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Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder, characterized by hallucinations, delusional thinking, a distorted perception of reality, poor cognitive skills, and disorganized speech or behavior. Affecting roughly 1% of the population in the United States, schizophrenia is characterized by hallucinations, delusional thinking, a distorted perception of reality, poor cognitive skills, and disorganized speech or behavior. The causes of schizophrenia are similar to those of other psychiatric disorders; genetics and family history, environmental factors, and changes in brain chemistry. Common misconceptions and stigmas about people with schizophrenia are that they tend to become violent and have split personalities. The National Alliance on Mental Illness states that schizoaffective disorder affects about 0.3% of the population. Men and women experience schizoaffective disorder at a similar rate but men develop the illness at a younger age. The National Institutes of Health estimates approximately 1.1% of American adults will be diagnosed with schizophrenia at some point in their life. Schizophrenia can occur at all ages but tends to occur in the late teens to the early 20s for men, and the late 20s to early 30s for women. Experiencing schizophrenia at ages younger than 12 or older than 40 is very uncommon. There are five different types of schizophrenia; all of which are determined by the symptoms shown by the patient. Paranoid Schizophrenia Paranoid schizophrenia is the most common subtype of schizophrenia in the United States and typically reveals itself during a person’s teenage or young adulthood years. Paranoid schizophrenia is similar to psychosis and is characterized by delusional thoughts such as someone is out to harm you, or a loved one will abandon you. Schizoaffective Disorder A patient is known to have a schizoaffective disorder when they’re struggling with not only schizophrenia but also with co-occurring depression or bipolar disorder. For that reason, a person with schizoaffective will show a wide variety of symptoms such as symptoms of mania, symptoms of depression, and general symptoms associated with schizophrenia. Symptoms schizoaffective individuals display with regularity include:
Catatonic Schizophrenia Catatonic schizophrenia is a rare form of schizophrenia with symptoms that are more recognizable in a person’s physical actions rather than their thoughts. Individuals with catatonic schizophrenia are often mistaken to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Individuals with catatonic schizophrenia often have symptoms that include:
Disorganized Schizophrenia Disorganized schizophrenia is commonly referred to as “hebephrenia” and is characterized by a schizophrenic individual that displays disorganized speech, thinking and behavior. Disorganized schizophrenia is seen most often in teens and young adults between the ages of 15 and 25. People displaying this subtype of schizophrenia often have difficulty with their cognitive skills such as memory, motor skills, attention span and intelligence. Residual Schizophrenia Residual schizophrenia is the mildest form of schizophrenia characteristic when positive symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia (hallucinations, delusional thinking) are not actively displayed in a patient although they will still be displaying negative symptoms (no expression of emotions, strange speech). An individual with residual schizophrenia could be transitioning from an acute phase of schizophrenia to remission or vice versa. Residual schizophrenia is not cyclical and can disappear or reappear at any time. Schizophrenia is best treated using a combination of medication and psychotherapy. The medications most often used to treat schizophrenia include antipsychotic drugs or neuroleptics like Prolixin, Loxapine, and Thorazine. The most ideal treatment options for schizophrenia include cognitive behavioral therapy, cognitive enhancement therapy (also called cognitive remediation therapy), social skills training, and individual psychotherapy. After an individual with schizophrenia receives these types of treatments for several months, they become better equipped to manage their symptoms, especially as they age out of young adulthood. Living well despite having schizophrenia is possible. Pasadena Villa’s long-term intensive residential treatment programs are ideal for individuals struggling with schizophrenia and other related psychotic disorders. Our intensive residential treatment programs typically range from 3-5 months followed by 6-9 months of transitional and community-based housing. To learn more about our trademarked Social Integration Model or to schedule a complimentary assessment, please call the Pasadena Villa admissions office at 877-845-5235 or fill out our contact form. We currently offer treatment at two residential locations in both Orlando, Florida and Knoxville, Tennessee, and outpatient services in Raleigh, North Carolina. Pasadena Villa accepts most major insurance plans and gives its clients the ability to pay privately. Reference:
What is schizophrenia? Schizophrenia is a chronic mental illness that affects:
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), schizophrenia affects approximately 1 percent of Americans. It’s typically diagnosed in late adolescence or early 20s for men, and late 20s or early 30s in women. Episodes of the illness can come and go, similar to an illness in remission. When there’s an “active” period, an individual might experience:
Several disorders had diagnostic changes that were made in the new “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition,” including schizophrenia. In the past, an individual only had to have one of the symptoms to be diagnosed. Now, a person must have at least two of the symptoms. The DSM-5 also got rid of the subtypes as separate diagnostic categories, based on the presenting symptom. This was found to not be helpful, since many subtypes overlapped with one another and were thought to decrease the diagnostic validity, according to the American Psychiatric Association. Instead, these subtypes are now specifiers for the overarching diagnosis, to provide more detail for the clinician. Although the subtypes don’t exist as separate clinical disorders anymore, they can still be helpful as specifiers and for treatment planning. There are five classical subtypes:
Paranoid schizophreniaParanoid schizophrenia used to be the most common form of schizophrenia. In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association determined that paranoia was a positive symptom of the disorder, so paranoid schizophrenia wasn’t a separate condition. Hence, it was then just changed to schizophrenia. The subtype description is still used though, because of how common it is. Symptoms include:
Did you know? Hebephrenic/disorganized schizophreniaHebephrenic or disorganized schizophrenia is still recognized by the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10), although it’s been removed from the DSM-5. In this variation of schizophrenia, the individual doesn’t have hallucinations or delusions. Instead, they experience disorganized behavior and speech. This can include:
Undifferentiated schizophreniaUndifferentiated schizophrenia was the term used to describe when an individual displayed behaviors that were applicable to more than one type of schizophrenia. For instance, an individual who had catatonic behavior but also had delusions or hallucinations, with word salad, might have been diagnosed with undifferentiated schizophrenia. With the new diagnostic criteria, this merely signifies to the clinician that a variety of symptoms are present. Residual schizophreniaThis “subtype” is a bit tricky. It’s been used when a person has a previous diagnosis of schizophrenia but no longer has any prominent symptoms of the disorder. The symptoms have generally lessened in intensity. Residual schizophrenia usually includes more “negative” symptoms, such as:
Many people with schizophrenia go through periods where their symptoms wax and wane and vary in frequency and intensity. Therefore, this designation is rarely used anymore. Catatonic schizophreniaAlthough catatonic schizophrenia was a subtype in the previous edition of the DSM, it’s been argued in the past that catatonia should be more of a specifier. This is because it occurs in a variety of psychiatric conditions and general medical conditions. It generally presents itself as immobility, but can also look like:
Childhood schizophrenia isn’t a subtype, but rather used to refer to the time of diagnosis. A diagnosis in children is fairly uncommon. When it does occur, it can be severe. Early-onset schizophrenia typically occurs between the ages of 13 and 18. A diagnosis under the age of 13 is considered very early-onset, and is extremely rare. Symptoms in very young children are similar to those of developmental disorders, such as autism and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These symptoms can include:
It’s important to rule out developmental issues when considering a very early-onset schizophrenia diagnosis. Symptoms in older children and teens include:
Younger individuals are less likely to have delusions, but they’re more likely to have hallucinations. As teens get older, more typical symptoms of schizophrenia like those in adults usually emerge. It’s important to have a knowledgeable professional make a diagnosis of childhood schizophrenia, because it’s so rare. It’s crucial to rule out any other condition, including substance use or an organic medical issue. Treatment should be headed by a child psychiatrist with experience in childhood schizophrenia. It usually involves a combination of treatments such as:
Schizoaffective disorder is a separate and different condition from schizophrenia, but sometimes gets lumped in with it. This disorder has elements of both schizophrenia and mood disorders. Psychosis — which involves a loss of contact with reality — is often a component. Mood disorders can include either mania or depression. Schizoaffective disorder is further classified into subtypes based on whether a person has only depressive episodes, or whether they also have manic episodes with or without depression. Symptoms can include:
Diagnosis is typically made through a thorough physical exam, interview, and psychiatric evaluation. It’s important to rule out any medical conditions or any other mental illnesses like bipolar disorder. Treatments include:
Other related conditionsOther related conditions to schizophrenia include:
You can also experience psychosis with a number of health conditions. Schizophrenia is a complex condition. Not everyone diagnosed with it will have the same exact symptoms or presentation. Although subtypes are no longer diagnosed, they’re still used as specifiers to aid in clinical treatment planning. Understanding information about subtypes and schizophrenia in general can also help you in managing your condition. With an accurate diagnosis, a specialized treatment plan can be created and implemented by your healthcare team. |