Gist:
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by odd behavior in several domains
What you see
- incoherent speech – illogical or rambling, conveying very little information
- fear – complaints of hearing threatening voices, seeing scary visions or smelling bad odors
- unrealistic beliefs about being followed, controlled or persecuted
- no interest in work or recreational activities, or in interacting with others
- no response, or indifferent response, when addressed, with very little facial expression and eye contact
- you may get a sense of not being able to communicate with him
What the person is going through
- unaware that the things he is saying and doing appear strange to people around him
- his experience of reality is distorted, and he is frightened
- he has no insight to recognize that something is amiss.
Cause
There are deficits in two areas:
- ability to pay attention and process information, i.e. thinking
- the will to initiate action, or motivation
Treatment
- medication, regular follow-up with psychiatrist
- critical comments and hostility towards the patient by family should be totally avoided as they increase the risk of relapse.
- encourage him to work or study – only up to a point. If he does not want to do anything, criticising, pushing or goading him to do so may be stressful, and he may get violent
Complete article:
http://www.dnaindia.com/health/comment_relatives-of-schizophrenics-face-10-times-more-risk_1676630
drshyamalavatsa 