100 Questions & Answers About Schizophrenia

by Lynn E. DeLisi

Overview

Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe mental illness that can be devastating for patients and their loved ones. Whether you are a newly diagnosed patient or a relative of someone suffering from this condition, this book offers help. 100 Questions&Answers About Schizophrenia: Painful Minds, Third Edition provides authoritative, practical answers to your questions about symptoms, diagnosis, treatment options, sources of support, and much more. Expert psychiatrist Dr. Lynn E. DeLisi has updated her book with new facts, statistics, and helpful information that many patients and their families seek, including new progress in genetics, updates on medication use and other new treatments, new emphasis on early detection and treatment, as well as new diagnostic structures with DSM-V, and for research, the RDoC. This book is an invaluable resource for anyone coping with the physical, mental, and emotional turmoil of schizophrenia.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781284140682
Publisher:	Jones & Bartlett Learning
Publication date:	04/13/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	230
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

New York University - The Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research

Table of Contents

Acknowledgment xi

Foreword xiii

A Patient's Perspective xiii

A Sister's Perspective xvi

The Nurses' Perspective xxii

Note from the Author xxix

Introduction 1

Part 1 The Illness and Its Characteristics 7

Questions 1-24 provide information for people who've just been diagnosed with schizophrenia or related disorders:

1 What is schizophrenia? 8

2 What are the first signs of this illness? How do I know whether someone has schizophrenia? 14

3 Is being "schizophreniform" the same as having "schizophrenia"? 22

4 What does it mean to have a "schizotypal personality disorder"? 23

5 What is schizoaffective disorder? 24

6 How is schizophrenia different from manic depression or bipolar disease? 27

7 Is it possible to hear voices that are not there and not be ill? 29

8 Does being told one has a psychosis mean one has schizophrenia? 30

9 What is catatonia? 31

10 What is a delusion? 34

11 What is meant by positive and negative symptoms? 36

12 Do people with schizophrenia have language problems? 36

13 Do people with schizophrenia get depression? 38

14 Are memory problems symptoms of schizophrenia? 39

15 Do people with schizophrenia have a low IQ? 40

16 Are muscular problems associated with schizophrenia? 41

17 Do people with schizophrenia have a reduced life span or die from their illness? 42

18 Are there medical conditions that look like schizophrenia? 42

19 Do people with schizophrenia have fewer offspring? 43

20 Do people diagnosed with a first episode of schizophrenia recover? If so, how long will this take? 44

21 What is the course of chronic schizophrenia over time, and what can influence it? 46

22 What can patients and their families do to minimize symptoms and influence outcome? 48

23 What happens if someone opts for no treatment or gets the wrong treatment? 49

24 Are there some societies in which no individuals develop schizophrenia? 50

Part 2 Treatment: When, Where, by Whom, and With What? 53

Questions 25-41 review different options available to treat schizophrenia:

25 Who first sees an individual with schizophrenia, and what type of professional can treat the first symptoms? 54

26 Why won't some psychiatrists treat people with schizophrenia? 58

27 What if I do not have insurance or my policy does not cover psychiatric care? 59

28 Do I have to be treated in a hospital if I have schizophrenia? If so, for how long? 61

29 What treatments were used before pharmaceutical companies introduced neuroleptic medication? 63

30 What are the current choices for medication? 66

31 Are combinations of different medications more effective than one alone? 71

32 When to use clozapine and if it doesn't work, then what? 73

33 Are there any new possibilities for treatments on the horizon? 75

34 What are the medication side effects and how are they resolved? 76

35 How long does medication have to be taken? 79

36 Are long-acting injectables more helpful than oral medications? 80

37 Is electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) a treatment for schizophrenia? 81

38 What is transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and what can it do? 82

39 What is cognitive behavioral therapy? 83

40 Can a specific diet help, or using vitamin and fish oil supplements? 85

41 Can individual, group, or family therapy help? 89

Part 3 Genetic Risk 91

Questions 42-57 discuss the genetic risks associated with schizophrenia:

42 Is schizophrenia inherited? 92

43 Should I adopt a baby whose birth parent had schizophrenia? 95

44 If someone related to me has schizophrenia, what are my chances of getting it? What are the chances of my children getting schizophrenia if my partner has a relative with it as well? 96

45 If I have an identical twin with schizophrenia, but I am well, what are my children's chances of having schizophrenia? 97

46 What chromosomal risk factors can increase one's risk for schizophrenia? 98

47 What are the methods used to find gene defects that are associated with schizophrenia? 99

48 What genes are currently implicated as risks for schizophrenia? 105

49 Are any risk genes specific to schizophrenia, or are they implicated in other diseases as well? 107

50 How is it assumed that genes cause schizophrenia? 107

51 What do DNA copy number variations (CNVs) have to do with schizophrenia? 110

52 What is an endophenotype for schizophrenia? 111

53 Are there lab tests to identify genetic risk for schizophrenia? 113

54 Should I order commercially available DNA tests for schizophrenia? 113

55 Can DNA testing enable physicians to determine which medications to administer? 115

56 How can genetic research provide new treatments? 116

57 What are the ethical concerns about genetic testing? Do those with genes for schizophrenia face discrimination? 117

Part 4 Nongenetic Risk Factors 121

Questions 58-64 discuss nongenetic-based risk factors that can contribute to schizophrenia:

58 Do birth complications cause schizophrenia? 122

59 Is schizophrenia more common in some cultural or racial groups than others? 123

60 Can bad family relationships cause schizophrenia? 124

61 Can immigration from another country increase risk for schizophrenia? 126

62 Does where you live affect your risk for illness (urban versus rural environments)? 127

63 Is schizophrenia infectious? 127

64 Do viruses cause schizophrenia? 128

Part 5 Substance Abuse and Schizophrenia 131

Questions 65-71 review the effects of substance abuse in schizophrenia:

65 Can the use of multiple street drugs in adolescence cause schizophrenia? 132

66 Can cannabis/marijuana specifically cause schizophrenia? 133

67 Can someone who has schizophrenia smoke cannabis/marijuana? Is it harmful, or can it also be beneficial? 134

68 Which drugs cause schizophrenia-like symptoms in people who do not have schizophrenia? 136

69 What does drug use do to people who have schizophrenia? 136

70 Can someone who has schizophrenia drink alcohol? 137

71 Why do people with schizophrenia smoke cigarettes excessively? 137

Part 6 The Biology Underlying Schizophrenia: Current Research Findings 139

Questions 72-79 provide information about the biologic findings on schizophrenia and testing being done to determine the disease's effects on the body:

72 Are there any tests that can be taken from blood, urine, or spinal fluid to definitively diagnose schizophrenia? 140

73 Is schizophrenia a "chemical imbalance"? 141

74 Are there any differences in the brains of people who have schizophrenia? 143

75 Should an MRI scan be performed? 146

76 Are functional MRI scans useful? 147

77 Should an EEG be done on patients with schizophrenia? 148

78 When do the brain changes occur, and is schizophrenia considered a progressive brain disorder? 149

79 Could the brain changes be due to an inflammatory process? 152

Part 7 Violence and Aggression in Schizophrenia 153

Questions 80-82 examine the connection between violent behavior and this mental illness:

80 Do people with schizophrenia frequently commit violent acts and crimes? 154

81 What should I do if my relative or friend is behaving violently or expressing violent thoughts? 157

82 How can violent behavior be predicted? 158

Part 8 Suicidal Behavior and Schizophrenia 161

Questions 83-84 discuss how to best recognize someone at high risk for suicidal behaviors and prevent this tragic outcome:

83 What are the signs of suicidal thoughts in schizophrenia? 162

84 What can be done to prevent suicide attempts? 164

Part 9 Issues for Women 165

Questions 85-90 review specific issues unique to female patients with schizophrenia:

85 Is schizophrenia different in women? 166

86 Should patients who are pregnant take medication for schizophrenia? 168

87 What is the risk of a postpartum relapse? 169

88 Should mothers with schizophrenia breast-feed infants? 170

89 Can estrogen for birth control help suppress symptoms? 171

90 Can schizophrenia be exacerbated during and after menopause? 171

Part 10 The Homeless and Schizophrenia 173

Questions 91-92 discuss the connection between homelessness and mental illness:

91 How prevalent is schizophrenia among the homeless? 174

92 What causes homelessness, and what is being done to prevent it? 176

Part 11 Legal and Ethical Issues 181

Questions 93-95 discuss legal and ethical questions posed by schizophrenia:

93 What does "involuntary" hospital commitment involve? 182

94 What is the legal insanity defense? 184

95 Why participate in research, and can patients with schizophrenia have the capacity to give informed consent for research and medical procedures? 190

Part 12 Living with Schizophrenia and Recovery 193

Questions 96-100 provide information on daily life with and recovery from schizophrenia:

96 Can people with schizophrenia recover? 194

97 What are the origins of the stigma attached to having schizophrenia? 195

98 Can a person with schizophrenia be professionally creative? 196

99 Should a person with schizophrenia drive a car? 197

100 What support groups, books, and websites can I go to for help? 199

Appendix: Resources 201

Glossary 211

Index 221

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Michael Joel Schrift, DO, MA (Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine)
Description: This is a clearly written and informative new book for patients who have schizophrenia, as well as their parents and family members, that provides up-to-date and thoughtful answers to the common questions they have about this troublesome problem. Written and edited by an internationally recognized clinician-scientist, this is an extremely useful guide for patients and families to help make informative decisions regarding the illness and its treatment.
Purpose: The purpose is to provide to the public "true facts about schizophrenia," according to the author. "This book is designed to refute the basis for stigma that exists in all aspects of life and to provide the public with a glimpse of what it is like to have schizophrenia, what causes it, how it can be treated, and how to live a productive life when you or a family member has schizophrenia." Indeed, Dr. DeLisi has written a truly information packed yet readable guide and has produced a book that is a giant step toward her noble goal.
Audience: The intended audience includes patients and their family and friends. All mental healthcare providers should be knowledgeable about the information contained in this guide.
Features: Covered topics include characteristics of the illness, treatment, risk factors, neurobiology, substance abuse and schizophrenia, violence and aggression, suicide, women's issues, homelessness, living with schizophrenia, and ethical issues. In addition, important resources (books, websites, and support groups) are listed and an excellent glossary of terms is provided.
Assessment: This new book on schizophrenia for patients and families is an outstanding guide to the illness and its treatment as well as negotiating the system. It should be mandatory reading for all legislators who continue not to understand that this is as much of an illness as cancer.

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