Paranoid Schizophrenia: Learning and Managing this Condition
Paranoid schizophrenia is a complex and often debilitating mental illness that affects approximately 0.5% of the population.
Portrayed by a combination of hallucinations, delusions, and disorganised thinking, it can drastically impact a person’s ability to function in daily life.
In this article, we delve into the essential aspects of paranoid schizophrenia, including its symptoms, causes, and available treatments.
The term “paranoid schizophrenia” is no longer used or recognised by experts. Instead, they tend to recognise schizophrenia as a specific disease in a spectrum of related conditions involving psychosis.
The American Psychiatric Association and the World Health Organization (WHO) removed paranoid schizophrenia from their respective diagnostic manuals in 2013.
Who does it affect?
Schizophrenia typically occurs at varying ages depending on biological sex, with no significant rate differences.
It commonly begins between ages 15 and 25 for individuals assigned male at birth and between 25 and 35 for those assigned female at birth. While rare, schizophrenia can also affect children; the condition tends to be more severe in these cases.
In infrequent instances, doctors may diagnose schizophrenia in someone under 13 years of age. This is called Childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS).
Less than 1 in 40,000 children get this diagnosis, according to a 2019 review. Because childhood-onset schizophrenia is so rare, it is not well understood and difficult to diagnose, and until 1980, autism was then called “childhood schizophrenia.”
Symptoms of Paranoid Schizophrenia
Positive signs – any change in behaviour or thoughts, such as hallucinations or delusions.
1. Hallucinations: can involve the five sensory perceptions (Sight, Sound, Taste, Smell, or Touch) whose experience is not based on reality. Auditory hallucinations, such as hearing voices, are the most common form of paranoid schizophrenia. These hallucinations can be distressing and may contribute to the formation of delusional belief.
2. Delusions: Individuals with paranoid schizophrenia experience persistent and irrational beliefs that are not based on truth. These delusions often involve themes of persecution, conspiracy, or grandiosity.
They may believe people on TV or in newspaper articles are communicating messages to them alone. They may assume that there are hidden messages in the colours of cars passing on the street or find different meanings in everyday events or occurrences.
3. Paranoia: is characterised by a pattern of behaviour in which a person experiences distrust and suspicion towards others, leading them to act accordingly. Delusions and hallucinations are two symptoms that may involve paranoia. They may exhibit emotions of grandiosity, believing they have special powers or are destined for greatness.
4. Disorganised thinking: People with this condition often struggle with organising their thoughts and expressing themselves coherently. Some people need help concentrating and will drift from one idea to another. Their speech may be tangential, illogical, or contain invented words.
5. Social withdrawal: Due to their paranoid thoughts and disorganised thinking, individuals with paranoid schizophrenia may isolate themselves from social interactions, leading to a decline in personal relationships and overall functioning. However, becoming socially withdrawn and unresponsive or changing sleeping patterns can be mistaken for an adolescent “Life Phase”.
Negative symptoms experienced by people living with schizophrenia can include:
They do not want to look after themselves and their needs, such as not caring about personal hygiene. The negative symptoms of schizophrenia can often lead to relationship problems with friends and family, as they..............