Schizophrenia is a chronic mental illness. In people suffering from schizophrenia, the perception of the world and the ability to express expression are usually impaired.
People with schizophrenia sometimes hardly distinguish reality from fiction. They can torment fear that other people read their thoughts or secretly plan to harm them. In addition, they can hear, see, feel or touch things that do not really exist. They can experience difficulties with perception, understanding and expression of emotions. When the disease affects mental processes, such people may have problems with logic, abstract thinking, concentration of attention or decision making. They are ceased to delight classes that used to enjoy.
Schizophrenia is less common than some other mental disorders. About 24 million people around the world suffer from this disease, which is 0.32 % of the total population of the globe. Schizophrenia is found with the same frequency in a variety of people, regardless of gender, race, nationality and financial situation.
The first symptoms of schizophrenia usually occur during adolescence. Men and women are equally subject to the disease. In men, symptoms, as a rule, appear earlier, from 13 to 20 years. In women, symptoms usually appear from 27-29 to 30 years. This disease can also manifest itself at the age of 45-50.
Despite the fact that schizophrenia is a chronic disease, it is treated with drugs. In the long run, the life of people with this disorder can improve significantly - during psychotherapy and psychosocial rehabilitation.
Myths and errors regarding schizophrenia:
- "People with schizophrenia are cruel and dangerous."
Due to how people with schizophrenia are depicted in the literature and media, they are considered unbalanced and dangerous. However, often they are not prone to cruelty. On the contrary, such people are often subjected to violence because of their strange behavior and fear that they cause in others. Of course, there are exceptions. People with schizophrenia, who are left without treatment, can eventually become hardened, and abuse of alcohol and psychoactive substances can cause more aggressive behavior.
- "The risk of Shihofrinia's disease depends solely on the genetic predisposition."
In the development of schizophrenia, genes play an important role, however, as the studies of the same -eating twins showed, genes are only a small part of the overall picture. Currently, it is not known for certain how schizophrenia develops, but it has become clear that the cause of this disease in the complex interaction between heredity and other factors, such as stress, hormonal changes and abuse of psychoactive substances.
- "Schizophrenia is the result of poor education."
For most of the 20th century, they thought so. It was believed that traumatic experiences in early childhood lead to schizophrenia in adolescents. Particular guilty was laid on mothers. Such ideas caused guilt and prevented the truly understanding this disease. Although cruel treatment in childhood can be considered a risk factor, there is no evidence of a direct connection with the development of schizophrenia.
- "Symptoms of schizophrenia include only hallucinations."
People with schizophrenia often have hallucinations and delusional ideas. However, these are not the only symptoms of the disease. Other symptoms include the lack of motivation, inconsistency of speech and a decrease in the ability to express emotions. This misconception may be explained by the fact that hallucinations are much more noticeable and make a stronger impression on people who are faced with this for the first time.
- "Schizophrenia needs to be treated with tranquilizers."
The first antipsychotic drugs caused side effects in the form of drowsiness and severe lethargy. These antipsychotic drugs were mistakenly called “large” tranquilizers, and this term is still used, which leads to confusion. With the advent of modern drugs, the severity of such side effects has decreased significantly. The antipsychotic drugs currently used are becoming more specific and have selective effects.
- "People with schizophrenia need to be locked in a hospital."
Thanks to the achievements in the field of therapy, already in the 1950s it was concluded that people with schizophrenia did not need a constant stay in the hospital.
Therefore, an increasing number of patients are treated at home. Although the disease may be difficult and patients may require temporary hospitalization, people with schizophrenia undergoing a course of treatment cope well with everyday activity and can lead a rich, meaningful life.
- "With schizophrenia, a split of the personality occurs."
Apparently, the confusion arose due to the Greek word "schizophrenia", which means "splitting consciousness." In fact, this term implies a discrepancy between thoughts, emotions and behavior. There is also a misconception that the voices that people with schizophrenia hear come from other personalities existing in the mind of man. Although with schizophrenia, the thinking of patients is distorted, the personality does not occur.
Despite all the problems that are fraught with schizophrenia, it is important not to forget: a person is under the mask of this disease. And this person is fighting a serious illness.
Every resident of Minsk can independently turn:
1) for psychiatric help to the adult population - in the MGKC of psychiatry and psychotherapy at the address of Minsk, ul. Bekhtereva 5, on working days from 8.00 to 20.00, on Saturday from 9.00 to 15.00. The work schedule can be found on the website mgkpd.by or by phone +375 (17) 399-24-07;
2) for psychotherapeutic and psychological assistance to the adult population - to the clinic at the place of service or the city center of border states (Minsk, 4 Mendeleev St.). You can get acquainted with the work schedules for the work of doctors-psychotherapists and psychologists, as well as phone numbers of psychotherapeutic and psychological rooms by phone 351-61-74 or on the website of the MGKC psychiatry and psychotherapy: www.mgkdd.by.
3) for psychiatric (psychotherapeutic, psychological) help to the children's population - in the MGKC of child psychiatry and psychotherapy at the addresses of Minsk, ul. Y. Luchina, B-1N and st. Odintsova 63 bldg. 2, on working days from 8.00 to 20.00, on Saturday from 9.00 to 15.00. The work schedule can be found by calling: +375-17-320-88-71, +375-17-397-37-15.
Psychiatric assistance can be provided in stationary conditions:
1) to the adult population - in psychiatric departments of the MGKC of psychiatry and psychotherapy and in the state institution
“Republican Scientific and Practical Center for Mental Health” (Contact phone 8-017-377-80-46);
2) to the children's population-in the psychiatric department of the healthcare institution “4th city children's clinical hospital” and in the state institution “Republican Scientific and Practical Center for Mental Health”.
Consultative psychiatric care can be obtained during inpatient treatment in city clinical hospitals.
Literature:
- "Schizophrenia" Gerd-raglch Bloch Torsen, 2004;
- “Schizophrenia, as it is” Peter Falcai, Janos Kalman, Fides Sofia Haimkes, Zoltan Shakan, 2022;
- "Schizophrenia" by M. M. Kygugarevskaya, 2021.
