Questions and Answers - Recent questions and answers in Schizophrenia

Answered: How is tardive dyskinesia similar to akathisia?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 12:22:05 +0000

Tardive dyskinesia is a side effect of antipsychotic drugs. It causes repetitive movements like blinking and grimacing. But you don’t have control over them. With akathisia, you make the choice to move to relieve an urge.

Answered: What are some early warning signs of a schizophrenia relapse?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 12:18:47 +0000

Be alert to these early signs of a schizophrenia relapse:

Trouble sleeping
Eating less
Trouble concentrating or being disorganized
Staying away from other people or disappearing unexpectedly
Mood changes, nervousness, or irritability
Having strange ideas or disorganized thinking
Poor personal hygiene
Speech that doesn't make sense
Hearing voices
Delusions, suspiciousness, or increased paranoia
Aggressive talk
Suicidal thoughts

Answered: How can cognitive behavioral therapy help with psychosis?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 12:17:35 +0000

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help you recognize when you have psychotic episodes. It also helps you know whether what you see and hear is real or imagined. This kind of therapy also stresses the importance of antipsychotic medications and sticking with your treatment.

Answered: What is the outlook for people with schizophrenia?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 12:16:46 +0000

With proper treatment, most people with schizophrenia can lead productive and fulfilling lives. Depending on the level of severity and the consistency of treatment received they are able to live with their families or in community settings rather than in long-term psychiatric institutions.

Ongoing research on the brain and how brain disorders develop will likely lead to more effective medicines with fewer side effects.

Answered: When do schizophrenia symptoms usually start?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 12:15:05 +0000

Schizophrenia usually takes hold after puberty. Most people are diagnosed in their late teens to early 30s.

Answered: How is schizoaffective disorder related to schizophrenia?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 12:13:43 +0000

With schizoaffective disorder, you'll have a combination of psychotic symptoms along with depression (major depressive disorder) or bipolar disorder. You could feel very down, or swing between super high-energy or highly irritable and very low, too. In schizoaffective disorder, the psychotic symptoms have to sometimes happen even when yo

Answered: How is schizophreniform related to schizophrenia?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 12:12:32 +0000

When you've had psychotic symptoms for at least a month but less than six months, doctors call it schizophreniform. Many people with this disorder go on to have schizophrenia. In other words, schizophreniform is often early schizophrenia. But for about one-third of people, the symptoms just go away.

Answered: How does skills training treat schizoaffective disorder?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 12:10:05 +0000

Skills training generally focuses on work and social skills, grooming and self-care, and other day-to-day activities, including money and home management.

Answered: How do you know if you have schizophrenia?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 12:09:08 +0000

People with schizophrenia usually aren't aware that they have it until a doctor or counselor diagnoses them. In fact, chances are they won't even realize that something is seriously wrong. If they do happen to notice symptoms, like not being able to think straight, they might chalk it up to things like stress or being tired.

If you're concerned that you or someone you know is showing signs of schizophrenia, talk to a doctor or counselor.

Answered: How can being goal-oriented help someone you love with schizophrenia?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 12:07:57 +0000

A doctor will set up a wellness plan with your loved one that will include specific goals. Your job as a caregiver is to remind your loved one how important it is to stick to their goals, and to encourage them to stay on their medication. Following a treatment plan helps prevent the disease from coming back and keeps the symptoms from getting worse.

Answered: How can family members or friends help someone with schizophrenia?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 12:07:30 +0000

Family members or friends of the person with schizophrenia can help by giving the doctor a detailed history and information about the patient, including behavioral changes, previous level of social functioning, history of mental illness in the family, past medical and psychiatric problems, medications, and allergies (to foods and medications) as well as the person's previous physicians and psychiatrists. A history of hospitalizations is also helpful so that old records at these facilities might be obtained and reviewed.

Answered: Who are long-lasting drugs for schizophrenia recommended for?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 12:06:54 +0000

Long-acting drugs solve the problem of having to take medicine every day -- and because a health care professional has to give you the shot, it's easier for your doctor to know whether you're keeping up with your treatment.

Generally, long-lasting drugs are recommended for people whose symptoms get better with pills or liquid meds, but who have trouble taking them every day. So, they're often not prescribed until someone has had schizophrenia for several years.

Answered: How long does brief psychotic disorder usually last?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 12:06:29 +0000

Brief psychotic disorder, by definition, lasts for less than 1 month, after which most people recover fully. It’s rare, but for some people, it may happen more than once. If symptoms last for more than 6 months, doctors may consider a possible diagnosis of schizophrenia

What is catatonia?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 12:05:10 +0000

How is tardive dyskinesia diagnosed?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 12:04:24 +0000

Answered: How do you take antipsychotic medicines for schizophrenia treatment?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 12:04:07 +0000

You often take antipsychotics by pill. People who have trouble doing this may get a long-acting antipsychotic shot in the shoulder muscle or buttocks, sometimes once a month, at a doctor's office or hospital. It may help prevent relapses.

How is schizophrenia treated?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 12:03:05 +0000

Answered: Who is more likely to get neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS)?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 12:02:51 +0000

NMS is more common in men than in women. You're also more likely to get it if you:

Take a high dose of the drug
Quickly increase your dose
Get the medicine as a shot
Switch from one antipsychotic drug to another

Answered: How are psychotic disorders diagnosed?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 12:02:24 +0000

A person will answer questions about their physical and psychiatric history and possibly also get a physical exam.

There are no lab tests that specifically diagnose this disorders. Doctors may use tools such as brain imaging (including MRI scans) and blood tests to rule out other causes.

If a doctor finds no physical reason for the symptoms, he or she might refer the person to a psychiatrist or psychologist. These mental health experts will talk to the person, listen to their symptoms, observe their behavior, and find out if the person is close to someone who is known to have delusions.

Answered: What tests will help your doctor find out why you are hearing things that aren't real?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 12:01:52 +0000

You’ll get tests based on what your doctor thinks might be the cause. For example, you might need to see a psychiatrist to check for a mental illness. Or you might get an electroencephalogram (EEG), which measures electrical signals in your brain, to look for epilepsy. Or a hearing exam to check for hearing loss or tinnitus.

Answered: What treatments can help you if you are hearing things that aren't real?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 12:01:20 +0000

This depends on what’s causing you to hear things. Sometimes, once you and your doctor solve that problem, the hallucinations go away or at least may not happen as much.

In some cases, there’s an easy solution. Your doctor may lower the dose of a medicine you take. In others, treatment is more complex and you may need to try several things to see what works. For example, with an illness like schizophrenia, you might need a mix of medications, therapy, and other care.

How can I prevent tardive dyskinesia?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 12:00:23 +0000

Answered: How can holistic and alternative medicine doctors help with therapy for schizophrenia?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:59:09 +0000

They specialize in complementary and alternative medicines, holistic medicine, nutritional medicine, and herbal medicine treatments. These doctors may be able to prescribe medications but often choose different approaches that may combine natural medicines with mental health therapies.

Answered: How can counseling help treat paranoid schizophrenics?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:57:33 +0000

Once your delusions are under control, counseling can help you get along with others, hold a job, go to school, take care of yourself, and have friends.

People with schizophrenia who get counseling are also more likely to stick with their medications.

Positive, encouraging support from family and friends really helps, too.

Answered: How do doctors diagnose schizophreniform disorder?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:56:28 +0000

If someone has symptoms, a doctor may use various tests -- such as brain imaging (like MRI scans) or blood tests -- to rule out a nonpsychiatric illness. If the doctor finds no physical reason for the symptoms, he or she may refer the person to a psychiatrist or psychologist, mental health professionals who are trained to diagnose and treat mental illnesses. They use specially designed interview and assessment tools to see if someone has a psychotic disorder. For a diagnosis of schizophreniform disorder, the

Answered: How common is schizophreniform disorder?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:55:59 +0000

About one person in 1,000 develops schizophreniform disorder during his or her lifetime. The disorder happens equally in men and women, although it often strikes men at a younger age, between ages 18 and 24. In women, it most often happens between ages 24 and 35.

Answered: Which specialists can best work with schizophrenics?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:55:31 +0000

Your family doctor can refer you to a psychiatrist who works with teens. A psychiatrist has special training in how to diagnose and treat schizophrenia.

Answered: How can you recover from psychotic disorders?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:55:07 +0000

Each person being treated for a psychotic disorder may respond to therapy differently. Some will show improvement quickly. For others, it may take weeks or months to get symptom relief.

Some people may need to continue treatment for an extended period of time. Some, such as those who have had several severe episodes, may need to take medication indefinitely. In these cases, the medication usually is given in as low a dose as possible to minimize side effects.

Answered: What are the symptoms of paraphrenia?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:54:36 +0000

Paraphrenia is a condition with symptoms similar to schizophrenia. It starts late in life, when people are elderly.

Answered: How is psychotherapy used in psychotic disorders?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:54:05 +0000

Psychotherapy involves several different types of counseling -- including individual, group, and family therapy -- that can help someone who has a psychotic disorder.

Most people with psychotic disorders are treated as outpatients, meaning they don’t live in institutions. Sometimes, though, people need to be hospitalized, such as if they have severe symptoms, are in danger of hurting themselves or others, or can’t care for themselves because of their illness.

Answered: What newer antipsychotics are used to treat psychotic disorders?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:53:36 +0000

Newer, so-called "atypical anti-psychotics" include:

Aripiprazole (Abilify)
Asenapine (Saphris)
Brexpiprazole (Rexulti)
Cariprazine (Vraylar)
Clozapine (Clozaril)
Iloperidone (Fanapt)
Lurasidone (Latuda)
Paliperidone (Invega)
Paliperidone palmitate (Invega Sustenna, Invega Trinza)
Quetiapine (Seroquel)
Risperidone (Risperdal)
Olanzapine (Zyprexa)
Ziprasidone (Geodon)

Answered: What are the symptoms of schizophrenia?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:52:51 +0000

People with schizophrenia experience changes in behavior and other symptoms -- such as delusions and hallucinations -- that last longer than 6 months. It usually affects them at work or school, as well as their relationships.

Answered: What are the symptoms of psychotic disorders?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:52:29 +0000

The main symptoms of psychotic disorders include hallucinations, delusions, and disordered forms of thinking.

Answered: What are causes of psychotic disorders?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:51:25 +0000

Doctors don't know the exact cause of psychotic disorders. Researchers believe that many things play a role. Some psychotic disorders tend to run in families, which means that the disorder may be partly inherited. Other things may also influence their development, including stress, drug abuse, and major life changes.

Answered: What antipsychotics are used to treat psychotic disorders?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:50:57 +0000

Anti-psychotics include:

Chlorpromazine (Thorazine)
Fluphenazine (Prolixin)
Haloperidol (Haldol)
Loxapine (Loxitane)
Perphenazine (Trilafon)
Thioridazine (Mellaril)

Answered: Is delusional disorder hereditary?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:43:36 +0000

The fact that delusional disorder is more common in people who have family members with delusional disorder or schizophrenia suggests that genetic factors may be involved. It is believed that, as with other mental disorders, a tendency to develop delusional disorder might be passed on from parents to their children.

Answered: How can you have trouble concentrating if you have schizophrenia?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:42:51 +0000

Issues regarding concentration are a hallmark of schizophrenia. For example, a schizophrenic might lose track of what's going on in a TV show as he or she watches.

Answered: How do doctors diagnose delusional disorder if there is no physical reason for the symptoms?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:41:55 +0000

If the doctor finds no physical reason for the symptoms, he or she might refer the person to a psychiatrist or psychologist. They use specially designed interview and assessment tools to evaluate a person for a psychotic disorder. The doctor or therapist bases his or her diagnosis on the person's report of symptoms, and his or her observation of the person's attitude and behavior. The doctor or therapist then determines if the person's symptoms point to a specific disorder. The doctor will make an official diagnosis of delusional disorder if a person has non-bizarre delusions for at least one month and does not have symptoms of other psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia.

Answered: What are the symptoms of psychotic disorder due to another medical condition?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:41:26 +0000

Hallucinations, delusions, or other symptoms of psychosis may occur because of another illness that affects brain function, such as a head injury or brain tumor.

Answered: What are cognitive symptoms in schizophrenia?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:36:10 +0000

Cognitive symptoms refer to how well your brain learns, stores, and uses information.

Someone with schizophrenia might have a hard time with working memory. For example,he may not be able to keep track of different kinds of facts at the same time, like a phone number plus instructions.

Along with having trouble paying attention, it can be hard forschizophrenics to organize their thoughts and make decisions.

Answered: What is delusional disorder?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:35:44 +0000

Delusional disorder, previously called paranoid disorder, is a type of serious mental illness in which a person cannot separate the real from the imagined. The main feature of this disorder is the presence of delusions, unshakable beliefs in something untrue or not based on reality. People with delusional disorder also generally experience delusions involving situations that could occur in real life, such as being followed, poisoned, deceived, conspired against, or loved from a distance.

Answered: What is neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS)?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:34:56 +0000

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a rare reaction to antipsychotic drugs that treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other mental health conditions. It affects the nervous system and causes symptoms like a high fever and muscle stiffness.

The condition is serious, but it’s treatable. Most people who get it make a full recovery when it’s found early.

Answered: What newer antipsychotic drugs can cause neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS)?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:34:13 +0000

Doctors call the newer antipsychotic drugs "atypical antipsychotics." They include:

These drugs block a brain chemical called dopamine. That can make your muscles stiff and can cause rigid movements in people with Parkinson's disease.

Aripiprazole (Abilify)
Asenapine (Saphris)
Brexpiprazole (Rexulti)
Cariprazine (Vraylar)
Clozapine (Clozaril)
Iloperidone (Fanapt)
Olanzapine (Zyprexa)
Paliperidone (Invega)
Quetiapine (Seroquel)
Risperidone (Risperdal)
Ziprazidone (Geodon)

Answered: What medications treat neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS)?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:33:33 +0000

Your doctor will first take you off the drug that caused this syndrome. Often, people with NMS get treatment in a hospital intensive care unit. The goal is to bring down your fever and give you fluids and nutrition.

Medications used to treat NMS include:

Drugs that relax tight muscles, such as dantrolene (Dantrium)
Parkinson's disease drugs that make your body produce more dopamine, suc

Answered: What are symptoms of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS)?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:32:52 +0000

NMS symptoms can include:

High fever (102 to 104 F)
Muscle stiffness
Sweating a lot
Anxiety or other changes in mental state
Fast or abnormal heartbeat
Quick breathing
More saliva than usual

Answered: How can epilepsy cause you to hear things that aren't real?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:32:14 +0000

When seizures from epilepsy affect the brain area that processes hearing, you might get a buzzing sound or voices. In some cases, it warps how you hear things, so they’re not as loud or clear.

Answered: How can intense stress cause you to hear things that aren't real?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:31:34 +0000

Serious stress, as you might have after going through something traumatic, can cause hallucinations. It’s especially common to hear the voice of a loved one after their recent death.

Answered: How can alcohol and illegal drugs cause you to hear things that aren't real?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:31:02 +0000

Heavy drinking and certain street drugs, like ecstasy and LSD, more often cause you to see things that aren’t there. But they can make you hear things, too, both as you use them and when you quit after you’ve used them a long time.

Answered: How can migraines cause you to hear things that aren't real?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:30:27 +0000

Often, if you get migraines with auras, you see things. But some people hear things instead. Usually, it’s voices. And that may be more likely if you also have depression.

Answered: What is jealous delusional disorder?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:27:39 +0000

A person with jealous delusional disorder believes that his or her spouse or sexual partner is unfaithful.