Important new clues about the genetic basis of schizophrenia have emerged in a landmark study led by investigators at the Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit (ATGU) at MGH and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.
Schizophrenia is a complex brain disorder. It is caused by a chemical imbalance and often runs in families. This illness can't be cured. But it can be managed with medicine and therapy.
The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Program at Massachusetts General Hospital provides advanced clinical care to patients, furthers CBT research, and educates healthcare professionals, students and the general public about CBT.
The First-Episode and Early Psychosis Program (FEPP) evaluates and treats people in the critical early stages of schizophrenia or related psychotic illnesses.
The Inpatient Psychiatric Service located on Blake 11 at Massachusetts General Hospital cares for adults 18 years and older who need short-term, secure medical psychiatric treatment in an acute inpatient setting.
What is schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is a serious, complex brain disorder. It often runs in families and can cause troubling symptoms. These may include hearing voices, and having trouble thinking clearly and relating to others. It often starts suddenly in early adulthood. There is no cure for this illness. But it can be managed with medicine and supportive therapy.
What causes schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia may be caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. It may also be caused by genetics (hereditary) and environment. This includes exposure to viruses or malnutrition before birth. Some studies suggest that the use of mind-altering drugs in teen years and young adulthood may increase the risk of schizophrenia.
This disorder affects men and women the same. But symptoms tend to start earlier in men than in women. It’s rare in childhood.
What are the symptoms of schizophrenia?
Each person may feel symptoms differently. These are the most common symptoms:
False beliefs not based on reality (delusions)
Seeing, hearing, smelling, or feeling things that are not real (hallucinations)
Disorganized speech and behavior
Lack of emotion
Feeling like someone or something is out to get them (paranoia)
Withdrawal from others
These symptoms can make it very hard to function in the world and take care of yourself. People with this illness are usually not violent.
The symptoms of schizophrenia may seem like other problems or mental health conditions. Always see your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.
How is schizophrenia diagnosed?
To diagnose this disease, your healthcare provider will ask about your health history and symptoms. You may also have a physical exam. You may also have lab tests to rule out other conditions.
Mental healthcare providers diagnose and treat this illness. They often interview family members. This helps the healthcare team get a complete picture of the symptoms.
How is schizophrenia treated?
Managing schizophrenia is a lifelong process. It can’t be cured. But symptoms can often be managed with medicine and therapy. Often, more than 1 medicine and therapy method is needed. Types of treatment that may be helpful include:
Antipsychotic medicines. These are the main medicines used to reduce the most troubling symptoms. These include delusions, hallucinations, and paranoia.
Other medicines. These may include antidepressants, mood stabilizers, or anti-anxiety medicines.
Therapy. Individual and family therapy (including cognitive and behavioral therapy).
Education. These may include learning social skills, job skills, or structured activity.
Self-help and support groups. These can help both you and your family members.
Early treatment and supportive services helps affected people live productive lives. It’s very important to take medicines exactly as prescribed. And to keep taking them even if you feel better. Many people may still have some symptoms, even with treatment. At times, symptoms may get worse and treatment will need to be adjusted. Ongoing treatment and follow-up in a supportive environment can help maintain emotional stability. It can also provide a critical safety net if symptoms become unmanageable.
Always see your healthcare provider for more information.
Living with schizophrenia
When you have schizophrenia, it's very important to have ongoing mental healthcare and take care of yourself. Below are some suggestions for good self-care:
Stay away from drugs and alcohol. Using alcohol or drugs can make it harder to treat this illness. They will also interact with your prescription medicines. This can cause unwanted, and sometimes dangerous, side effects.
Take your medicine as prescribed. If you have side effects, contact your healthcare provider right away so the medicine can be adjusted or changed. Never just stop taking your medicines. This can be dangerous. Ask your provider about help if you have trouble paying for the medicine. Many medicine companies have special programs that help people pay for their medicine. Never use another person's medicine. Don't buy your medicine from someone on the street.
Get enough sleep. Lack of sleep can make symptoms worse.
Eat healthy and exercise regularly. These can help reduce symptoms, help you sleep well, and keep stress from affecting you.
Manage stress. Stress can make symptoms worse. Learn ways to keep it under control.
Find help right away. Call your healthcare provider if you notice a change or increase in symptoms or have bad medicine side effects. Doing so can help prevent a relapse. Educate family members or friends about what symptoms to watch for. Ask them to alert you if they see these symptoms so you can take action.
Keep up with trusted treatment resources . Ongoing treatment and follow-up in a supportive environment can help you stay emotionally stable. It can also provide a critical safety net if symptoms become hard to manage. Thorough care includes psychotherapy, medicine management, case management, employment and education support, and family education and support.
988 in a crisis
Call or text 988 or get care right away if you have suicidal ideas or thoughts of harming others. When you call or text
Key points about schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a serious, complex brain disorder. It often runs in families and can cause troubling symptoms.
It’s caused by a chemical imbalance and other changes in the brain.
Early treatment and ongoing, life-long supportive services helps people with schizophrenia live productive lives.
Symptoms include hearing voices, feeling that people are out to get you, and having false beliefs that are not based in reality.
These symptoms can make it very hard to function in the world and take care of yourself.
Treatment includes antipsychotic medicines, therapy, support services, and a healthy lifestyle.
Get supportive care as soon as medicine side effects appear or when symptoms get worse. Or if you have new symptoms.
Tips to help you get the most from a visit to your healthcare provider:
Know the reason for your visit and what you want to happen.
Before your visit, write down questions you want answered.
Bring someone with you to help you ask questions and remember what your provider tells you.
At the visit, write down the name of a new diagnosis, and any new medicines, treatments, or tests. Also write down any new instructions your provider gives you.
Know why a new medicine or treatment is prescribed, and how it will help you. Also know what the side effects are and when they should be reported.
Ask if your condition can be treated in other ways.
Know why a test or procedure is recommended and what the results could mean.
Know what to expect if you do not take the medicine or have the test or procedure.
If you have a follow-up appointment, write down the date, time, and purpose for that visit.
Know how you can contact your provider if you have questions, especially after office hours or on weekends.
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Utafiti wa kwanza wa chembe za urithi wa schizophrenia ulifanyika mnamo Oktoba mwaka huu na watafiti wa Kitengo cha Uchambuzi na Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti. Ugonjwa wa akili ni ugonjwa tata wa ubongo. Huo husababishwa na kutofautiana kwa kemikali na mara nyingi hutokea katika familia. Ugonjwa huu hauwezi kutibiwa. Lakini inaweza kudhibitiwa kwa kutumia dawa na matibabu. Programu ya Tiba ya Ujuzi ya Tabia (CBT) katika Hospitali Kuu ya Massachusetts hutoa huduma ya kliniki ya hali ya juu kwa wagonjwa, inaendeleza utafiti wa CBT, na huelimisha wataalamu wa huduma za afya, wanafunzi na umma kwa ujumla kuhusu CBT. Programu ya Episo ya Kwanza na Psychosis ya Mapema (FEPP) inathamini na kutibu watu katika hatua za mapema za schizophrenia au magonjwa ya kiakili yanayohusiana. Huduma ya Ugonjwa wa Akili ya Hospitali ya Jimbo la Massachusetts, Blake 11, inahudumia watu wazima wenye umri wa miaka 18 na zaidi ambao wanahitaji matibabu ya muda mfupi ya matibabu ya akili katika mazingira ya wagonjwa wa hali ya juu. Ugonjwa wa akili ni nini? Schizophrenia ni ugonjwa mbaya sana wa ubongo. Mara nyingi ugonjwa huo hutokea katika familia na unaweza kusababisha dalili zenye kusumbua. Hizi zaweza kutia ndani kusikia sauti, na kuwa na tatizo la kufikiri waziwazi na kuhusiana na wengine. Mara nyingi huanza ghafula katika umri wa mapema wa watu wazima. Hakuna tiba ya ugonjwa huu. Lakini inaweza kudhibitiwa kwa kutumia dawa na matibabu ya kutegemeza. Ni nini husababisha ugonjwa wa akili? Huenda ugonjwa wa kifafa ukasababishwa na kasoro za kemikali katika ubongo. Huenda pia ikawa ilisababishwa na chembe za urithi na mazingira. Hilo latia ndani kuambukizwa virusi au utapiamlo kabla ya kuzaliwa. Uchunguzi fulani unaonyesha kwamba kutumia dawa za kulevya zinazobadili akili katika miaka ya ujana na ujana waweza kuongeza hatari ya ugonjwa wa akili. Ugonjwa huo huathiri wanaume na wanawake kwa njia ileile. Lakini dalili huanza mapema kwa wanaume kuliko kwa wanawake. Ni nadra katika utoto. Dalili za ugonjwa wa akili ni zipi? Kila mtu aweza kuhisi dalili kwa njia tofauti. "Hizi ni dalili za kawaida: ""Imani za uongo zisizo za kweli"" (kuzidanganya) ""kuona, kusikia, kunusa, au kuhisi vitu ambavyo si halisi"" (hallucinations) ""usemi na tabia zisizo na utaratibu"" ""kukosa hisia"" ""hisia kama mtu au kitu ni nje ya kupata yao"" (paranoia) ""kujiondoa kutoka kwa wengine"" (symptoms hizi zinaweza kufanya iwe vigumu sana kufanya kazi katika ulimwengu na kujitunza mwenyewe)." Kwa kawaida watu walio na ugonjwa huo si wenye jeuri. Dalili za ugonjwa wa akili zaweza kuonekana kama matatizo mengine au hali za afya ya akili. Sikuzote mwone mtoa huduma wako wa afya ili upate utambuzi. Ugonjwa wa schizophrenia hugunduliwaje? Ili kugundua ugonjwa huu, mtoa huduma yako ya afya atauliza kuhusu historia yako ya afya na dalili. Huenda pia ukafanyiwa uchunguzi wa kimwili. Unaweza pia kufanyiwa uchunguzi wa maabara ili kuondoa hali nyingine. Watoa huduma za afya ya akili hutambua na kutibu ugonjwa huu. Mara nyingi wao huhoji washiriki wa familia. Hii husaidia timu ya huduma ya afya kupata picha kamili ya dalili. Ugonjwa wa schizophrenia hupatiwa matibabu gani? Kudhibiti ugonjwa wa akili ni mchakato wa maisha yote. Haiwezi kutibiwa. Lakini mara nyingi dalili za ugonjwa huo zaweza kudhibitiwa kwa kutumia dawa na matibabu. Mara nyingi, zaidi ya dawa moja na njia ya tiba inahitajika. Aina za matibabu ambayo yanaweza kuwa na manufaa ni pamoja na: Dawa za antipsychotic. Hizi ndizo dawa kuu zinazotumiwa kupunguza dalili zenye kusumbua zaidi. Hizi zatia ndani udanganyifu, udanganyifu, na wasiwasi. Dawa nyingine. Dawa hizo zaweza kutia ndani dawa za kuzuia mshuko wa moyo, dawa za kurekebisha hali ya moyo, au dawa za kupunguza wasiwasi. Msaada wa kitiba. Tiba ya mtu binafsi na ya familia (ikiwa ni pamoja na tiba ya utambuzi na tabia). Elimu. Hizi zaweza kutia ndani kujifunza ustadi wa kijamii, ustadi wa kazi, au utendaji wenye utaratibu. Vikundi vya kujisaidia na vya kuunga mkono. Hizi zinaweza kukusaidia wewe na washiriki wa familia yako. Matibabu ya mapema na huduma za utegemezo husaidia watu walioathiriwa kuishi maisha yenye matokeo. Ni muhimu sana kuchukua dawa hasa kama ilivyoelezwa. Na kuendelea kuchukua hata kama unahisi vizuri zaidi. Watu wengi huenda wakaendelea kuwa na dalili fulani, hata baada ya kutibiwa. Nyakati nyingine, dalili zaweza kuzidi kuwa mbaya na matibabu yatahitaji kurekebishwa. Matibabu ya kuendelea na ufuatiliaji katika mazingira yenye kutegemeza yaweza kusaidia kudumisha utulivu wa kihisia-moyo. Pia inaweza kutoa usalama muhimu ikiwa dalili hazitaweza kudhibitiwa. Sikuzote mwongeze daktari wako ili upate habari zaidi. Kuishi na schizophrenia: Ikiwa una ugonjwa wa schizophrenia, ni muhimu sana kuwa na huduma ya afya ya akili ya kuendelea na kujitunza. Hapa chini kuna mapendekezo ya jinsi ya kujilinda: Jitenge na dawa za kulevya na pombe. Kutumia kileo au dawa za kulevya kunaweza kufanya iwe vigumu kutibu ugonjwa huo. Pia zitashirikiana na dawa zako za dawa. Hilo laweza kusababisha madhara yasiyotakiwa, na nyakati nyingine yenye hatari. Tumia dawa yako kama ilivyoagizwa. Ikiwa una athari za upande, wasiliana na mtoa huduma yako ya afya mara moja ili dawa iweze kurekebishwa au kubadilishwa. Kamwe usiache kuchukua dawa zako tu. Hilo laweza kuwa hatari. Uliza mtoa huduma wako kuhusu msaada ikiwa una shida ya kulipa dawa. Kampuni nyingi za dawa zina programu za pekee ambazo husaidia watu kulipa dawa zao. Kamwe usitumie dawa ya mtu mwingine. Usinunue dawa yako kutoka kwa mtu fulani barabarani. Lala usingizi wa kutosha. Ukosefu wa usingizi waweza kuzidisha dalili. Kula vyakula vyenye afya na kufanya mazoezi kwa ukawaida. Hizi zinaweza kusaidia kupunguza dalili, kukusaidia kulala vizuri, na kuzuia mkazo usikuathiri. Kudhibiti mfadhaiko. Mkazo waweza kuharibu dalili. Jifunze jinsi ya kudhibiti hali hiyo. Tafuta msaada mara moja. Piga simu kwa mtoa huduma yako ya afya ikiwa unaona mabadiliko au kuongezeka kwa dalili au athari mbaya za dawa. Kufanya hivyo kunaweza kusaidia kuzuia kurudia zoea hilo. Waeleze watu wa familia au marafiki dalili za kujihadhari nazo. Waulize wakujulishe kama wanaona dalili hizi ili uweze kuchukua hatua. Fanya utafiti wa vituo vya matibabu unavyoaminiwa. Matibabu ya kuendelea na uchunguzi katika mazingira yenye kutegemeza yaweza kukusaidia kudumisha utulivu wa kihisia-moyo. Pia inaweza kutoa mtandao muhimu wa usalama ikiwa dalili zinakuwa vigumu kudhibiti. Huduma kamili inajumuisha matibabu ya kisaikolojia, usimamizi wa dawa, usimamizi wa kesi, msaada wa ajira na elimu, na elimu ya familia na msaada. 988 katika mgogoro: Piga simu au ujumbe wa maandishi 988 au upate huduma mara moja ikiwa una mawazo ya kujiua au mawazo ya kuumiza wengine. "Kama unavyojua, ""kila kitu"" ni ""kila kitu"" na ""kila kitu"" ni ""kila kitu"" na ""kila kitu"" ni ""kila kitu"" na ""kila kitu"" ni ""kila kitu"" na ""kila kitu"" ni ""kila kitu"" na ""kila kitu"" ni ""kila kitu"" na ""kila kitu"" ni ""kila kitu"" na ""kila kitu." Mara nyingi ugonjwa huo hutokea katika familia na unaweza kusababisha dalili zenye kusumbua. Husababishwa na kutofautiana kwa kemikali na mabadiliko mengine katika ubongo. Matibabu ya mapema na huduma za kuunga mkono za muda mrefu za maisha husaidia watu wenye ugonjwa wa schizophrenia kuishi maisha yenye matokeo. Dalili za ugonjwa huo ni kusikia sauti, kuhisi kwamba watu wanakusudia kukuua, na kuwa na itikadi zisizo za kweli. Dalili hizi zinaweza kufanya iwe vigumu sana kufanya kazi katika ulimwengu na kujitunza. Matibabu yanatia ndani dawa za kuzuia ugonjwa wa akili, matibabu, huduma za kutegemeza, na mtindo-maisha wenye afya. Pata utunzaji wa kusaidia mara tu athari za dawa zinapoonekana au dalili zinapoongezeka. Au ikiwa una dalili mpya. Njia za kukusaidia kupata faida zaidi kutoka kwa ziara yako ya mtoa huduma ya afya: Jua sababu ya ziara yako na unataka nini kutokea. Kabla ya ziara yako, andika maswali unayotaka kujibiwa. Msaidie mtu fulani kukuuliza maswali na kukumbuka kile mtoa huduma anakuambia. Wakati wa ziara hiyo, andika jina la ugonjwa mpya, na dawa, matibabu, au vipimo vipya. Pia andika maagizo yoyote mapya unayopewa na mtoa huduma wako. Jifunze kwa nini dawa mpya au matibabu yameagizwa, na jinsi itakavyokusaidia. Pia ujue ni madhara gani ya upande na ni lini yanapaswa kuripotiwa. Uliza ikiwa hali yako inaweza kutibiwa kwa njia nyingine. Jifunze kwa nini uchunguzi au utaratibu fulani unapendekezwa na matokeo yake yanaweza kumaanisha nini. Jua nini cha kutarajia ikiwa huchukua dawa au una mtihani au utaratibu. Ikiwa una mpango wa ziara ya ziada, andika tarehe, saa, na kusudi la ziara hiyo. Jifunze jinsi ya kuwasiliana na mtoa huduma wako ikiwa una maswali, haswa baada ya masaa ya ofisi au mwishoni mwa wiki. Habari na Machapisho: Machapisho yetu huwahifadhi wataalamu wa huduma za afya hadi sasa juu ya utafiti wa hivi karibuni na maendeleo ya kliniki kutoka Mass General. Habari na maelezo kutoka kwa mpango mkubwa wa utafiti wa hospitali nchini Marekani, The Patient Gateway hutoa ufikiaji salama wa mtandaoni wa habari yako ya afya wakati wowote unapoihitaji. Angalia miadi inayokuja, wasiliana na ofisi ya daktari wako, angalia dawa na kulipa bili za matibabu - yote bila shida mtandaoni 24 7.