AOL Schitophrenia page
The Schitzophrenia Home Page
Schitzophrenia without Antipsychotics
Schitzophrenia is a serious Psychotic Disorder that interferes with your ablity to interact with society. Schitzophrenics usually withdraw from society into a world that consists of delusions and fantasies. There are several misconceptions about this disorder. One is that it is the same disease as Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD). This is NOT true. MPD is a much more rare disease that causes a person to have more than one personality. They may have different names for each personality and many times they do not realize what the other personality(ies) have done. Another misconception is that all people who are paranoid are Schitzophrenic. True, some schitzophrenics develop these paranoid tendancies, but some people have what is called paranoid personality disorder, which does not have the all the other features of schitzophrenia. Also, not everyone who is schitzophreic hears voices (nor are everyone who hears voices schitzophrenic). Some depressives hear voices. Also, hearing voices can be the result of medical illness or medications.
There are several syptoms of schitzophrenia. Some are positive and some are negative.
Two or more of the following for at least 1 week: delusions, prominent hallucinations for much of the day, incoherence, lack of or inappropriate display of emotions, bizarre delusions
Problems or less ability to function in work, in social interactions and with personal hygiene
Continuous signs for at least 6 months
No evidence of a brain tumor or blood vessel disease
Positive signs, or very noticible ones, include Hallucinations and Delusions. Negative signs, or not very noticible ones, include dulled emotions, deterioration of functions, inappropriate emotions, or change in speech (dulled monotone voice).
Treatments for Schitzophrenia include drug therapy. These drugs, known as antipsychotics, have been known to control more positive signs than negative ones. Today, they are efficient at controling both. These drugs include clozapine (Clozaril), risperidone (Risperdal), olanzapine (Zyprexa) and quetiapine (Seroquel). The side effects have decreased. These side effects include involuntary movements of the mouth, lips, tounge, and other parts of the body. (tardive dyskinesia (TD)). Other varieties of treatment exist, such as individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy (it DOES effect the entire family..trust me), and rehabilitation.
