Paranoid schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder characterized by delusions and auditory hallucinations. It is diagnosed by observing symptoms and treated with antipsychotic drugs, psychotherapy, and education. Recovery is possible, but the disease is often lifelong.
Paranoid schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by delusions and auditory hallucinations. It is a chronic disease and the possibility of a cure is controversial. Male paranoid schizophrenics usually begin showing symptoms in their late teens or early twenties, while female patients usually begin showing symptoms in their twenties to early thirties. Many people who suffer from paranoid schizophrenia make at least a partial recovery, but most, if not all, people diagnosed with it deal with the illness to some degree throughout their lives.
Paranoid schizophrenia is a subtype of schizophrenia, the others are catatonic, disorganized and undifferentiated. Paranoid schizophrenia is so named because the patient suffers from paranoia, or an irrational feeling of being persecuted or otherwise in danger. The symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia are collectively known as psychosis. The disease is diagnosed by observing the symptoms.
Delusions are basically beliefs about the world that are held by virtually no one else in the patient’s culture. As explained above, they often take the form of feelings of persecution. For example, a paranoid schizophrenic may believe that he is under constant surveillance by the government and that he can read his thoughts. Delusions can also take the form of grandiose beliefs, in which the patient believes he or she has superhuman abilities or a famous identity. Another typical symptom, auditory hallucinations, is the perception of sounds that no one else hears, often voices.
The early symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia are less severe and can include anxiety and social withdrawal. Some patients develop psychotic symptoms without warning, in what is known as acute onset versus gradual onset. Other symptoms associated with the disorder include disorganized thinking, irrational behavior, inappropriate emotional expression, decreased ability to communicate with others, and physical immobility or excessive aimless mobility.
Paranoid schizophrenia is treated with antipsychotic drugs, patient and family psychotherapy, and job and social education. Hospitalization can be beneficial, both short-term and long-term if needed. It is essential that family and friends are involved in the coping process whenever possible, as the disease itself makes it difficult for the patient to go through a course of treatment without assistance. Organizations such as the National Schizophrenia Foundation and the National Alliance on Mental Illness organize support groups for paranoid schizophrenics and their family and friends.
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