Schizophrenia Overview

Schizophrenia Video

HOST ON CAMERA:
Hello and welcome to the Answered Patient.  I’m Jane Hanson.  Schizophrenia is one of the most disabling and severe mental illnesses. It’s also one of the most widely misunderstood.

HOST NARRATION:
In this episode of the Answered Patient, we’ll discuss the symptoms of schizophrenia…who is at risk for developing it…and how it’s diagnosed.

HOST ON CAMERA:
We’ll also look at strategies for treating schizophrenia, and the coping techniques that help patients and their loved ones live full, productive lives.

HOST NARRATION:
More than 2 million Americans, and nearly 25 million people worldwide, suffer from schizophrenia. The World Health Organization ranks schizophrenia among the top ten most debilitating diseases. Thirty percent of people diagnosed with schizophrenia try to commit suicide, and ten percent succeed.

Dr. Patrick Corrigan- Professor of Psychology – Illinois Institute of Technology:
“Schizophrenia is considered perhaps one of the most serious of psychiatric disorders, in part because it’s related to a lot of symptoms that people normally think of when they think of serious mental illness.”

HOST NARRATION:
The term “schizophrenia” comes from the Greek words “skhizein,” which means “to split,” …and “phren,” which means “mind.”  A common misinterpretation is that people with this disease have a “split personality.” But the name actually refers to a split in perception between the real world, and a fantasy world of paranoid delusions. 

Dr. Pablo Gejman, Professor of Psychiatry – Northwestern University: 
“Many persons with schizophrenia have hallucinations...that means that they hear voices.  Usually, the voices tell the patients things that are terrifying or not nice about the patient himself and they may not recognize that the voices are not real either.

HOST ON CAMERA: 
The symptoms of schizophrenia may be sudden, appearing within days or weeks…or they may develop slowly.

HOST NARRATION:
Common symptoms include deep paranoia…visual and auditory hallucinations…illogical thinking…and flat emotional responses to situations. People experiencing these symptoms are often unaware they need medical attention. If any of these symptoms sound familiar to you, or someone you know, it’s important to seek help right away.

HOST ON CAMERA:
Without proper treatment, schizophrenia can take a tremendous toll on a person’s life. Many people can’t work, are unable to care for themselves, and have few or no personal relationships. 

Dr. Jagannath Devulapally, Associate Professor-Rush University INDIANA:
“There’s a well known phenomena known as downward drift that effects peopled with schizophrenia and this involves the progressive loss of relationships and functioning so people with schizophrenia do very often lose ties with their family, become more isolated.”

HOST NARRATION:
Schizophrenia affects men and women of every age, race, and economic class. It usually begins in men during their teens and twenties…and in women during their twenties and early thirties. In rare cases, it even affects children.

Dr. Patrick Corrigan- Professor of Psychology – Illinois Institute of Technology:
“Historically, schizophrenia was thought of as in young adulthood, um, so it wouldn’t fit a diagnosis to think children have it.  Now, there’s childhood schizophrenia.”

HOST ON CAMERA:
While researchers haven’t identified a single cause of schizophrenia, they do know that several factors can contribute to the development of the disease. These include brain abnormalities…and family history.

HOST NARRATION:
Ten percent of those who suffer from schizophrenia have a parent or sibling who has also been diagnosed with the disease. 

Dr. Corrigan: 
“If you do population studies, you find that relatives of people with schizophrenia are likely to have that disorder at a greater rate.  So if there’s family built-in schizophrenia, it probably indicates genetics.”

Dr. D: “Was there a specific incident that happened?”

Debbie: “We just had an exchange of words, that’s all it was and it was the things he said, and I was just having a bad day that day.” 

HOST NARRATION:
Because schizophrenia shares many symptoms in common with other mental illnesses, diagnosing it can be difficult. To make an accurate diagnosis, a psychiatrist will closely examine a patient’s mental history. The doctor may also want to interview family members and friends of the patient. There are also several questionnaires that doctors sometimes administer to gauge whether a patient is suffering from schizophrenia.

Dr. Mark Lermannd, Associate Professor-Loyola University School of Medicine: 
“In spite of all the new medical diagnostic imaging techniques, MRIs, functional MRIs, etcetera, it’s a clinical diagnosis.  It’s a diagnosis that’s made by a psychiatrist interviewing a patient, and usually with other information from friends or family members.” 

HOST On Camera:
Though schizophrenia can be debilitating, safe and effective treatments options are available to help manage the disease. Medication, psychotherapy, and peer and family support groups can all be used to keep the illness under control…and help people recover from the damaging effects of the disease.

Tony Zipple, CEO –Thresholds, IN:
“The thing that is probably the biggest misconception is that people don’t recover and people really do.  They may have to take medications for a very long time, but if you look at the data for people over a five, ten, fifteen, twenty-year period, most people recover quite well.” 

BARRISTA: “There it is, nice and strong for you Bob.”

Dr. Jagannath Devulapally INDIANA:  “It doesn’t have to impair or limit the person in their goals and in their pursuits in life.”

Dr. Patrick Corrigan:
“It is reasonable to think that people with schizophrenia who are receiving the appropriate medication and the, ah, breath of rehab that an individual needs, that they should be able to go back to work and live on their own, develop adult relationships and enjoy their life.”

HOST ON CAMERA:
There are plenty of reasons for people suffering from schizophrenia to be hopeful. In the other chapters of this episode, you’ll learn more about schizophrenia – its symptoms…how it’s diagnosed…and the ways those affected by the disease are coping with it. We’ll also tell you about the latest treatment options available for schizophrenia.

HOST NARRATION:
In our “Personal Stories” chapter, you’ll meet a real patient with schizophrenia, and discover how he has managed to treat and live with this condition every day.