenia’s treatment has not been left out. People taking schizophrenia’s medications have been complaining of given side effects such as blurred vision, dizziness, sensitivity to the sun, drowsiness, and many more. According to Weinberger and PJ, antipsychotic medications bring about weight gain thus; most people tend to reject these treatments citing the risks that come with the side effects such as diabetes and cholesterol.
In principle, there are many ways to kill a rat. It is from this train of thought that scientists opt for psychotherapies for patients who are on antipsychotic medications. Significantly, rehabilitation acts as the first stage for individuals with schizophrenia to learn how to function and coexist with others in the society. Significantly, schizophrenia patients are known to get into substance abuse as a way of trying to cope with the illness (Noll, pg. 330). However, scientists warn that substance abuse only makes it worse for such patients since treatments become less efficient. On a similar note, schizophrenia is known to strike when a person is at a critical career building age. Therefore, rehabilitation needs to focus on job training, money management, use of public transportation, communication skills, and counseling.
On a similar note, with people diagnosed with schizophrenia being discharged from hospitals into family care, the need for family education has risen. In essence, it is wise to have family members who take care of these individuals knowing as much as needed for the illness. Therefore, with the aid of a therapist, family members can learn problem-solving skills and coping strategies needed to take care of their loved ones. In principle, the family members will be able to ensure that their loved ones follow doctor’s prescription in taking their medication.
In principle, schizophrenia is an illness that originates from the brain. Therefore, there is always an urgent need for individuals with the disease to undergo cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). In essence, CBT focuses on dealing with symptoms that do not go away even after medication (Lauriello and Stefano, pg. 183). Primarily, the therapist enlightens individuals with schizophrenia on how to distinguish between voices and reality and how to know whether what they see is true (Rubin, David, and Kathi, pg. 27). Moreover, scientists claim that CBT can help minimize the severity of schizophrenia symptoms hence reduce relapse risks.
In essence, birds of a feather flock together. The said is true, and its impact is significant in every sense since when self-help groups come to play people with schizophrenia get to feel they belong. Therefore, the healthy feeling of feeling isolated and rejected goes away. Moreover, with self-help groups’ individuals with schizophrenia start feeling appreciated while in their part accept their conditions and strive to be better (Kingdon and Douglas, pg. 121). On a similar note, researchers claim that self-help groups can be utilized to create more public awareness hence drawing attention to discrimination patients with mental illness go through.
Conclusion
In principle, people with schizophrenia can acquire professional help from caregivers and case managers. However, families of such patients are the needed primary caregivers (Kingdon and Douglas, pg. 44). Although, schizophrenia patients refuse treatment du...