Growing up, I had never heard of anyone having this disease they call schizophrenia. In psychology class we breifly studied it. I began to understand the disease as, "total loss of reality." This definition was fine for the moment, but in hindsight, I kind of just shrugged my shoulders and understood schizophrenia as a politically correct way to call someone crazy.
When I signed up for this practicum, with mental health in mind, I thought I would be dealing with autism, downs syndrome, and other developmental disabilities (an area I am very comfortable with). When I got to the hospital and saw people who looked and seem to act just like me, I knew I was in for a huge learning opportunity. Many patients at Larue suffer from schizophrenia and schizo-affective disorder, and I needed to know a little something about it.
Dr. Michael Pisano, who has studied years of psychology at IUPUI, allowed me to sit in on educational groups he led for patients with schizophrenia. In group, patients were given folders, handouts, worksheets, and opportunities to ask Dr. Pisano anything they wanted about their disease. We discussed neurological, biological, and psychological factors of the disease, symptoms, as well as the pros and cons of different types of medications used to treat schizophrenia.
Dr. Pisano could not seem to emphasize more the importance of compliance with doctors medication orders when treating schizophrenia. One of my classmates mentioned the side effects associated with medicines used to treat patients with HIV. The list of common side effects for schizophrenia meds, sadly, is no walk in the park. Side effects range from:
- drowsiness/sleepier than usual/difficulty falling-staying asleep-early waking
- dry lips / dry throat /dehydration
- dry skin / rough texture / skin flakes, sores, bleeding skin cracks
- weight gain- increased appetite
- stomach aches / unusal pains in belly
- constipation / inability to urinate
- muscle agitation / less able to sit still or stand still / fidgeting
- sexual difficulties / impotence or decreased ability to achieve orgasm
- dizziness / feeling faint, lightheaded, loss of balance
- sensitivity to sunlight / skin may burn more easily
- blurred vision
- absence of female menstral cycle
- etc. etc. etc...
HOWEVER, these medicines can drastically improve one's quality of life. Have you ever read all the symptoms on the back of that asprin bottle you carry around in your purse? Do it sometime. You may be quite suprised. All medications have side effects. Sometimes you just have to take the good with the bad. And sometimes, you need to wait it out, talk to the doctors about changing the meds or the dose, or take additional medications to control the side effects. Always keeping in mind that the medication works best when taken exactly as prescribed.
Though no one really knows the exact cause of schizophrenia, it is highly correllated with too much and/or too little of certain brain chemicals. Medications change the amounts of these chemicals and work best for reducing delusions, hallucinations, and agitation. These medications are safe, effective, and non-addictive. They have been known to prevent and/or delay relapses and the need for rehospitalization.
Overall, these medications help patients with schizophrenia feel happier, brighter, and healthier.
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