Am I Schizophrenic?
Hey, did you know? Vincent van Gogh(the artist), John Nash (mathematician), Mary T. Lincoln (wife of Abraham Lincoln and First Lady of the United States), Eduard Einstein(son of Albert Einstein)...they had one thing in common. They were schizophrenic!
I
wonder...why do I have trouble separating reality from fantasy? Sometimes, I
even hear voices...is that normal? Then again, why do I keep thinking someone’s reading my mind and controlling my
thoughts? No wonder, I can’t express my feelings!
To
those who might mistaken me as an expert psychologist...stop
right there! Nope...I’m not who you think I am! I just know a
thing or two about schizophrenia only because of my undying passion for
psychology. Growing up with schizophrenic family members lured me in to know
more about schizophrenia.
So,
let’s begin...shall we?
Schizophrenia
is a common mental illness which affects the way you think. About one in a
hundred people may develop schizophrenia. It can develop during young
adulthood. A doctor or mental health professional checks mental status by observing
appearance and demeanor and asking about thoughts, moods, delusions, hallucinations,
substance use and potential for violence or suicide. Unfortunately, there is
not yet a cure for schizophrenia. This may be because the causes of the
illness are not fully understood.
 |
| My eyes at the moment of the apparitions by August Natterer, a German artist who created many drawings of his hallucinations. (Both eyes are different from each other.) |
Which brings
us to the question...exactly what causes schizophrenia?
Well,
it’s still a mystery yet to solve! Although,
it is most likely to be the result of several factors i.e. genetics, birth
complications, brain chemistry that can cause schizophrenia. People can develop
the illness as a result of a stressful event, such as the death of a loved one
or the loss of a job, experiences like growing up in a town or city and moving
to a new town or country can also trigger schizophrenia.
Now
that we’ve learned what schizophrenia is, let’s discuss the symptoms that might make you
a schizophrenic! The symptoms of schizophrenia can be described as
positive symptoms or negative symptoms.
Positive
symptoms are
experienced in addition to reality whereas negative symptoms can affect the
ability to function.
- Hallucinations,
delusions and disorganized thinking are some of the positive symptoms.
Negative
symptoms involve
loss of ability and enjoyment in life. They include
- Lack of
motivation, slow movement, change in sleep patterns, poor grooming or hygiene,
difficulty in planning and setting goals, not saying much, changes in body
language, lack of eye contact, reduced range of emotions, less interest in
socializing or hobbies and activities. Another negative symptom is
cognitive impairment such as, memory problems, unable to take on
information and poor decision making.
It’s a shame how most people do not realize
that, medications and psychological counseling can substantially improve the
lives of those suffering from this condition. And it’s most important to get treatment if you
are suffering from schizophrenia, as it poses one of the highest risks of
suicide among the general population, with up to 10 to 13% of schizophrenics
carrying out successful suicide attempts within the first decade of
diagnosis.
I
must stop now...it’s getting a little daunting, am I right?
it’s not much...yet, I would consider myself
lucky if at the very least one person gets to know schizophrenia!
Source
of info:
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