Though a schizophrenia patient suffers from delusions, hallucinations and other cognitive difficulties, he or she can lead a normal life through longtime treatment and uninterrupted supports from family, friends and society as well as the country, a leading psychiatrist told BSS today.
"Despite schizophrenia is a cognitive disease, almost 33 percent patient can lead fully normal life while 33 percent can lead both good and bad life or in between by dint of proper treatment and family bonds. So, there is no reason to believe that life has ended," said Dr Abdus Salam, professor of the Psychiatry Department at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU).
Due to lack of knowledge, awareness and family supports, if a patient does not take regular treatment for a long time, it may become impossible to cure the disease, he said, adding that such people also cover the 33 percent of total schizophrenia patients in the world.
Schizophrenia, he said, most commonly strikes between the ages of 16 and 30, and males tend to show symptoms at a slightly younger age than females.
"In many cases, the disorder develops so slowly that the individual does not know that they have had it for many years. However, in other cases, it can strike suddenly and develop quickly," he added.
Mainly, schizophrenia is a thought disorder and the psychiatrist mentioned that the major signs and symptoms of a schizophrenia patient are hearing voices that are not there, convincing that others reading their minds, controlling how they think or plotting against them and blunted emotions etc.
"Before any acute symptoms are apparent, people with schizophrenia habitually become bad-tempered, anxious, and unfocused. This can trigger relationship problems, divorce, and unemployment," he added.
Across the world, he said, schizophrenia affects an estimated one percent of the population and the same rate also exists in Bangladesh, he said adding, "in 2017, an estimated 17,000 people worldwide died from behavior related to or caused by schizophrenia."
Yet the doctor`s observation is that it is not a matter of concern as the disease also fully curable with proper treatment and patients can lead a productive life. "Treatment can help relieve many of the symptoms of schizophrenia," he added.
The patient must continue taking medicine and medication for two-year even when symptoms are gone, he said, adding that otherwise they will come back.
He said the government and BSMMU together have been working relentlessly to control the disease through awareness programmes for schizophrenia.
Like other countries, Bangladesh also observes the World Mental Health Day on October 10 every year to keep people aware about mental health as well as schizophrenia, he added.
Source : BSS