Hannah Grace
Schizophrenia is a complex, severe mental disorder. Affecting how a person thinks, feels, and behaves, it involves getting out of touch with reality. You have a hard time telling which is real and which is not. You’re unable to function in everyday life. This psychological condition needs proper attention as early as possible. Only a mental health professional can give a potential patient the proper diagnosis. Nonetheless, read on to understand if you are or someone you know is showing symptoms of schizophrenia.
Hallucinations
Hallucination involves either or both seeing and hearing things that don’t exist outside of one’s mind, for instance, seeing frogs in your room or hearing a voice talking to you when you’re alone. Although all five senses may be distorted, visual and auditory hallucinations are most common in schizophrenia.
Delusions
Delusions are irrational beliefs someone with the condition holds on to despite of clear evidence disproving them. Often bizarre, they include:
- Persecution – believing others are targeting you or vicious aliens are hiding in your basement.
- Grandeur – thinking that you have superpowers or you’re as significant as the president or a god.
- Reference – believing ads or people on TV are sending you messages.
- Control – believing forces like the CIA or supernatural beings are controlling your thoughts or actions.
Disorganized Speech
Caused by disorganized thinking, your ability to communicate is impaired. For example, you give unrelated answers to questions; say illogical things; quickly change topics when talking with no connection between each one; use words or phrases that only have meaning to you; keep repeating the same sentences over and over; or use rhyming, meaningless words (Clang)–“Don’t feed my pug, my rug has bugs, I dug until I found a mug.”
Odd Behavior
Aside from being forgetful and unable to concentrate, a person with schizophrenia may act childlike, show sudden agitation, and resist instructions. They may also display unusual postures, make excessive movements or not move at all, lack emotional expression (inexpressive face, flat voice, little eye contact, blank or restricted facial expressions) and show inappropriate emotional responses or no response at all.
Social Withdrawal
You lose enthusiasm. Life seems dull that you lack motivation as a result. You neglect personal hygiene and your sleeping pattern is abnormal. Even basic self-care like eating and drinking become difficult to do. You’d rather stay inside your own reality. You become unaware of the environment because you lack interest in the world. Moreover, you can fall deeper into depression and be vulnerable to suicidal thoughts, which may lead to addictions like substance abuse as a way to cope.
Though each person’s case may be different, schizophrenia usually requires lifelong treatment. Finding the right specialist is very important. They will determine the right therapy and medication. Having a debilitating mental disorder is difficult. People living with a psychological condition like schizophrenia deserves to be treated with the same love and support as others. It’s vital that we remember who they are before they got diagnosed. We shouldn’t let their disability change our view of them because no matter how serious it is, it doesn’t define them.
Can you relate? Share your thoughts below. We’d love to hear them!
