Why would a normal person have schizophrenia?

I am a schizophrenic, my first onset was at the age of 14 and I am 21 years old.

I think it is unfortunate that I have such a disease at a time when children are most vulnerable and need to grow and learn.

This disease has caused me to lose most of my ability to learn and interest in things around me and has made my memory poor and concentration impossible.

At first, I had severe insomnia, and I could only sleep for about three or four hours every night, and even after I fell asleep, I would have nightmares, and I was in a muddled state every day.

I felt like a walking corpse without a mind, and I often started to drift off without realizing it.

During that time, I had already told my family many times that I was having a hard time, such as "I may need to go to the hospital" and so on, but my family did not pay any attention to it and thought that I did not want to study hard/played too much on my broken phone/watched horror movies to scare myself/played outside and so on. I was told to study hard and not to think about things all day long.

After that, I stayed up for about two months, and other more serious symptoms started to appear one after another.

Hallucinations (I would hear someone singing, but the sound was indistinct, and sometimes it would be some non-human noise);

Phantom touch (occasionally I feel like bugs are crawling on my body);

Delusions of victimization (I feel like I am being watched, my home is being monitored, my phone is being located, I am being followed, and someone is trying to hurt me);

There is also emotional indifference (I can not express my feelings, I do not cry or laugh face paralysis for some time);

Then came my first attack, no self-awareness (do not know what I did, broken), the onset of

It was only after that I finally went to the hospital and was diagnosed with schizophrenia after a series of examinations and tests.

I just remember that my mom started hugging me and crying after she saw the diagnosis and the psychotropic drugs I had to take all the time afterward......

I. Why do people get schizophrenic?

1. Family history

Schizophrenia is a certain genetic factor, and the closer the offspring is to the patient, the greater the probability of the disease, that is, the more susceptible people.

2. Neuropathy

Viral infections during pregnancy, certain physical diseases, and metabolic disorders cause brain dysfunction, and the chances of schizophrenia occurring in the fetus are significantly higher than in a normal pregnancy.

3、Psychological factors

Introversion, loneliness, silence, timidity, lack of social interaction, and laziness in life and work are some of the personality traits that lead to more than half of the total number of schizophrenics.

4, social factors

Under the conditions of today's society, people who are under too much pressure and are more vulnerable inside are prone to schizophrenia when they experience negative life events.

For example, many patients sink into depression because of lost love, the loss of a loved one, or a heavy blow to their career or emotions. If a patient is in this psychological state for a long time without good diversion, he or she will be prone to schizophrenia.

Second, is it possible for schizophrenia to be misdiagnosed?

Let's start with the conclusion that early schizophrenic symptoms are not typical and may be misdiagnosed.

Schizophrenia mostly starts in adolescence, often with a slow onset and a much-delayed course. The most common early manifestations.

Early symptoms of schizophrenia onset are very similar to depression, such as depressed mood, laziness, easy fatigue, disinterest in anything, alienation from people, and school or work discomfort...

Some symptoms are particularly like anxiety disorders, such as insomnia, sensitivity and paranoia, and increased alertness to sounds and such.

There is also the possibility of being misdiagnosed as bipolar, and there are some manic episodes, such as hostility, impulsive and disorganized behavior, irritability, etc.

Therefore, the diagnosis can be made only after combining various examinations, psychological tests, family history investigations, and multiple evidence seeking.

However, misdiagnosis is difficult to avoid, but it is slowly corrected over time as psychotic symptoms begin to manifest.

Also, the medications used for early schizophrenia cross over with those used for depression, anxiety, and bipolar, so they can be therapeutic as well.

Third, schizophrenia, is there any hope of returning to normal?

Patients with first-episode schizophrenia have a relapse rate of more than 80% within 5 years. Most relapses in schizophrenia are related to self-medication discontinuation, and the risk of relapse is five times higher for those who interrupt medication than for those who continue medication.

Reasons for poor patient medication adherence.

(1) Believing that they are well and do not need to continue medication treatment, and prematurely reducing the dosage on their own.

(2) Distrust of doctors, fearing that long-term medication will be harmful to the body and that they will "become stupid".

③Think it is too much trouble to take medication.

④Fear of others knowing that they are taking medication and have a sense of shame.

⑤ Fear of dragging down the family due to family financial difficulties.

Psychotherapy and health education are two-pronged measures to improve medication adherence. Research has confirmed that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can better improve symptoms, self-awareness, adherence, and social functioning.

For example, in improving medication adherence, patients can discuss the benefits and disadvantages of taking medication, use pros and cons analysis to correct patients' misconceptions about medication, and instruct patients on techniques for coping with adverse drug reactions.

At the same time, health education can improve patients' awareness of the disease, promote the recovery of self-knowledge and increase medication compliance.

Fourth, family members need to give support

Studies have shown that patients' non-compliance with medication within two years after discharge is as high as 75%, and many reasons for non-compliance with medication are due to a weak family support system.

1. Observe the condition and monitor medication taking

Medication adherence is the most important protective factor against relapse.

As a guardian, you should be aware of the "early warning signs" of relapse, supervise the patient to take medication on time and in the right amount, and observe the changes in symptoms and the occurrence of adverse drug reactions.

2. Improve relationships within the family

A loving family environment plays a positive role in the recovery of patients.

Avoiding the use of scolding and emotional arguments when conflicts and disagreements arise between family members can significantly reduce the likelihood of relapse for patients.

3. Reduce blaming or overprotection

Patients with schizophrenia have reduced social functioning compared to healthy people, which is not what they are meant to do. It is pointless to accuse them of not being able to do something that regular people can do, but instead, the situation will get worse.

On the other hand, they are not useless and tired.

Although their abilities are diminished, they still can do certain things and interact socially, and overprotecting them from social contact or trying to work can impair their recovery of function.