Schizophrenia Blog

People with schizophrenia follow many different paths of treatment, some effective, some not as effective. What has been your experience with the health care system since your loved one or you were diagnosed? What would have effected that path? Earlier diagnosis, different insurance options? What would you like to see more readily available? Visit the schizophrenia forum and share your thoughts with others!

Cold weather reminds me me of the large number of people with schizophrenia who will be homeless this winter. As many as 25% of homeless people suffer from schizophrenia or severe manic depressive illness. What can we do? Some ideas include becoming involved in advocacy for the mentally ill, volunteering some time at a homeless shelters or soup kitchen, or supporting organizations that advocate for the mentally ill and the homeless. We can also learn about services available in our communities for the mentally ill, so we'll be ready to provide information when we encounter someone in need. Society has a long way to go in providing adequate services for the mentally ill. When we join our voices as individuals, we play an important role in turning the tide.

Scientists are working hard to discover the genetic factors that lead to development of schizophrenia. The December, 2007, issue of The Archives of General Psychiatry reports new evidence of connections between the genes controlling schizophrenia and IQ. People with schizophrenia often have impaired working memory and lower IQ. This complex study involved pairs of identical and fraternal twins in the UK, of which one, both, or none of the twins had schizophrenia. Researchers found that healthy identical twins shared cognitive impairments with their ill twin more often than fraternal twins did with theirs. They found that 92% of the correlation between IQ and schizophrenia was explained by shared genetic variability. Findings like this may one day, far in the future, help researchers identify specific genes that can be targeted by genetic therapies.

Peer counseling has been helpful for patients with a number of psychiatric disorders, but has rarely been studied as a means of delivering information and support for people with schizophrenia. In a study reported in the December, 2007, issue of the journal Patient Education Counseling, eighty-five patients with schizophrenia addressed their questions about their illness to a man living with schizoaffective disorder for twenty years. Author Kluge-Rummel and colleagues report that not only were the patients' questions answered well, but they also felt they had received support and encouragement from a peer who had successfully lived with many of their own challenges. The study suggests that support and social service organizations should look for ways to implement and encourage peer counseling in their networks.

People with schizophrenia have a tragically high risk of suicide. During the holiday season depression and suicide can be even more of a danger. It’s extremely important at this time to keep resources at hand to deal with a crisis if it should occur. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a 24-hour, toll-free suicide prevention resource. The Lifeline connects you immediately with a trained crisis worker. The Lifeline can also refer you to mental health services in your area, and is available to counsel concerned family and friends. If you or someone you love is in a suicidal crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.

Schizophenia is a significant health problem among US combat veterans. A 1999 study found that 4.7% of clients of the Veterans Health Affairs system were diagnosed with schizophrenia. On November 5, President Bush signed into law the Joshua Omvig Suicide Prevention Bill. Named for a 22 year old soldier who committed suicide after returning from Iraq, the bill places a suicide prevention counselor at each VA facility, requires mental health training for all VA staff, supports education and outreach programs for veterans and families, and funds suicide prevention research.

A new study has found that women respond better than men to certain antipsychotic drugs. The Schizophrenia Outpatient Health Outcomes study compared responses to medication of around 4500 men and 3500 women from 10 European countries, in terms of reduced symptoms and improved quality of life. Women had more reduction of symptoms and more improved quality of life compared to men taking clozapine (Clozaril) and the typical antipsychotics. On olanzapine (Zyprexa), women had a more improved quality of life compared to men, although men and women experienced similar reductions in their symptoms. The study didn't find gender differences in response to risperdone (Risperdal). This study emphasizes that individuals respond differently to medications for many reasons. It's important to work with your doctors to find the medications that work best for you.

I've posted five new definitions in the glossary this week; that only leaves several thousand to go! The jargon that doctors and scientists use to talk about schizophrenia can make it very difficult for consumers to learn important information about their illness. What words and phrases do you want to understand better? Look in the Schizophrenia Support Forum later this month for a new topic called "Glossary Term Suggestions," and let me know which definitions you'd like to see in the glossary next.

The experience of schizophrenia cuts a person off from the shared, assumed background of experiences that allow most people to communicate. Even standing right next to a loved one, a person with active psychosis experiences and perceives things their loved ones don't and can't. The Internal Experience of Schizophrenia describes how an individual with schizophrenia often experiences the most common psychotic symptoms. I hope some of you with schizophrenia will be able to use this to help others understand your experiences a little better.

People with schizophrenia are much more likely to be heavy smokers than other people. This was a source of friction in my family for years, with my well-meaning father pushing my sister to quit for the sake of her health. It's just not that simple. Smoking has a special effect on people with schizophrenia that makes it very difficult to quit. In fact, the connection between nicotine and acetylcholine receptors in the brain is one more clue to help scientists understand the brain chemistry of schizophrenia.