The stages of schizophrenia are the stages that a patient goes through when he is afflicted with this serious mental illness, and he suffers from a disorder that is classified into three stages, the first of which is the prodromal stage, the second is the active or acute stage, and the third is the remaining stage. The symptoms of schizophrenia develop in these stages and begin with vague general symptoms, passing through symptoms that are severe and clear, and then the end of the stages is partial recovery. Doctors within the Well-Being Center of Al-Mousa Health Hospital carry out all health measures within specialized treatment programs to recover from this psychological disorder.
What are the stages of schizophrenia?
The stages of schizophrenia are represented in three stages, each of which has special symptoms and signs. We reveal these stages as follows:
- First, the prodrome stage
It comes as the first stage of schizophrenia, during which the early symptoms of schizophrenia appear. The patient gradually shows psychological and behavioral changes, and the matter is unclear and disturbing. The patient is not normal as he was, and the patient and those around him do not realize that this represents early signs of schizophrenia because its symptoms are similar to the symptoms of other psychological problems. This stage has symptoms similar to the symptoms of other psychological disorders, including depression, and its signs include isolation, anxiety, and inability to concentrate.
- Secondly, the acute stage
It is the stage of acute schizophrenia, meaning that the patient loses touch with his reality, during which psychotic symptoms and hallucinations appear. Among its symptoms also are delusions, paranoia, hallucinations, thought disorder, speech disorder and slurred speech, behavior and movement disorder, lack of social communication, and neglect of daily activities.
- Third, the remaining stage
Patients in this stage suffer from symptoms of little severity, as they begin severe and then gradually decline, and are similar to the symptoms of the cold stage, but the patient will not return to his normal condition, and symptoms include loss of energy, lack of concentration, weak attention, lack of talking, isolation, avoidance of any social activity, and lack of motivation.
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What are the reasons for the emergence of stages of schizophrenia?
The causes of schizophrenia are not known, and have not been revealed clearly. Rather, researchers attribute the cause of the disease to genetic characteristics as well as brain chemistry and the environment, but it is just a belief, and despite the ambiguity of the reasons, there are risk factors that work to increase the probability of contracting the disease, which are as follows:
- Family history of schizophrenia.
- Harsh life experiences include living in poverty, being exposed to stress, and facing danger.
- Problems of pregnancy and childbirth. There are some of these problems that cause schizophrenia, including the inability to obtain adequate nutrition before childbirth, or exposure to weight loss at birth, and exposure to types of toxic substances or infection with viruses before childbirth. All of this negatively affects the brain.
- Taking drugs that alter the mood, called psychotic medications or psychotropic substances, during adolescence or young adulthood.
Types of schizophrenia
Schizophrenia Among the psychological diseases that have been classified into several types, this is useful in providing a treatment plan that suits the patient’s condition. The types are as follows:
- Paranoid schizophrenia: It is called syphilitic schizophrenia, and it is one of the most common and widespread types of schizophrenia. The symptoms of this type appear at a later age, and the person suffering from the disease may feel suspicious and directed by others, and even have doubts about people for no reason, and its symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, and others.
- Disorganized schizophrenia: It is schizophrenia, and its symptoms appear most often at an early age. The patient does not show symptoms of delusions and hallucinations, but he suffers from difficulty communicating with people, and speaks in disorganized speech.
- Catatonic schizophrenia: Catatonic schizophrenia is a rare type of schizophrenia. Its symptoms include movement problems as a result of lack of movement, excessive movement, or lack of movement. The affected person remains in certain positions, up to a long period of time, in complete silence, and imitates people’s movements and speech.
- Undifferentiated schizophrenia: This type shows symptoms that do not belong to a specific type of schizophrenia, including delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, and sleep disturbance.
- Simple schizophrenia: The patient exhibits minor symptoms that increase over time. The patient rarely exhibits hallucinations and delusions, but his movement is slow, his memory is weak, and he neglects his personal hygiene.
- Residual schizophrenia: It is schizophrenia that has been diagnosed, but the symptoms are no longer apparent and clear to the patients, and the patient is slow to speak, has dull emotions, and is not concerned with his personal hygiene.
When does a patient with schizophrenia die?
Schizophrenia is one of the mental illnesses that can cause death, as it causes the patient to experience distress and stumble in personal, family, educational, and other areas. The patient may die early at a rate two and three times earlier than the general population. One recent study showed that the disease increases the risk of death by about 15 years for the patient, compared to healthy, unaffected people.
The risk of premature death also increases as a result of the patient's suicide or poor physical health resulting from advanced brain injury, and schizophrenia patients are vulnerable to health problems that include premature death, as the person develops blood vessel and heart problems, diabetes, and respiratory diseases.
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Methods for diagnosing the stages of schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is often diagnosed in the active phase because the symptoms are more pronounced. Medical professionals may rely on special criteria established by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders to diagnose schizophrenia. The diagnosis is made as follows:
- Physical examination: to ensure that there are no other disease-causing problems.
- Tests and examinations: in which cases with similar symptoms are excluded, and in which alcohol and drug abuse are examined, including magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography.
- Mental health assessment: It consists of monitoring the person’s appearance and behavior and asking special questions about his thoughts, mood, delusions, etc., such as hallucinations and substance abuse, and also questions about the possibility of violence or suicide. In addition, the medical history of the person and his family is evaluated.
FAQs
How long does a schizophrenia relapse last?
What is meant by a relapse of schizophrenia is the reappearance of the symptoms of the disease that the person was suffering from after improvement and treatment. The duration of the relapse ranges between days, weeks, and months, and it may remain for life. This depends on the patient’s condition and the severity of the relapse. The duration is also related to the patient’s commitment to taking his treatment, the extent of the response, and whether he follows up with the doctor or not.
After we have revealed all the information about the stages of schizophrenia, we point out that this disease is a psychological disorder that is extremely dangerous because it negatively affects the way a person perceives the world revolving around him. The disease causes the person to confuse both reality with what his mind creates, and here he shows symptoms of psychosis, represented by hallucinations, delusions, and difficulty concentrating. At this time, one must immediately seek help from the Well-Being Center affiliated with Al-Mousa Health Hospital to take sound advice and begin treatment.
Sources
Understanding the Phases of Schizophrenia – healthline
