Schizophrenia is a very complex and poorly understood mental health condition. It is very difficult to deal with the schizophrenia symptoms for both the sufferers and their loved ones, not in the least because it is not clear what actually causes the condition. We know that there is a relationship with a certain element of the brain. We also know that schizophrenia is not a psychiatric disorder. Rather it affects the personality and mind of a person in a physical manner. There is no cure for it either, and treatment can only help to address any problematic behaviors and hopefully relieve some of the symptoms.
Understanding Schizophrenia
A schizophrenic person has a thought process that is very different from that of everyday people. It is best described as 'total confusion'. Those who are schizophrenic find it impossible to focus on a single idea, nor can their brain process things in what regular people would class as a logical or systematic manner. Rather, schizophrenics are bombarded with a range of thoughts, including delusions and hallucinations, and this can lead to distorted thoughts.
Different Types Of Schizophrenia
There are different types of schizophrenia. Residual schizophrenia, for instance, happens when people simply lose interest in life. They are apathetic, dull, unmotivated, and uninterested. Paranoid schizophrenics, by contrast, have very different symptoms. In this case, they will see signs in everyday occurrences, and determine them to be proof that someone is out to 'get them'.
Common Schizophrenia Symptoms
Because there are different types of schizophrenia, symptoms can also vary. Nevertheless, it is common for hallucinations (visual and auditory) and delusions to be present. One of the most common schizophrenia symptoms is hearing voices. This is very conflicting, since the voices are absolutely real to them, yet their loved ones and friends cannot hear them. This results in an anxious, conflicting situation that is often very frightening. People with schizophrenia often exhibit violent behavior, which can be a reaction to the fear, or an action triggered by following what the voices say.
Every type of schizophrenia has its own unique symptoms. When you ask everyday people what they believe the symptoms to be, they are most likely to describe those for paranoid schizophrenia. In these cases, the patients believe that everyone is out to get them, and this makes it almost impossible for them to build and maintain any type of relationship. It is also possible for these types of schizophrenics to become very violent, often because they genuinely believe they are acting in self defense.
Schizophrenics commonly exhibit other symptoms that are not directly related to their illness, but that have something to do with it. For instance, people with the condition are far more likely to abuse substances and to become addicted. Depression is also very common. These are secondary symptoms, however, meaning that they do not point to schizophrenia, but rather that they have developed as a response to the schizophrenic symptoms. Either way, it is very important to seek medical attention if you suspect that you or a loved one has schizophrenia.