The minefield of schizophrenia (1)

by Beth McHugh | More from this Blogger

05 Aug 2006 05:09 PM

Having a family member diagnosed with schizophrenia is distressing enough, but having to deal with the terminology and language of schizophrenia can be a nightmare in its own right. Here is a short glossary of terms that are frequently used by mental health professionals to describe the common characteristics of this puzzling and disturbing illness.

• Acute episode The period of the illness when severe symptoms, including hallucinations and delusions, are experienced.

• Affect A synonym for "mood" and refers to the outward expression of emotion. Persons suffering from schizophrenia may be described as having "flat effect" meaning that little or no emotion is registered during events which would normally elucidate crying, laughter, etc.

• Atypical antipsychotic medications. Sounds worse that it really is and simply refers to the newer class of antipsychotic medications that we developed in the 1990s. They cause fewer side effects than more traditional drug treatments and some also address a wider array of symptoms.

• Chemical imbalance Refers to the theory that schizophrenia (as well as many other psychological disturbances) is caused by an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain. Medications attempt to restore or at least mitigate these potential imbalances, resulting in improved mood and behavior.

• Cognitive symptoms This term refers to the difficulty some sufferers experience in their ability to think clearly, and hence may have trouble problem solving (such as loading the address book of a mobile phone), or problems with memory, including retaining and recalling information.

• Delusions Thoughts and beliefs that the sufferer is convinced are true but have no basis in reality.

• Dopamine One of a number of neurotransmitters that act as chemical messengers in the brain. Abnormal levels of dopamine are linked to the development of schizophrenia.

• Early warning signs Behaviors and symptoms indicative of a possible relapse. These include sleep disturbances, anxiety, agitation, and occasional delusional thoughts.

• Electroconvulsive Therapy Also known as ECT, this is a medical treatment involving passing a controlled electrical current through the brain of the sufferer. Used to treat severe mental illness; in particular, depression which has not responded to other therapies. Side effects include memory loss.

• Extrapyramidal effects Abnormal bodily movements (e.g. stiffness, twitching, trembling) that are a side effect of antipsychotic medication.

• Hallucinations Imaginary, and often frightening, perceptions experienced during a psychotic episode that involve any of the five senses. The sufferer may see things that do not exist, or hear, taste or feel experiences that do not occur in reality.

In coming blogs, we will continue our glossary of terms related to schizophrenia.

Contact Beth McHugh for further information or assistance regarding this issue.

Learn more about Beth McHugh

Beth McHugh began her career as a geologist and worked both in industry and as a university researcher.

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