Schizophrenia And Homoeopathy

Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder in which people interpret reality abnormally.

Schizophrenia may result in some combination of hallucinations, delusions, and extremely disordered thinking and behavior that impairs daily functioning, and can be disabling.

Symptoms

• Delusions. These are false beliefs that are not based in reality. For example, you think that you’re being harmed or harassed; certain gestures or comments are directed at you; you have exceptional ability or fame; another person is in love with you; or a major catastrophe is about to occur. Delusions occur in most people with schizophrenia.
• Hallucinations. These usually involve seeing or hearing things that don’t exist. Yet for the person with schizophrenia, they have the full force and impact of a normal experience. Hallucinations can be in any of the senses, but hearing voices is the most common hallucination.
• Disorganized thinking (speech). Disorganized thinking is inferred from disorganized speech. Effective communication can be impaired, and answers to questions may be partially or completely unrelated. Rarely, speech may include putting together meaningless words that can’t be understood, sometimes known as word salad.
• Extremely disorganized or abnormal motor behavior. This may show in a number of ways, from childlike silliness to unpredictable agitation. Behavior isn’t focused on a goal, so it’s hard to do tasks. Behavior can include resistance to instructions, inappropriate or bizarre posture, a complete lack of response, or useless and excessive movement.
• Negative symptoms. This refers to reduced or lack of ability to function normally. For example, the person may neglect personal hygiene or appear to lack emotion (doesn’t make eye contact, doesn’t change facial expressions or speaks in a monotone). Also, the person may lose interest in everyday activities, socially withdraw or lack the ability to experience pleasure.
• Withdrawal from friends and family
• A drop in performance at school
• Trouble sleeping
• Irritability or depressed mood
• Lack of motivation in men, schizophrenia symptoms typically start in the early to mid-20s. In women, symptoms typically begin in the late 20s. It’s uncommon for children to be diagnosed with schizophrenia and rare for those older than age 45.

Causes

It’s not known what causes schizophrenia, but researchers believe that a combination of genetics, brain chemistry, and environment contributes to the development of the disorder. Problems with certain naturally occurring brain chemicals, including neurotransmitters called dopamine and glutamate, may contribute to schizophrenia. Neuroimaging studies show differences in the brain structure and central nervous system of people with schizophrenia. While researchers aren’t certain about the significance of these changes, they indicate that schizophrenia is a brain disease.

Risk Factors

Having a family history of schizophrenia.

Some pregnancy and birth complications, such as malnutrition or exposure to toxins or viruses that may impact brain development

Taking mind-altering (psychoactive or psychotropic) drugs during teen years and young adulthood

Complications

• Suicide, suicide attempts and thoughts of suicide
• Anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Depression
• Abuse of alcohol or other drugs, including nicotine
• Inability to work or attend school
• Financial problems and homelessness
• Social isolation
• Health and medical problems
• Being victimized
• Aggressive behavior, although it’s uncommon

Homoeopathic Treatment

Homeopathic treatment of schizophrenia also focuses on controlling the symptoms.

Accurate homeopathic remedies, if given at a suitable time, help reduce hallucinations, speech problems, and indecisiveness and can also slow down the progression of psychotic flares. Additionally, homeopathic remedies improve attention span in schizophrenia patients.

Some remedies that can be used for the treatment of schizophrenia are absinthium, anacardium orientale, belladonna, hyoscyamus niger, stramonium, nux moschata, nux vomica, pulsatilla pratensis, baryta carbonica and staphysagria.

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