Schizophrenia – symptoms, types and treatment

Schizophrenia is a difficult and often misunderstood mental disorder that affects the thinking, behavior and emotions of the person affected by the condition. It is worth knowing its symptoms, types, stages of development, treatment options and heredity in order to effectively help people suffering from schizophrenia.

What is schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder that affects the patient’s perception of reality. People with schizophrenia may experience various symptoms, such as hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking and shallow emotions. This disease often begins in young adulthood and can significantly impact patients’ quality of life.

Schizophrenia – types

There are different types of schizophrenia, each with slightly different symptoms and course of the disease. The most important types are:

Paranoid schizophrenia

People suffering from paranoid schizophrenia often experience paranoid delusions, which is the belief that they are being persecuted or that someone is watching them or harming them. They may also experience auditory hallucinations.

Disorganic schizophrenia

People with this type of schizophrenia often show significant disorganization of thinking and behavior. They may have difficulty keeping order in their daily lives and carrying out simple tasks.

Catatonic schizophrenia

In the case of catatonic schizophrenia, patients may present with significant motor inability or excessive excitability. They may get stuck in one position for a long time or make strange movements.

Schizophrenia – symptoms

Symptoms of schizophrenia may vary depending on the type and phase of the disease. In general, however, there are some typical symptoms, such as:

• Auditory, visual or tactile hallucinations.
• Delusions, i.e. false beliefs that do not correspond to reality.
• Disorganized thinking, difficulties in focusing attention and logical thinking.
• Shallow or lack of emotions.
• Problems with social and professional functioning.

Phases of development of schizophrenia

Schizophrenia often develops gradually and there are several phases of its course:

Prodromal phase

In this phase, non-specific symptoms may appear, such as social isolation, difficulty concentrating and minor thinking disorders.

Active phase

In the active phase, the symptoms of schizophrenia are most severe. The patient may experience hallucinations, delusions and other thought disorders.

Remission phase

In this phase, symptoms may partially subside or weaken, but often leave lasting effects, such as difficulties in social or professional functioning.

Schizophrenia – treatment

Treatment of schizophrenia includes pharmacological therapies and psychotherapies. Antipsychotic medications are often used to relieve symptoms, especially hallucinations and delusions. Psychological therapies can help people with schizophrenia cope with the disease and improve social functioning.

Schizophrenia – is it hereditary?

There is some risk of inheriting schizophrenia, especially if there is a family history of the disease.However, this is not the only factor influencing the risk of developing schizophrenia.Complex interactions of genes and environmental factors also play a role in the development of this disease.

Your suggestions

If you suspect that you or a loved one may suffer from schizophrenia, do not hesitate to seek professional help.The earlier treatment begins, the greater the chance of improving the patient’s quality of life.

Recommended articles

If you want to learn more about schizophrenia, we recommend reading other articles on the subject and consulting a psychiatrist or psychologist specializing in mental disorders.