Despite the fact that antipsychotic medication has a robust rate of response in patients who are committed to treatment, schizophrenia still represents one of the most burdensome disorders. The positive and negative symptom clusters of schizophrenia are diverse and can last a long time. Unfortunately, clinical enhancements associated with antipsychotic therapies rarely result in improved cognition or negative symptoms, and the decrease or eradication of positive psychotic symptoms does not ensure progress in everyday results (Harvey et al., 2019). Consequently, despite sufficient antipsychotic medication, people with schizophrenia continue to have difficulty with vital areas of daily functioning like sustaining jobs, social relations, and living independently, all while experiencing poor physical health.
The neurology community developed the concept of positive and negative symptoms, which psychiatry eventually accepted. This delineation allows schizophrenia to be defined in terms of symptomatic patterns and is consistent with clinical data. Negative symptoms indicate a decrease or loss of normal behaviors connected to engagement, motivation, or communication, whereas positive symptoms imply an imbalance or misinterpretation of normal function (Correll & Schooler, 2020). Both positive psychotic markers, such as delusions and hallucinations, and negative such as lack of emotion or interest in social situations, are possible in an individual with schizophrenia (Ng et al., 2019). Prior to the onset of the first psychotic episode, the prodromal phase of schizophrenia is typically characterized by the appearance of negative symptoms (Correll & Schooler, 2020). A patient’s social withdrawal due to delusions of persecution or paranoia indicates how secondary negative symptoms can result from initial positive symptoms. Patients experiencing psychotic episodes in schizophrenia may resort to reduced inhibitory effects to cope with the barrage of intrusive external stimuli.
For a person with schizophrenia, misconceived notions (delusions) persist despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Paranoid delusions, also known as delusions of persecution, are a hallmark of crippling anxiety and the inability to distinguish between reality and illusion. One’s senses may not normally function, leading to hallucinations. They may, for instance, hear voices that mock or insult them. The sufferer may also see stimuli that are not actually present. Since negative symptoms are often not evident at first glance, I believe it is reasonable to undergo multiple counseling sessions before drawing any firm conclusions on schizophrenia tendencies. Treating negative symptoms, in particular, remains challenging due to the lack of effective psychopharmacological treatments (Ng et al., 2019). Having these adverse symptoms persist leads to a decline in cognitive abilities and productivity, which adds to the already high financial and emotional burdens associated with schizophrenia.
For a patient exhibiting schizophrenia symptoms, I would combine antipsychotic medication with psychosocial counseling. Antipsychotic medications have been widely used to treat schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders since their emergence in the 1950s (Cooper et al., 2020). While there is evidence that these medications help alleviate acute psychosis symptoms and lessen the likelihood of a relapse, patients may display diverse reactions to them (Cooper et al., 2020). Antipsychotic drugs are typically quite effective in reducing the severity of hallucinations, delusions, and instability in people with schizophrenia. Examples of antipsychotic medications include amisulpride, aripiprazole, chlorpromazine, clozapine, haloperidol, and others (Stroup & Gray, 2018). However, conversations concerning these medications are generally dominated by their side effects rather than their advantages, as they are correlated to a wide variety of negative effects, a number of which are medically severe. Therefore, a decent alternative for people with schizophrenia or psychosis is to get psychosocial treatments, including family counseling and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in addition to appropriate antipsychotic medication.
References
Cooper, R. E., Laxhman, N., Crellin, N., Moncrieff, J., & Priebe, S. (2020). Psychosocial interventions for people with schizophrenia or psychosis on minimal or no antipsychotic medication: A systematic review. Schizophrenia Research, 225, 15–30. Web.
Correll, C. U., & Schooler, N. R. (2020). Negative symptoms in schizophrenia: A review and clinical guide for recognition, assessment, and treatment. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, Volume 16, 519–534. Web.
Harvey, P. D., Strassnig, M. T., & Silberstein, J. (2019). Prediction of disability in schizophrenia: Symptoms, cognition, and self-assessment. Journal of Experimental Psychopathology, 10(3), 204380871986569. Web.
Ng, Q., Soh, A., Venkatanarayanan, N., Ho, C., Lim, D., & Yeo, W. S. (2019). A systematic review of the effect of probiotic supplementation on schizophrenia symptoms. Neuropsychobiology, 78(1), 1–6. Web.
Stroup, T. S., & Gray, N. (2018). Management of common adverse effects of antipsychotic medications. World Psychiatry, 17(3), 341–356. Web.