Schizophrenia - Patient Education Home

Definition:
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia an illnesses that usually starts during childhood or teenage years.
It can cause a change in:
C Thinking
C The way you understand what you see, hear, feel, taste and smell
C Mood or feelings
C Self image
C Relationships with other people
C Ability to make decisions
C Body movements
General information
There are several types of Schizophrenia. The kind you have depends on your
symptoms. The different kinds of schizophrenia are:
C Catatonic Type
C Disorganized Type
C Undifferentiated Type
C Residual Type
C Paranoid Type
Schizophrenia does not mean split personality.
Signs and symptoms:
1. Changes in thinking, which may include:
C Thoughts that jump from one subject to another quickly.
C Thoughts that are not connected and do not make sense to other people.
C Having fewer thoughts or less thoughts that you talk about.
Changes in your thinking also may include delusional thinking. Delusions are
believing things that are not true or real, but are very real to you. Some
common examples of this are:
C Believing that others are talking about you or want to harm you.
C Believing events have a special meaning for you.
C Believing that other people can hear or know your thoughts.

C Believing that someone else's thoughts have been put into your mind.
C Believing that your thoughts have been removed from your head.
C Believing that you are being controlled.
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2. Changes in the way you understand what you hear and see. This means
hearing or seeing something that is not real. These sensations may seem very
real to you. They are called hallucinations and are different from delusions.
3. Changes in mood or feelings. Many times you may show few or no feelings.
Sometimes you may show feelings that do not make sense to others, such as
laughing at something sad or crying over something funny.
4. Changes in your self image. You may not have a clear feeling or idea of who
you are as a person.
5. Ability to make decisions. You may have trouble setting goals and making
choices. You may have less energy, interest or desire. This may keep you
from working or getting things done.
6. Changes in relationships with other people. You may have trouble relating to
other people. You may withdraw from other people and have trouble
communicating. Sometimes you may depend on others too much.
7. Changes in body movements. Sometimes you may not move, or you may
move slowly. Occasionally you may have movements that you can not
control. Sometimes you might hold your body in strange positions.
Course and treatment:
The usual course of schizophrenia includes periods of being sick (having
symptoms) followed by periods of being well (without symptoms). During the
well times you may not be able to function at the same level as before you became
sick.
There is no cure for schizophrenia. Sometimes the symptoms of schizophrenia
leave completely, especially if you follow your medical and treatment program. A
lot of research is being done about schizophrenia and new drugs such as Clozaril
are being developed.
Things you can do to help yourself:
C Tell your doctor if any of your symptoms become worse or if new symptoms
occur. Know what your symptoms are and how to get help.
C It is very important to take all of your medicine the way your doctor tells you
to, and to keep taking your medicine even when your symptoms are gone.
Medicine can help most or all of the symptoms of schizophrenia.
C Eat well and get enough rest.

C Talk about your thoughts and feelings instead of keeping them inside.
C Keep your appointments with your doctor.
C Realize when there is stress in your life and learn ways to cope with stress.
C Do not drink alcohol or take medicine without talking to your doctor first.
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C Illegal drugs, especially marijuana, diet pills and even over-the-counter cold
medicines can bring on or make schizophrenic symptoms worse.
C Join a support group.
Things family members can do to help:
1. Learn about schizophrenia. Understand that having the illness is neither the
person nor the family's fault.
2. Know what your family member's symptoms are and how to get help if they
get worse or new symptoms occur.
3. Keep expectations realistic.
4. Do not argue about delusions. Try to focus on reality based topics like current
events and day to day things.
5. Help provide a simple routine with few changes.
6. Understand that people with schizophrenia like to be with people but also
need time to be alone. Often they are uncomfortable in groups, even if they
know the people.
7. Behave naturally and with respect toward the person with schizophrenia.
8. Understand that people with schizophrenia do not always understand humor.
9. Join a support group for family members of people with schizophrenia
If you would like more written information, please call the Library for Health Information
at (614)293-3707. You can also make the request by e-mail: health-info@osu.edu.
© Copyright, (10/2004)
Department of Psychiatric Nursing
The Ohio State University Medical Center
< Upon request all patient education handouts are available in other formats for people with special
hearing, vision and language needs, call (614) 293-3191.