World Schizophrenia Day

The world sees an increase in the number of mental illnesses every year. One of the most serious and virtually untreatable diseases is schizophrenia, which is diagnosed in 24 million people. Scientists attribute its occurrence to genetic predisposition, brain injuries and prolonged exposure to stress. The disease also occurs due to intrauterine pathologies of the fetus, as a result of severe emotional shock and regular use of drugs and alcohol. Since 1988, May 24 has been celebrated as World Schizophrenia Day. The main goal of World Schizophrenia Day is to raise awareness of people living with one of the most severe mental disorders in the world. The disease can occur in every hundredth person. People suffering from schizophrenia find it difficult to integrate into society, as they are immersed in their inner world, which makes it difficult to communicate with others. Some psychiatrist patients behave aggressively and defiantly, especially if they do not receive treatment. Therefore, it is advisable for relatives of patients with schizophrenia to consult a doctor about the condition of their loved ones as soon as possible. World Schizophrenia Day was created to broaden the understanding of what this mental disorder is. Symptoms of schizophrenia include: confusion, delusions, and auditory and visual hallucinations. Patients with this diagnosis experience apathy, isolation, decreased social activity and paranoia - persecution mania. The main symptom of the disease is impaired thinking due to the splitting of the patient’s consciousness. The split in the personality of a schizophrenic leads to the replacement of logical conclusions with delusional ideas. Psychiatrists observe sudden mood swings and lack of consistency in reasoning in patients. As the disease progresses, schizophrenics develop a condition called emotional-volitional defect. They find it difficult to do everyday things that an ordinary person does every day without thinking. People with a progressive mental disorder cannot bring themselves to take a shower, clean the apartment, cook food, or go to the store for groceries. The patient’s emotional sphere also suffers. A schizophrenic loses the ability to show love, tenderness and affection to loved ones. He becomes indifferent, cruel and cold; often these qualities are replaced by aggression in relations with people around him. Emotional support and timely, qualified medication treatment can help people with mental disorders. World Schizophrenia Day aims to provide sufficient information to patients and their caregivers about the symptoms of the disease and treatment options. Society should pay attention to the problems of schizophrenics and help them with social adaptation where possible. The disease cannot be cured, but it is quite possible to achieve remission and stabilize the mental state. These and other problems are highlighted by World Schizophrenia Day, which is celebrated annually on May 24.