Differences between female and male schizophrenia

The fact that schizophrenia is a rather terrible disease is known to many, although the majority poorly represents all its danger. Even less is the knowledge of why it affects a person, what are its signs, and whether treatment is possible.

Differences between female and male schizophrenia

Many experts argue that this is a genetic disease that can be transmitted between generations. In this case, the disease can manifest itself in various forms.

  1.  Simple, which does not manifest itself with special warning signs. A person behaves normally, but there is a certain coldness, indifference to what is happening, apathy in him. His emotions are dulled, interest in life gradually disappears, he withdraws into himself and does not want to do anything.
  2. In the stage of paranoid schizophrenia, the patient is filled with thoughts that someone is following him, penetrates the brain and reads thoughts. He may have various hallucinations.
  3.  The third stage of the disease requires hospitalization and treatment. It is called catatonic and is recognized by the presence of repetitive actions in the patient. It can be walking in circles, waving arms, obscure cries, repeating the same words. (Remember, in the “Prisoner of the Caucasus” episode when Shurik was sent to a mental hospital?)
  4. The hebephrenic form, from the point of view of an ordinary person, will immediately indicate a significant ill health of a person who behaves rather strangely. He can tease others, grimace, make strange jokes. Of course, this condition requires treatment.

Differences between female and male schizophrenia

The course of the disease in men and women

The nature of the disease is such that it spares neither men nor women. However, experts note that, despite the similarity of the signs, in the «female version» it proceeds much easier. A woman is busy with children, housework, and even if she loses her job, she will find something to do. She has no time to become depressed, she has a lot of worries and responsibilities.

With a man, things are different. There is a tradition in society to perceive him as a breadwinner. The difficult economic situation has recently created an additional negative trend. Often, in the event of a job loss due to the closure of an enterprise or a reduction in wages, a man at home hears reproaches and insults. Most often they come from the spouse, which becomes doubly offensive and painful.

The inability to solve the problem, the lack of understanding and support drives a man into a dead end. Many «heads of families», constantly listening to the reproaches of their wife, are thinking about suicide. Others withdraw into themselves and become completely indifferent to what is happening.

This is partly due to the peculiarities of the psycho-emotional state of men and women. The first, as a rule, keep all the problems in themselves, all the experiences are inside and very rarely get outside in sincere conversations or over a glass of vodka.

Differences between female and male schizophrenia

Women tend to tell their friends, mothers, acquaintances and even strangers about their problems, thereby “removing the burden from the soul”, getting rid of nervous tension. Oddly enough, scandals can lead to relaxation and removal of a depressive state, when a woman expresses aloud everything that she has accumulated in her soul, tears. Such techniques are rare in men, and therefore the incidence of schizophrenia among the male population exceeds that of the female population. Thus, we can talk not only about the genetic, but also about the social factor in the appearance of the disease.

But, in order to at least a little calm men, you can give some funny information. According to the observations of psychologists and other specialists, bachelors are four (!) times more likely to get schizophrenia than married people.

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