Today, schizophrenia is considered to be a psychopathology disorder that acquires an epidemic character. According to Maj and Sartorius (1999), around 60 000 000 are affected by this disease of mind and brain. This means that out of 120 people, 1 will become a victim of this sickness. Thus, many people who might benefit their companies as employees with significant experience and unique talents appear in the risk zone. Still, if a patient with schizophrenia is offered proper medical treatment along with positive attitude on the part if his or her mangers, he or she may feel significant relief, and will continue as a dignified member of society, and successful worker for one’s company.
Speaking about the behaviors in the workplace which are associated with schizophrenia, it should be stated that through decades, a number of signs and symptoms were listed among the characteristics of its clinical picture. The main problem which the person with this disorder faces is hearing strange voices from “nowhere” telling him or her to exercise particular actions. During the later stages of this mental disease the patient develops such poor condition that he or she starts obeying the voices or visual signs received from a strange source, and acts awkward as a result. According to Maj and Sartorius (1999, p. 3),
Characteristic features of schizophrenia are hallucinations and delusions, disorders of thought and speech, disorders of behavior, disturbance of emotions and affect, cognitive deficits and avolition. Visual hallucinations occur in 15%, auditory in 50% and tactile in 5% of all subjects, and delusions in more than 90%.
Of course, as major symptoms of schizophrenia can be experienced only by the patient in one’s brain, it is rather difficult for the other people to realize what is actually happening with an affected person. Still, there exist a number of pathologies in the person’s conduct which may be seen by the people around. First, the person is willing to separate from the rest of employees in the collective body; he or she looses the interest in things which used to be important before; and becomes generally discouraged and unmotivated. Such people become deterred from the others, they try to ruin their relationships with the others and scare them away. Secondly, the person affected by schizophrenia ignores personal hygiene, stops caring about one’s personal appearance in a proper way, and may even neglect one’s natural needs such as eating and drinking. Besides, such people are known for an unusual behavior in showing their emotions. Usually, the affected person becomes rather aggressive, and demonstrates anger and irritation for no reason. In addition, people with schizophrenia may experience difficulties in explaining their thoughts, use odd sentence structures and words, and jump from topic to topic. The person might find it very difficult to make decisions, and may display significant pathologies of memory mechanisms, and coping with daily activities or minor problems. Finally, such employees may have paranoiac behaviors such avoiding contacts with people around them, or walking through the office back and forth.
Addressing treatment and interventions currently used for the patients with schizophrenia, it is important to note that they may be divided into two groups including medical and non-medical ones. Medical treatment of schizophrenia includes anti-psychotic medications. From year to year, the list of such medicines is getting bigger which offers reasons for positive outlook. The main concept of using such medicines is in examining the condition of the brain of an affected person, finding out the kind of chemical misbalance in it, and offering the patient the drugs which will help to control this misbalance or even liquidate it. Non-medial treatment strategies include different types of psychological therapy, family and colleague’s support, sufficient rest, regular physical loads including going in for sports and regular engaging in housework.
To help an employee diagnosed with schizophrenia, the company’s leadership may use a variety of successful strategies. Reports from different countries show that a number of special measures wisely implemented in the conditions of any particular company may help affected employees maintain the level of their performance at work (Maj and Sartorius, 1999). First, a company manager should talk to the affected person in a respectful manner identifying some of unusual observations concerning his or her conduct. In this friendly conversation, the manager should explain that the affected person is a precious employee for the company, and that due help from the company’s leadership truly makes difference in helping employees maintain their important status in the company. In addition, a number of practical things should be done including mobbing the employee’s working place away from any possible destructions such as people, office equipment, busy corridors and halls; shift the person’s working schedule later in the day because schizophrenia medicines cause drowsiness; and encourage the employee to continue in medication.
In conclusion, schizophrenia is one of the most common mental disorders affecting employee’s performance globally. Around 1% of all workers in the world are diagnosed with schizophrenia. Despite complicated clinical picture of this disease, people affected with it can be cured effectively. Besides, their condition and performance at work may be significantly improved in case of a proper help from the company’s leadership.
Reference
Maj, M., & Sartorius, N. (1999). Schizophrenia. New York: Wiley.