What is Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a mental health condition caused by a disorder of the brain's functioning. It can seriously disturb the way people think, feel and relate to others. People with schizophrenia are often misunderstood and blamed for their behaviour. It is important to understand that this is a medical disorder and it is not the person’s fault. It’s not due to lack of effort, intelligence, or anything a parent, family or friends did or didn’t say or do.

How common is schizophrenia?
About one person in 100 develops schizophrenia. Men and women are affected equally; however, men tend to have their first episode of schizophrenia in their late teens or early 20s. With women, it is usually a few years later.

What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of schizophrenia vary greatly from person to person, from mild to severe. A specialist is needed to make the diagnosis, especially because there is no such thing as a simple schizophrenia test.
Making it even harder to diagnose, schizophrenia often starts slowly. When the symptoms first appear, usually in adolescence or early adulthood, they may seem more confusing than serious.

In the early stages, people with schizophrenia may find themselves losing the ability to relax, concentrate or sleep. They may start to shut their friends and family out of their lives. Work or school begins to suffer; so does their personal appearance. During this time they may talk in ways that could be difficult to understand and they may start to perceive things in an unusual way.

Once it has taken hold, schizophrenia tends to come and go.

Other symptoms may include include:

•delusions (false beliefs that are not consistent with the person's culture, and have no basis in fact, maybe weird or paranoid)

•hallucinations (people hear, see, taste, smell or feel something that does not actually exist)

•disorganized thought (unconnected thoughts that make it impossible to communicate clearly with other people)

•disorganized mood (finding it hard to express feelings; feeling inappropriate or intense bursts of emotion; feeling empty of any emotions)

•disorganized behaviour (odd behavior or cannot complete everyday tasks such as bathing, dressing appropriately and preparing simple meals)

•changes in sensitivity (more sensitive and aware of other people; or withdrawn and seeming to pay no attention to others).
Causes

No single cause has been found for schizophrenia, although there is a clear genetic link.

Treatments
Treatment usually consists of medication and counseling. Antipsychotic medications are the main class of drugs used to treat schizophrenia. Psychotherapy can offer understanding, reassurance and suggestions for handling the emotional aspects of the disorder and providing less stressful living situations. Social supports for housing, finances and employment or daily activity are important for treatment and recovery. Families, friends and coworkers can benefit from education and support.

Recovery
It is impossible to predict how well a person will recover after the onset of the disorder. Some will recover almost totally. Some people will need medication and support for the rest of their lives.

More information

For further information about schizophrenia contact a community organization or your family doctor to find out about support and resources available in your community.

Websites:

National Network for Mental Health http://www.nnmh.ca

Schizophrenia Society of Canada: http://www.schizophrenia.ca/

Canadian Mental Health Association: http://www.cmha.ca

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health: http://www.camh.net/About_Addiction_Mental_Health/Mental_Health_Information/schizophrenia_mhfs.html

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What is Psychosis?

What is psychosis?

Psychosis is a loss of contact with reality due to an interruption in how the brain works. When people can't tell the difference between what is real and what is not, it is called a psychotic episode. A first episode of psychosis is often very frightening, confusing and distressing, particularly because it is an unfamiliar experience.

Sometimes psychosis emerges gradually over time, so that symptoms might be ignored in the early stages. Other times, symptoms appear suddenly and are very obvious to the individual and those around them. Symptoms vary from person to person and can change over time.

Who gets psychosis?
Psychosis can affect anyone; however, people with a family history of serious mental illness are at increased risk of developing psychosis.
Psychosis usually first appears in a person's late teens or early 20s. Approximately three out of every 100 people will have a psychotic episode in their lifetime. Psychosis occurs in men and women and across all cultures and socioeconomic groups.

A number of mental illnesses can include psychosis as a symptom, including schizophrenia

What are the symptoms of psychosis?

Symptoms of psychosis can vary from person to person and may change over time. Some common symptoms are:

•changes in thinking patterns (difficulty concentrating; loss of memory; disconnected thoughts)

•delusions (fixed, false beliefs that are not consistent with the person's culture, and have no basis in fact, sometimes weird or paranoid)

•hallucinations (people hear, see, taste, smell or feel something that does not actually exist)

•changes in mood (finding it hard to express feelings; feeling inappropriate or intense bursts of emotion; feeling empty of any emotions; depression)

•very disorganized behaviour (strange behaviours, or cannot complete everyday tasks such as bathing, dressing appropriately and preparing simple meals)

•thoughts of death or suicide

•feeling their thoughts have sped up or slowed down

•feeling preoccupied with unusual ideas

•belief that others can manipulate their thoughts; or that they can manipulate the thoughts of others

What causes psychosis?

There can be many causes for the brain to not work properly and start imagining things. Sometimes psychosis is secondary to a toxic substance like drugs, alcohol, supplements or medications. Sometimes it’s due to a medical disturbance like an infection, hormone abnormality, seizure disorder, or other medical illness. Sometimes it’s secondary to a severe mood disorder like depression or bipolar disorder. Often it’s a primary psychosis due to reasons that we do not entirely know the cause of.

In some cases, we do not know what causes a first episode of psychosis. Current research shows that biological and genetic factors raise the risk of having psychosis. Brain chemistry may effect psychosis. What’s clear is that it’s not due to a person being weak, or unintelligent or anything they or their family did or didn’t do or say.

When psychosis occurs for the first time it is difficult to know the cause. Psychosis is associated with a number of medical conditions including schizophrenia, depression, bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder and substance abuse, among others. Because the first episode of psychosis can signal a variety of conditions, it is important to seek a thorough medical assessment.

Can psychosis be treated?
Psychosis can be treated, and many people make a good recovery, especially if they get help early. Treatment usually consists of medication and counseling.
Throughout treatment, families can receive support and education during sessions with the treatment team.

Medication called antipsychotic medication is usually essential. It relieves symptoms of psychosis and may prevent further episodes of illness. With proper treatment, most people recover fully from the first episode of psychosis. For many, the first episode is also the last. Antipsychotic medications have many benefits, and as with all medication some risks and side effects. It’s important to discuss these with your care provider. And research and newer treatments are being developed.
Sometimes people with psychosis benefit from hospitalization for safety, support and stabilization at some point in their treatment and recovery path.

Recovery
Recovery from a first episode of psychosis varies from person to person. Sometimes symptoms go away quickly and people are able to resume their regular life right away. Other people may need several weeks or months to recover. Some people will need medication and support for the rest of their lives.

More information

For further information about psychosis contact a community organization or your family doctor to find out about support and resources available in your community.
Websites:

National Network for Mental Health
http://www.nnmh.ca

Schizophrenia Society of Canada
http://www.schizophrenia.ca/

Canadian Mental Health Association
http://www.cmha.ca

Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre (EPPIC) in Melbourne, Australia http://www.vicnet.net.au/~eppic

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What is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder? (OCD)

What is obsessive compulsive disorder?

Everyone experiences concern and uneasiness from time to time. We may worry about a problem at work or school, about money, health, or if the Leafs are going to win the Stanley Cup. But if you can’t stop worrying and it’s interfering with your life you may be experiencing obsessions as part of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Sometimes you know the thing you’re worrying about is ridiculous and makes little sense, but it bothers you anyway. For example, someone with OCD may have a constant worry that they have left the stove on, or not locked the door, even though you know you had. Or maybe you have to repetitively check, clean or organize things way beyond what’s reasonable, but you feel compelled to anyhow. It often annoys people around you and can cause problems for you at work, or in your relationships.
When worries overwhelm someone, we call them "obsessions." Obsessions are uninvited thoughts that surface in the mind over and over again. People with OCD know their obsessions are unrealistic, but they can't get rid of them, they can't control them, and they can't ignore them.

To relieve the feelings of distress and anxiety, people with OCD often try to reduce their anxiety by acting out certain rituals, or compulsive behaviours, over and over again. These rituals may include repeated washing, checking and arranging things, and counting. Performing these actions give people only temporary relief from their anxiety.

Who suffers from OCD?
OCD afflicts about one adult in 40, making it twice as common as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and the fourth most common psychiatric disorder. OCD is believed to be a disorder that is related to family history and how someone’s brain works. OCD can occur in people of all ages, but it generally begins before age 40. Studies show that the disorder usually begins during adolescence or early childhood. It affects men and women equally.

How to treat OCD
While a complete cure for OCD is rare, specialized treatment can bring many people long-term relief from their symptoms.
Two effective treatments for OCD have been developed: medication and a type of psychotherapy called cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). Used together, these treatments can be effective.
Psychotherapy techniques used to combat OCD symptoms involve encouraging a person to stay in contact with the object or situation that forms the obsession, and to not perform the ritual to ease the pressure of that obsession. Depending on the intensity of the therapy, improvement may be seen within 2 or more months. Yes, the best thing to help is to purposely expose yourself to the feared thought or situation and not be allowed to engage in the compulsive safety activity that’s become an unnecessary compulsive habit. Technically therapists refer to this as “exposure and response prevention”.

Coping with OCD
With early diagnosis and the right treatment, people can avoid the suffering that comes with OCD. They also have a greater chance of avoiding depression and relationship problems that often exist with OCD. Families, friends and coworkers can benefit by understanding what’s going on in OCD. Family, friends and coworkers often get pulled in to someone’s OCD demands in an effort to try and be helpful. But before long they feel hostage to the OCD demands and can become resentful. It’s best if they don’t participate in another person’s OCD demands, even though the person with OCD may protest.

More information

For further information about OCD contact a community organization, health care provider or your family doctor to find out about support and resources available in your community.

Websites:

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Obsessive Compulsive Foundation

Anxieties.com

Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments

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