Schizophrenia is a brain medical condition. A key symptom of this mental illness is a loss of perspective. Schizophrenic people hear voices that no one else can, see things that no one else can see, and think about things that don’t exist; they behave as though they are acting on something tangible, when in reality they are doing something completely different. All of this is caused by the brain not functioning correctly. This is nobody’s fault. Because the brain is unable to process and receive the necessary sensory information, it causes schizophrenia (just like when your body has an insulin problem, you get diabetes).
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Challenges of living with schizophrenia
Take, for example, the story of Marcus Thompson, a 17-year-old boy who is everything you could ask for from a son. He plays basketball for his high school team, has a B+ GPA, and has friends he’s known since elementary school. Marcus is set to graduate from high school, which is something his proud parents, Linda and James, are very excited about. He is set to enroll at a local community college and will most likely make the basketball team.
It was a normal household. When Marcus came home from practice, he did his homework, put on music to concentrate, and played video games with his friends or the newest games on the weekend. Then, when the spring of his junior year hit, it was a bit concerning.
First warning sign:
Marcus’s junior year started off slow. It was when Linda noticed that Marcus seemed a little bit more tired after practice. At first, she thought he was just a little stressed out with everything going on, but as time went on, she started to think it might be something more. Marcus has always been hard-working, and to see him sleeping at odd times was not a good sign. He began to isolate and back out of practice. He wasn’t eating dinner with the family. His conversations were brief, and when they spoke with him, he didn’t seem the same. It was a slow, difficult process, but it was not the same Marcus.
His GPA started going down as well. Mrs. Rodriguez, an English teacher at his school, noticed he was looking out the window and wasn’t paying attention to what the class was discussing.
Differences in sports:
Coach Williams was with him for three years, and this was going to be their last summer of training. They noticed him playing extremely well some days and poorly on others. Some days, he would play with energy and make great plays that led the team to victory. Other days, he would seem a little lost; he would stand there and forget the plays he had already learned.
Even his best friend, from middle school, Jake, has noticed that Marcus has changed so much. He didn’t seem as comfortable with his teammates, and he was the only one not listening as they discussed strategy. He felt like they were all talking about him behind his back, which made him very nervous. During one session, a frustrated Marcus begged Coach Williams to simplify the drills to make them more bearable. It seemed odd because Marcus was Coach Williams’ most favored child and the disciplined one.
When everything fell apart:
It was the first week of Marcus’ senior year. Ms. Chen, a school counselor, phoned Linda and said that the teachers had been reporting to her that Marcus talked to himself in class as if someone unseen was present.
That evening, when Linda and James were attempting to question Marcus about the happenings at school, he grew angry and accused them of eavesdropping. Marcus went on to say that other students were conspiring against him and that someone had been monitoring his phone conversations. His parents found all these new behaviors in him that were disturbing because they did not at all fit with the Marcus they had known, a confident and happy young boy.
The following morning, Marcus told his parents that he did not want to go to school anymore. He locked himself in his room, saying it was the safest place. His dad challenged him to hold the door, which Tom found strange, and he responded that he could hear someone on the outside talking about killing him.
Getting the support:
Without any delay, Linda and James went to their family physician, Dr. Peterson, who was familiar with Marcus. Dr. Peterson listened to their story seriously and had Marcus seen by a child psychiatrist who has extensive knowledge of young people’s psychology and its impact on development.
During the session, the psychiatrist met with Marcus and his family. Marcus said his mind was playing tricks on him. He heard them speaking badly about him and also telling him to watch out for things he couldn’t see. The teenager also claimed that people were doing whatever they could to sabotage his life, but he was not clear how he could do that when he could not find any signs of their involvement.
The psychiatrist told his family that Marcus was showing the typical signs of schizotypal disorder. His parents were a bit stunned by this news since he was very young. But she pointed out that schizophrenia tends to occur most frequently in males around the age of 15 years. She also said that children need to be allowed to speak freely and openly without fear.
Confusion over how it happens at a young age:
The fact that Marcus had been diagnosed with schizophrenia was very surprising to the entire family. Linda felt very sorry for herself, and she admitted that she was not able to catch the first signs. James, however, was consumed by grief that had brought with it the saddest and deepest of questions: “How could he not have realized his son was mentally struggling?”
The psychiatrist guided the family through so they could understand schizophrenia. There are an estimated 1 percent of people around the world who have schizophrenia, and the condition most often starts in teenagers and young adults. If someone in their senior years shows signs of psychosis like schizophrenia, it is known as late-onset psychosis and is usually caused by an underlying medical condition like dementia or some other neurological problem.
Marcus’ age, on the other hand, was normal for someone with this condition. The doctor also said that schizophrenia was not a case of wrong parenting, nor was it a case of weakness of character. With proper treatment, several people suffering from schizophrenia manage their symptoms well and lead successful lives.
Begin treatment:
When Marcus started treatment, his doctor prescribed medication to treat the voices and paranoid thoughts he had been experiencing. The psychiatrist started off with a small dose of the medication to prevent side effects and slowly worked to increase the dosage based on Marcus’ reaction in the following weeks.
Marcus’ family was also in therapy sessions that enabled Marcus to comprehend his illness. It also trained them to use specific measures in teaching Marcus how to cope with the disease. In the beginning, the only visible effect Marcus experienced was improved sleep, and he stopped taking the medicine because he thought the voices in his head were true. But with time and encouragement from his family and healthcare professionals, he started believing that treatment really worked.
Condition’s progression with age:
In his last year at school, Marcus reduced his class load and temporarily dropped out of the basketball team, which was a significant part of his life.
His school was accommodating, as his teachers and counseling team worked hand in hand to give Marcus a positive school experience while taking care of his health. His friend Jake was also educated on schizophrenia, and he wanted to continue to support Marcus in the activities that he could still do.
The Takeaway
Marcus’ story is an inspiration to the public because while schizophrenia is commonly seen among teenagers, early treatment could really change its course for patients. However, schizophrenia, while mild or chronic, is manageable with medication and therapy at any age. Some of the best ways to manage the condition are as follows:
- Monitor your symptoms (i.e., how often you are experiencing visual and/or auditory hallucinations), record thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc. in diaries.
- Adhere to treatment plan (e.g., taking prescribed medications on time, attending regular therapy sessions, and showing up for support group sessions) for better outcomes.
- Be honest with yourself or your doctor. Do not hesitate to share anything about your thoughts or feelings with your schizophrenia psychiatrist, including any medical or mental health conditions.
- Keep up with self-care during difficult times (e.g., eat a healthy diet, get adequate sleep, exercise regularly, limit your caffeine intake) and pursue activities you enjoy and can focus on. Don’t give up on things you like just because you’re suffering from schizophrenia.
Living with schizophrenia has some other key points:
- The symptoms can improve or stay the same with intervention.
- At least three in every ten individuals witness complete symptom remission
- Early intervention or staying on track with your treatment plan with your psychiatrist promotes better long-term outcomes.
- Family and doctors’ support have a big impact.
With support and psychotherapy, patients like Marcus are able to make big changes throughout their lives (e.g., adulthood) and to better cope with their symptoms. His journey to college was not easy, but Marcus found other ways to participate in sports and schoolwork while remaining persistent.
In this technological world, expert psychiatric support from platforms like GABA Telepsychiatry provides psychiatric care (i.e., both diagnosis and treatment) and continuity of care with the same specialist at every stage, making it easier for family and caregivers to maintain mental well-being without commuting.
So, if you or your loved ones feel mentally isolated, don’t be. It’s a condition of the brain that, like every organ, requires maintenance with regular checkups.