How to Cope With Teen Schizophrenia and Its Symptoms?

The most complex of all mental illness is schizophrenia which refers to a chronic and disabling disturbance of the human brain. This psychological disorder is chronic, severe, and brain disease that often occurs to develop between late adolescence and early adulthood. People dealing with schizophrenic symptoms may have trouble distinguishing reality from fantasy, organizing their thoughts, controlling their emotions, or interacting with others.

Researches show that the disorder affects men and women equally; however, schizophrenic symptoms begin in men earlier than women. Symptoms usually first appear in men during their late teens or early 20’s. Different mistaken beliefs concerning schizophrenia make it one of the most stigmatized of all mental disorders. Media may portray misconceptions like people suffering from this disease have split personalities and most of them are violent or tend to harm other people. But of these are not true. Most people with schizophrenia appear aloof and prefer to be left alone.

According to recent researches, one in five teenagers with risk factors developed symptoms of schizophrenia. New imaging studies reveal for the first time patterns of brain development that expand into the teenage years. The neurological development of young people is very sensitive to aspects of dysfunctional social settings, such as trauma, violence, lack of warmth in personal relationships and lack of sympathy. These factors have all been found for the later progression of schizophrenic symptoms.

Schizophrenia can be confusing and terrifying experience because even people with this mental disorder do not completely understand the nature of their condition. People normally encounter stress during their teenage lives; these pressures can give them the essence of schizophrenia which involves world of fear, confusion and helplessness.

Teens with the disorder may have trouble functioning normally especially when they are interacting with the society. Schizophrenic symptoms are physically, emotionally and mentally draining for the loved ones of those afflicted. Patients may need possible emotional support from their families, financial assistance, and daily help for medication.

The disorder is physically, emotionally and mentally draining for families of those afflicted. Schizophrenic teens often have difficulty acting normally when they are communicating with general public and may need financial assistance, emotional support and daily help for tasks such as taking medication.

Heredity may play a significant role in having schizophrenia. According to various reports from NARSAD, young people who have a family member with schizophrenic symptoms are 30 percent more likely to develop the mental disorder themselves.

The psychological disorder in teens expresses itself in a different way. It is often difficult to notice and recognize it in the early stages unless evaluated by an expert psychiatrist who specializes in the field of teenage schizophrenia. Suspected schizophrenic may exhibit behavior changes gradually, over time. In some cases, teens that were once very active in sports and loved hanging out with their friends may start to withdraw and appear aloof. They may begin to talk about strange events they feel they were a part of, but that never really happened. Some may show childlike behaviors and become dependent upon their parents or guardians.