Schizophrenia is a challenging disorder that makes it difficult to distinguish between what is real and unreal, think clearly manage emotions, relate to others, and function abnormally. Most cases of schizophrenia appear in the late teens or early adulthood, however schizophrenia can appear for the first time in middle age or even late, in rare cases schizophrenia can even affect young children and adolescents, it is more severe in men than in women. In some people, schizophrenia appear suddenly and without warning, but for most, it comes on slowly with subtle warning signs and a gradual decline in functioning long before the first severe episode. In this early phase, people with schizophrenia often seem eccentric, unmotivated, emotionless, and reclusive. They isolate themselves, start neglecting their appearance, say peculiar things, they may abandon hobbies and activities and their performance at work or school deteriorates.
Patient will be in depression, there may be oversleep, or insomnia, strange use of words or way of speaking. Social problems such as long term unemployment, poverty, and homelessness are common. The average life expectancy of people with this disorder is 12 to 15 years.
WHAT IS SCHIZOPHRENIA?
Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that affects the way a person acts, thinks, and sees the world, people with schizophrenia have an altered perception of reality, often a significant loss of contact with reality, they may see or hear things that don’t exist, speak in strange or confusing ways, believe that others are trying to harm them, or feel like they are being constantly watched with such a blurred line between the real and imaginary, schizophrenia makes it difficult in response, people with schizophrenia may withdraw from the outside world or act out in confusion and fear.
TYPES OF SCHIZOPHRENIA:
- Paranoid schizophrenia
- Disorganized schizophrenia
- Catatonic schizophrenia
CAUSES OF UNMADA
- Genetic causes.
- Environmental causes:
- Prenatal exposure.
- Low oxygen levels during birth.
- Early parental loss or separation.
- Physical or sexual abuse in childhood.
- Abnormal brain structure. Enlarged brain ventricles are seen in some schizophrenia, indicating a deficit in the volume of brain tissue, there is also evidence of abnormally low activity in frontal lobe.
- Drug abuse.
MANAGING UNMADA IN AYURVEDA:
The concept of Manasika Vikara is widely described in Ayurveda Texts and Schizophrenia can be considered as Unmada and is one among the prime Manasika Rogas, which has very bad effect on one’s life. It is possible to manage this condition with special and effective treatments which has been highlighted in Ayurveda by acharyas. Since mental factors are associated with the issue, the approach of in Ayurveda combines with multiple modalities of the treatment with immense counseling.Healing Earth team is specialized and has expertise in treating such conditions.