Schizophrenia is a serious psychotic disorder that causes patients to interpret reality in abnormal ways. Persons often develop this disorder due to genetics or serious trauma. Schizophrenia affects 1 percent of the people in the world with symptoms that can range from hallucinations, delusions, or disordered thinking and behavior that impairs normal daily functioning.
Some early signs of schizophrenia are:
1. Depression
Depression is an extremely persistent mental state of sadness, low mood, disinterest, low motivation, and a downward decay of emotional well being. The onset of depression may develop from various reasons, including; interactions with medications, adverse social and family interactions, genetic disposition, or other symptoms of schizophrenia, such as withdrawal and the lack of ability to enjoy anything. This state of mind puts its victims in a crippling box and a cycle which disables their societal functions, increase their likeliness of embracing suicide, and further isolates them from the help they may need to find a resolution. Thankfully, not all schizophrenic individuals suffer from depression, and for them to be stamped with this abnormality, they would have to experience two or more of the following symptoms daily:
- Amplified appetite fluctuations
- Fragmented sleep schedule
- Feeling useless
- Inability to make thoughtful decisions
- Regressive physical movements
- Persistent invasive suicidal inclinations
- Diminished desire to achieve anything beneficial
It is important to note that these symptoms can result from over-indulgent drug use and will not be diagnosed as depression if that is the case. These symptoms have to be overly intrusive of social, occupational, and other healthy functions to cause a derailment before they qualify as a significant disorder.
2. Hostility or suspiciousness
Due to a reduced ability for normal cognitive function, a patient may display hostile attitudes towards hallucinations, delusions, or typical environmental occurring. Ultimately, this behavior results from mismanaged impulses (such as reactions to feeling threatened based on illogical paranoia) or recurring excessive substance misuse (such as drinking alcohol or smoking). Persons diagnosed with schizophrenia often display increased aggression within a few months after being released from hospital care. After this relief, violent reactions may also increase due to medication aversion or over-stimulation through reactions with other human beings.
Due to the nature of hostile behaviors, a subduing and subsequent invasive chemical intervention of the patients results when administering medical care. Persons who display hostility are threatening to themselves and their family members, which may lead to dismissive isolation, resulting in other mental complications.
3. Abandoned care for personal hygiene
Neglecting everyday bodily cleaning practices such as bathing or putting on deodorant may be one of the earliest mental impairment signs. This stems from the disruption of normal self-concern, concern for others, and motivation (apathy). Additionally, a person may become
consumed with his/her delusional and hallucinogenic affairs, resulting in further hygienic deficits. Within the tenure of a person’s treatment, they may recover some of these sanitary practices or all of them over time. However, medications may interfere with some bodily functions causing bad breath and the inability to make it to the bathroom in time. Through therapy, medical interventions, and positive reinforcements, this crooked phase of a person’s mental journey can be straight and can result in an overall boost of self-confidence, productivity, positive thinking and further encourage the mental fortitude that may positively influence the progress and direction of the person’s recovery.
