| The scary thing about schizophrenia is that sufferers | | | | understand very little can agitate the symptoms by |
| may be so confused by the symptoms that they are | | | | using an accusing tone of voice or reacting angrily to |
| unable to tell what is real and what is fantasy. For | | | | the sufferer. |
| instance, when serial killer David Berkowitz saw black | | | | Family members who know about schizophrenia can |
| dogs barking out orders to kill, he believed they were | | | | learn to recognize symptoms of an acute attack: a |
| actually there. | | | | change in personality, social withdrawal, sleeplessness, |
| Many schizophrenics keep their voices and thoughts to | | | | agitation, using words that do not make sense and |
| themselves, for fear of being labeled "crazy." Another | | | | seeing things that aren't there. It is important to create |
| schizophrenic, Janice Jordan, mentioned being unable to | | | | an environment that facilitates recovery. Keeping |
| tell her counselors about a delusional figure known as | | | | peace and serenity at home, helping the schizophrenic |
| "The Controller" who barked orders at her during | | | | set realistic goals, sharing tasks, gradually increasing |
| psychotic episodes. | | | | independence and encouraging new hobbies can all |
| The more patients learn about the illness and its many | | | | provide schizophrenia support. |
| effects, the better equipped they are to handle the | | | | There are many misperceptions about schizophrenia. |
| symptoms. Unfortunately, taking life-long medication is | | | | One is that schizophrenia is the same as multiple |
| also a realistic assumption on the road to recovery. | | | | personality disorder (MPD), which is simply not true. |
| Schizophrenia research reports some interesting | | | | MPD is often characterized by two or more separate |
| findings. For instance, the mental illness is largely | | | | and distinct "personalities" which sometimes go by |
| caused by a neuro-chemical imbalance of Dopamine, | | | | different names, display different mannerisms and |
| Seratonin and Norepenephrine. | | | | have entire lists of unique likes and dislikes. |
| In a normal brain, the frontal lobe increases its blood | | | | By contrast, schizophrenics exhibit different behavior, |
| flow and the "listening" part of the brain diminishes. PET | | | | as well as suffer delusions and hallucinations. However, |
| scans reveal that in a schizophrenic brain, the frontal | | | | they maintain a basic sense of self, afflicted by mood |
| lobe is active but the "listening" part remains just as | | | | swings and fragmented thinking. Another misperception |
| active. | | | | is that sufferers are violent by nature. |
| The sensory overload usually causes a hallucination. | | | | Because of cases like David Berkowitz or Herb Mullin, |
| People who are born with it generally have irregular | | | | the general public associate schizophrenia with |
| brain cell patterns. Drugs and stress do not cause | | | | murderers - but the only real danger for 99% of |
| schizophrenia, but they can certainly exacerbate the | | | | schizophrenics is self-harm. By educating the public, |
| symptoms. In some cases, family members who | | | | diagnosis and recovery can be more effective. |