Decoding Schizophrenia – How Do You Rise Above It?

Various films or movies have depicted schizophrenia as a subject, such that most people today are no longer as alien as they used to about the subject matter. However, knowing and understanding this mental disorder is completely different from having to live it. The patients of schizophrenia are therefore in for a tough challenge to decode this disorder to learn how they can rise above it.

Recovery is still possible for anyone diagnosed with schizophrenia and although it is an ongoing process that requires persistence, being equipped with the knowledge you need is a good first step. 

Social Support

This is one of the most vital components to rising above schizophrenia. Without enough social support from family, friends, or other social groups, it would be difficult to cope with the daily manifestation of symptoms for this condition. However, the need to provide social support takes on a more important meaning than simply a coping mechanism for the symptoms. 

It is also important to prevent victims from turning into perpetrators of violent crimes. This is very much possible when they fail to gain control over their thoughts or feelings until it overwhelms them. The need to prevent that downward spiral in one’s behavior is one of the biggest motivator for providing adequate support for patients. 

Medications for Schizophrenia 

The intake of medications is being considered as a good option for anyone dealing with schizophrenia. Antipsychotics is a form of medication recommended for schizophrenics that is believed to stop symptoms of this mental disorder. However, the efficacy rate is quite poor at only 20 percent. For those who managed to experience effective results from the intake of this medication experienced some improvement in function provided that they continue with the treatment procedure. However, these effects also disappeared once they abandoned the use of the medication.

The lack of options for schizophrenia medications is one of the biggest challenges to treating this mental disorder. Hence, medical researchers are still hard at work in understanding what are the deficiencies or problems that exist in the brain of schizophrenia patients to learn how they can correct them effectively. 

Understanding Multiple Symptoms

Part of the research effort to decode schizophrenia and identify more effective ways to rise above it, the symptoms for this condition are being studied by experts. The idea here is to not just alleviate the symptoms, but also to find how to come up with better treatments for long-term solution. 

There are two categories of symptoms for schizophrenia: positive and negative. Positive symptoms are those that occur beyond one’s normal experiences, such as paranoid delusions, hallucinations, and agitation. Meanwhile, negative symptoms are those that result in a diminished experience such as decrease in certain behavioral or cognitive functions including abstract thinking, memory, logic, and ability to hold a conversation. 

Analyzing Patient Behaviors

The final step in decoding schizophrenia is to look at the patient’s behavioral patterns. Tests done on patients to analyze brain injury have shown a widespread pattern of dysfunction based on the results of the tests conducted. Indeed, schizophrenia affects the basic to most complex processes of your brain and its sensory function. This is why psychological and neurology experts are looking at early diagnosis for immediate treatment before the patient’s brain function is permanently impaired by the symptoms of schizophrenia. 
