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Paranoid schizophrenia is a serious mental health disorder. It is a chronic disease that definitely requires treatment in all cases. Check how the disease develops and what should worry us.
Schizophrenia is sometimes called schizophrenic psychosis. For this reason, it belongs to psychotic disorders, i.e. psychoses. These are the conditions in which the sick person does not perceive reality in the traditional way. It is similar in experiencing and perceiving certain events.
Paranoid schizophrenia – risk group
Apparently, the risk of developing schizophrenia is low and amounts to only 1%. This disease affects men and women equally. The first symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia usually appear in the patient before the age of 30, but the elderly can also develop the disease.
Paranoid schizophrenia – course
The onset of schizophrenia is often very violent. However, it should be remembered that the disease usually develops gradually. If the onset of the disease is sudden, symptoms may appear just a few days earlier. Then it is very easy to notice a change in the patient’s behavior. When the relatives of the sick person notice something wrong, they usually go to the doctor quickly.
Unfortunately, this is not always the case. When the disease takes a long time and symptoms worsen gradually, it is difficult to notice a significant change. Symptoms can last for months or even years. Behavioral changes as a result of the development of paranoid schizophrenia are very gradual. Most often, the sick person withdraws from social contacts at first, becomes withdrawn and distrustful.
His behavior becomes completely absurd and inadequate to the situation. Unfortunately, family and friends do not usually notice immediately that something is wrong. Only with the passage of time and with the worsening of symptoms, they refer the patient to a doctor.
Paranoid schizophrenia – symptoms
Paranoid schizophrenia has some common symptoms. One of them are productive symptoms, the so-called positive symptoms. This group of schizophrenia symptoms includes hallucinations, delusions and pseudohallucinations.
Hallucinations are caused by disturbances in the sense of sight, hearing, touch and smell. A patient suffering from paranoid schizophrenia begins to experience realistic sensations, despite the lack of an appropriate stimulus in the environment. These are, for example, voices calling for suicide, knocking or footsteps. Voices often persuade the sick person to do different things or comment on his behavior.
Delusions are often absurd and their content can vary. Often the sick have, for example, persecutory delusions, then they have the impression that someone is following them. There are also, for example, delusions, when the patient has the impression that the environment is too interested in his affairs.
Pseudohallucinations refer to a situation in which the patient hears voices, but they come from inside the head or leave the body. Then a person suffering from paranoid schizophrenia often begins to enter into discussions with them.
Negative symptoms also appear during paranoid schizophrenia. They are associated with avoiding social life and relationships with people. A person suffering from schizophrenia becomes indifferent to his surroundings, he is not happy with anything and loses the will to take care of himself. Starts speaking slowly and in short sentences. The patient forgets himself, has problems with concentration and avoids work.
If someone close to you has symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia, consult a psychiatrist for further steps.
Paranoid schizophrenia – diagnosis
Paranoid schizophrenia is diagnosed by a psychiatrist. The diagnosis is the result of a long and very detailed interview collected during the conversation with the patient. The doctor assesses the patient’s statements and observes his behavior. Most often, the psychiatrist also talks to the patient’s immediate family, asking, for example, about the history of mental illness in the family.
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Paranoid schizophrenia – treatment
Paranoid schizophrenia is usually treated with medication. Psychotherapy and group therapy are also necessary. There are situations when paranoid schizophrenia is exacerbated and hospitalization is necessary. Treatment of schizophrenia is very long-lasting and may even last the patient’s entire life.
Check what the treatment of schizophrenia looked like in the past
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