SCHIZOPHRENIA
INTRODUCTION
❖ Schizophrenia is mental disorder characterized
by breakdown of thought processes and by
poor emotional responsiveness.
❖ It is a major psychiatric illness that
makes difficult to:
✓ Tell the difference between real and unreal
experiences.
✓ Think logically.
✓ Have normal emotional responses.
✓ Behave normally in social situations.
✓ Lack of insight.
PREVALENCE
❖ Prevalence Rate for schizophrenia is approximately 1.1% of the
population over the age of 18.
❖ Onset: typically begins in early adulthood; between the ages of 15 and
25.
❖ The peak ages of onset are 20–38 years for males and 26–32 years for
females.
❖ Slightly more men are diagnosed with schizophrenia than women (on
the order of 1.4:1) and women tend to be diagnosed later in life than
men.
❖ When there is schizophrenic patient in a family, the chance for a sibling
to be diagnosed with schizophrenia is 7-9%.
❖ If a parent has schizophrenia, the chance for a child to have the
disorder is 10-15%
ETIOLOGY
While many factors have been associated with developing
schizophrenia—including genetics, early environment, neurobiology,
and psychological and social processes —the exact cause of the
disease is unknown.
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
Prodromal signs
❖ Quiet
❖ Passive or irritable
❖ Few friendships
❖ Avoids social activities
❖ Daydreams
❖ Somatic complaints
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
Positive symptoms are characterized by
excessive function:
❖Hallucinations
❖Agitation
❖Strange behavior
❖Delusions.
❖Talkativeness.
These respond better to anti-psychotics than
negative symptoms do.
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
Negative symptoms is characterized by:
❖ Loss of function.
❖ Flattened affect.
❖ Thought blocking,
❖ poor grooming
❖ Lack of motivation
❖ Social withdrawal
❖ Poor speech content
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
Delusions
❖ False belief not based on simple ignorance or shared by a
culture or subculture.
❖ Most commonly seen is delusions of persecution.
Hallucinations
– Hearing voices when alone in a room
– Smelling nonexistent odors.
Most commonly seen hallucinations:
– Auditory
– Visual
– Tactile
– Gustatory
– Olfactory
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
According to the DSM-IV this diagnosis could only be
made if:
❖Symptoms have been around for six months
❖At least one period of actual psychosis occur within
those six months
❖ Impairment of occupational or social functioning
must have occurred during this time period
COMPLICATIONS
❖DEPRESSION.
❖Anxiety.
❖Suicide.
❖SUBSTANCE ABUSE & SMOKING.
❖VIOLENCE.
❖Self injury.
PROGNOSIS
❖ There is no known cure for Schizophrenia.
❖ Fortunately, there are effective treatments that can?
❑ Reduce symptoms.
❑ Decrease the likelihood that new episodes of
psychosis will occur.
❑ Shorten the duration of psychotic episodes.
❑ And in general, offer the majority of people the
possibility of living more productive and satisfying
lives.
❖ With the proper medications and supportive
counseling, the ability of schizophrenic persons to
live and function well in society is excellent.
PROGNOSIS
Better prognosis if?
❖ Is older at onset
❖ Is married or has social relationships
❖ Is female.
❖ Has good employment history.
❖ Has positive symptoms.
❖ Has had few relapse.
MANAGEMENT
HOSPITALIZATION:
During crisis periods or times of severe symptoms,
hospitalization may be necessary to ensure safety, proper
nutrition, adequate sleep and basic hygiene.
Drug therapy:
❖ Mainstay of treatment is antipsychotic drugs
❖ Two types: Classical or atypical antipsychotics
❖ Early treatment soon after diagnosis is made : better
response to treatment
❖ Start with lowest dose, increased to maximum tolerated
dose
MIMICS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA
Medical illnesses
❖ Temporal lobe epilepsy
❖ Neurologic disease or trauma
❖ Poisoning
❖ Endocrine disorders
Psychiatric illnesses
❖ Brief psychotic disorder
❖ Manic phase of bipolar
❖ Schizoid and schizotypal personality disorders
❖ Substance abuse (amphetamines and hallucinogens)
