Schizophrenia Articles
Schizophrenia is one of the most serious and frightening of all mental illnesses. No other disorder arouses as much
anxiety in the general public, the media, and doctors. Effective treatments are available, yet patients and their families often find it hard to access good care. In the United Kingdom, as in many parts of the world, this is often due to poor service provision, but sometimes it is simply down to misinformation. In this review, we clarify the causes and presentation of schizophrenia, summarise the treatments that are available, and try to clear up a few myths. We searched the online electronic databases Web of Knowledge, the Cochrane Library, and the current National Institute for
Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines for suitable evidence based material. The name schizophrenia derives from the early observation that the illness is typified by “the disconnection or splitting of the psychic functions.”w1 Unfortunately, this has led to the misconception that the illness is characterised by a “split personality,” which it is not. Box 1 lists the common symptoms of schizophrenia. People with schizophrenia typically hear voices (auditory hallucinations), which often criticise or abuse them. The voices may speak directly to the patient, comment on the patient's actions, or discuss the patient among themselves. Not surprisingly, people who hear voices often try to make some sense of these hallucinations, and this can lead to the development of strange beliefs or delusions.
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