By Sarah Chaigneau and Laura Jarny
Last year, we had to produce a brochure and an oral presentation on the subject of our choice. So we chose to present schizophrenia and made a brochure on this topic. This booklet is divided into four parts: a part describing schizophrenia, another describing the symptoms that characterize this disease, another part explaining the possible evolution of schizophrenia and the fourth part indicate what are the treatments that can be put in place. This information booklet is intended for staff working in nursing homes who may be in contact with people suffering from this pathology.
Schizophrenia is a chronic psychosis characterized by delusions and disorganized speech and behavior associated with a major disruption of the social, professional, and emotional life of the person who suffers from it.
It is characterized by the loss of contact with reality as well as the lack of awareness of the subject who suffers making it difficult to accept the diagnosis and the implementation of appropriate treatment. Triggers include drugs, strong emotions, social tensions and work pressures.
Schizophrenia causes a family disturbance and a great suffering in the entourage. The exact causes of schizophrenia are unknown, but the interaction between genetic background and stress could lead to vulnerability to this disease. The first signs are between 15 and 30 years old. Schizophrenia affects about 0.7% of the world’s population.
The major risk of Schizophrenia is suicide (10% of schizophrenics) that can follow a depression. The presence of delusional ideas can lead people with schizophrenia to commit crimes or criminal acts for the most serious cases. The consumption of alcohol or narcotic is also greater in these patients. This being related to the search for exciting or something that can calm them. The factors of good prognosis are the stability of the family environment, the awareness of one’s own illness and early medical follow-up. 20 to 30% of patients are poorly responsive to treatment. Patients dangerous to society are a minority.
The management of schizophrenia depends on the profile of each patient. Treatments and therapies are essentially symptomatic and aim to improve the lives of patients and can lead to lasting remission. There are different types of treatments. Antipsychotics aim to alleviate symptoms, the Transcranial magnetic stimulation consists of the application of a magnetic field of a few seconds on a defined area of the brain would reduce the number of hallucinations and negative symptoms. Also, there is Electroshock for severe forms.The Cognitive rehabilitation therapy helps to improve, cure or circumvent certain disorders such as attention, memory, learning for example and Cognitive-behavioral therapies can help the patient to avoid the confinement on himself to address emotions and reduce psychogenic substances.
Words that we learn: booklet; delusions; triggers; disturbance; circumvent
References:
https://eurekasante.vidal.fr/maladies/psychisme/schizop hreniepsychoses.html?pb=symptomes
http://www.douglas.qc.ca/info/schizophrenie
https://www.inserm.fr/information-en-sante/dossiers-information/schizophrenie