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    • Mental and behavioural disorders account for 19% of the global burden of disease - WHO
    • It is estimated that nearly 450 million people suffer from a mental or behavioural disorder in the world - WHO
    • Nearly 10% of total population suffers from these disorders - WHO
    • Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.
    • Nearly 1% of the Indian population suffer from serious mental & behavioural disorders and 10% from moderate disorders, requiring psychiatric help.
    • By 2020 mental depression will be largest cause of disabilty worldwide and by 2025 it may overtake heart diseases as the biggest health concern - WHO
    • About half of mental disorders begin before the age of 14 - WHO
    • Around 20% of the world's children and adolescents are estimated to have mental disorders or problems - WHO
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Schizophrenia

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Schizophrenia is a severe brain disorder. It interferes with the ability of reason to think clearly, control and manage one’s emotions, make decisions, and relate to others. It is caused by a combination of factors including neurochemical changes, alteration in the brain structure and genetic factors.

Schizophrenia has been widely misunderstood and stigmatized throughout history.

SYMPTOMS

Positive: People suffering from schizophrenia often "lose touch" with reality.They have firm, persistent, unchangeable beliefs that are out of touch with reality. These may include ideas that people are plotting against them, talking about them and secretly monitoring them, or that they can control other people’s minds or be controlled by them. While awake, they may hear or see people / things that are not audible / visible to others.

The afflicted person can also become delusional and suffer from thought and movement disorders. They may often feel agitated.

Patients find it hard to think logically, have normal emotional responses, and behave normally in social settings. Often, the schizophrenics may not make sense when they talk. They may sit for hours without moving or talking or smiling without reason.

Negative: These include lack of emotional expression, inability to initiate and / or maintain activities / motion, brief speech, a lack of pleasure in life, social & emotional withdrawal and a lack of motivation. These people often need help with everyday tasks such as basic personal hygiene.

Cognitive: Cognitive symptoms are subtle and may be difficult to recognize. These include impaired ability to take decisions, lack of focus, memory impairment, oddities of behaviour; confused thinking and disorganized speech, repeated odd gestures, maintaining fixed posture or position for long periods (catatonia) etc.

TREATMENT OPTIONS

Schizophrenia treatments include antipsychotic medications and various psychosocial treatments. The major components of management of a person suffering from Schizophrenia include:

Antipsychotic medications These are required on a long-term basis initially to help end the acute psychotic episode and to relieve the positive and negative symptoms, and later to improve functioning and prevent further similar episodes. These medications have few side effects that are easily manageable. Most international guidelines recommend one to two years of maintenance with antipsychotics for patients following a first episode.

It has also been recommended that patients with multiple episodes or those with a longstanding, continuous illness should receive maintenance antipsychotics drugs for at least five years. For patients with a history of serious suicide attempts or violent, aggressive behaviour, maintenance treatment with antipsychotic medication may be indicated for longer periods, perhaps indefinitely. One of the commonest mistakes made by the patients and their families is immediate discontinuation of medication as soon as the patient starts showing improvement.

Family education support and intervention The role of the family in helping patients is of utmost importance. The family members play a crucial role by supporting the patient in emotional, psychological and financial distress, encouraging compliance with medication, preventing complications and learning the individual ‘signature signs’ (detailed later) of relapse to minimize their occurrence.

Psychosocial management and rehabilitation is helpful in providing support by psychotherapy, developing social skills, dealing with stress, resuming routine activities and taking care of personal & professional responsibilities.

One must seek immediate professional help from a doctor in case of suspected illness.

Vohra Neuropsychiatry Centre Healthcare psychiatrists have a unique track-record in administering regular online healing to a large number of our patients both within India and other countries.

Dr Sandeep Vohra, Managing Director of Vohra Neuropsychiatry Centre Healthcare, is sanguine about the recovery of patients through regular treatment regime offered by the centre. Our treatment helps relieve symptoms of schizophrenia. By our painstaking professional care, many people with schizophrenia are now leading rewarding and meaningful lives in their communities.