Schizophrenia: Symptoms & Treatments

Schizophrenia is a severe disorder of the brain that affects more than 3 million Americans. It is a chronic condition, and it is debilitating. It is brought on by an imbalance in neurotransmitters, and it impairs a person's ability to think, to comprehend, to control emotions, and to communicate. Its symptoms run from the infamous 'voices in the head' to a kind of severe depression, where a person may become temporarily catatonic.

Schizophrenia's symptoms are classified into two categories. "Positive", or stimulating symptoms, following a spike in neurotransmitter activity, include hallucinations, such as hearing voices, delusions, and experiencing disturbing or unusual thoughts. "Negative", or inhibiting symptoms, are linked to a drop in neurotransmitters. These include emotional detachment, apathy, a lack of motivation, and near-catatonia. The severity of the symptoms generally corresponds to the degree that neurotransmitter activity is removed from "normal".

However, as devastating as this illness is, it is treatable. Certain medications can help equalize the levels of the key chemicals in the brain, bolstering the function of the neurotransmitters.

Psycho-social therapy has also been shown to be effective. Schizophrenics who combine medication with therapy and family involvement are often able to lead functionally normal, productive lives.

Therapy programs include both supportive therapy, like individual and group sessions, and rehabilitation. Supportive therapy strives to help people adjust to their illness so that they can overcome the difficulties and resume their lives. Without this adjustment, schizophrenia can be an all-consuming disorder, a deadly coil of descent leading to irreparable personality damage, or even suicide.