Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder that affects about 1% of the population worldwide. This disorder occurs in Anguilla and can cause much distress to the individual affected as well as other family members, relatives and friends.

What is Schizophrenia?
This is a chronic and severe mental disorder that affects both men and women and is usually diagnosed in people aged 13 to 35 years. It affects individuals of all races, cultures and economic groups. Schizophrenia is not split personality or multiple personality. The vast majority of individuals with schizophrenia are not violent and do not pose a danger to others, hence there is no need to keep them in prison.

What causes Schizophrenia?
The exact cause of schizophrenia is not known. Interplay of genetic (heredity), biology (the imbalance in the brain’s chemistry), viral infections and immune disorders are involved. Schizophrenia tends to appear more often when the body undergoes hormonal and physical changes, like those that occur during puberty and in the young adult.

What are the symptoms of schizophrenia?
Symptoms of schizophrenia may vary from one individual to another. The individual may not have any outward appearance of being ill. Symptoms may develop slowly over months or years or they may occur very abruptly. Symptoms include the following:
• Delusions:these are false ideas-The individual may believe that someone is spying on him or her, or that he or she is someone famous.

• Hallucinations:seeing, feeling, tasting, hearing or smelling something that does not really exist.

• Disordered thinking and speech:moving from one topic to another, in a nonsensical fashion.

• Social withdrawal.

• Extreme apathy.

• Lack of drive or initiative.

• Emotional; unresponsiveness.
• Loss of appetite.

If you are your relative or friend has several of these symptoms for more than two weeks you should see your doctor or health care provider immediately. Early treatment can mean a better long-term outcome.

Are there early warning signs of schizophrenia?
There might be early warning signs of this mental disorder and they include the following:
• A constant feeling of being watched.
• A change in personal hygiene and appearance.
• Deterioration of academic work performance.
• Irrational, angry or fearful response to loved ones.
• Inappropriate or bizarre behaviour.
• Extreme preoccupation with religion or the occult.

Types of schizophrenia
There are different types of schizophrenia and are described by the more dominant features exhibited by the individual. For instance, in Paranoid Schizophrenia the individual feels extremely suspicious, persecuted or grandiose while in Catatonic Schizophrenia the individual is withdrawn, mute, negative and often assumes very unusual body positions. Others types of Schizophrenia are Disorganized Schizophrenia, Residual schizophrenia and Schizoaffective disorder.

Treatment
At present there is no cure for schizophrenia but, with proper treatment, many individuals with this chronic mental disorder can lead productive and fulfilling lives. Recovery is possible through a variety of services including medication and rehabilitation programs. Many individuals with schizophrenia require the support of family members and friends. There are many negative feelings about schizophrenia by some members of the society and this need to change. Much more health education is needed about mental illnesses for members of the community so that the level of stigma and discrimination can be decreased and finally eliminated.

Conclusion
Schizophrenia is a chronic mental illness that can severely affect individuals. The exact cause is not known and, although there is no cure at present, many of the symptoms can be controlled by a combination of treatment options. Relatives and friends should take individuals with symptoms to a doctor or mental health expert as many individuals with schizophrenia do not think they have a disorder and seldom seek help on their own. The development of new antipsychotic drugs and the large amount of research in mental illnesses have given new hope to the large number of individuals suffering from this mental disorder.

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