Schizophrenia, Antidepressants and Electroconvulsive Shock Therapy, Essay Example

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a mental illness that affects more than 2 million American adults in the modern day. Schizophrenia may manifest itself in numerous ways with all victims unique from each other.

Symptoms of Schizophrenia

There are three broad categories of symptoms of schizophrenia. These three categories are;

Negative Symptoms

In this case, the patient has reduced or no ability to express emotion, speak, initiate plans or speaking infrequently even when mandated to interact. These symptoms can easily be passed for depression and/or laziness. Here the patient is at a reduced behavioural and emotional state.

Positive Symptoms

In this case the patient reports disorder in their thought process and movement, delusions and hallucinations. Positive symptoms can be experienced in episodes, where the intensity of each episode varies depending on the patient’s treatment. If the patient is not under any form of treatment, there is the increasing risk of having severe episodes.

Cognitive Symptoms

Here the patient experience certain deficits in their cognitive function such as having problems with certain types of memory and a short span of attention. These symptoms are difficult to identify.

Treatment

Treatment focuses on eliminating symptoms of the mental illness as the true cause of schizophrenia has not been ascertained. The following are the different avenues of treatment;

Antipsychotic Medications

These medications alleviate the positive symptoms a patient may have. Each patient responds differently to antipsychotic drugs and as such may require a combination of drugs to effectively manage the symptoms of schizophrenia. These drugs also have some side effects on the patients. These include restlessness, muscle spasms, rigidity and tremors. The length of treatment on antipsychotic medication varies from patient to another. It is important that the symptoms be effectively managed.

Psychosocial Treatment

This kind of treatment is mostly used once a patient has been stabilized on the antipsychotic drugs. This technique helps in restoring the patient’s confidence, motivation, communication and the establishment of solid, stable, reliable and permanent relationships.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

This therapy is targeted at addressing the core symptoms, helping the patient discover the prodromal symptoms, triggers to episodes and help the patient exercise the factors that eventually lead to the preservation of remission.

Antidepressants

Antidepressants are medications that are widely used in the treatment of depressive disorders and other conditions such as obsessive compulsive disorder, chronic pain dysthymia, anxiety disorders, neuropathic pain, eating disorders, and even migraines, sleep disorders, substance abuse, dysmenorrhoea and ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder). Antidepressants can also be used in the management of depression as a symptom of schizophrenia.

Types of Antidepressants

SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors)

SSRIs have been found to be effective in relieving depression for most patients. They have also been found to be safe with some side effects. Just as all antidepressants do, SSRIs have sexual side effects on the patient. Patients using this drug have delayed ejaculation in men and a failure to realize orgasm by the women. Common SSRIs in the market are;

• Sertraline (Zoloft)
• Citalopram (Celexa)
• Fluvoxamine (Luvox CR, Luvox)
• Fluoxetine (Sarafem, Prozac Weekly, Prozac)
• Paroxetine (Pexeva, Paxil CR, Paxil)
• Escitalopram (Lexapro)

SNRIs (Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors)

Duloxetine (Cymbalta)

This drug is effective in alleviating depression and relieving pain. It causes side effects such as constipation, a dry mouth and nausea. Individuals with kidney or liver problems or at risk of developing them should not take duloxetine.

Desvenlafaxine (Pristiq)

This antidepressant may work where other antidepressants have failed. Its side effects are similar to those of SSRIs.

Venlafaxine (Effexor XR)

This antidepressant is similar to Desvenlafaxine. However, there is no study that has proven which of the two is more effective. Venlafaxine can be found in generic form making it cheaper than Desvenlafaxine. Venlafaxine can potentially raise a patient’s blood pressure, as such an overdose would be fatal to the patient.

Electroconvulsive Shock Therapy

This is a kind of therapy where the patient experiences electrically induced seizures so that the patient can be received of a given psychiatric illness. This therapy is however a last resort is handling severe cases of schizophrenia and depression. The electroconvulsive shock is administered to the patient two or three times per week until the show signs of relieve from the symptoms. Contrary to popular belief, ECT is a harmless procedure where the patient is under anaesthesia with a dose of a muscle relaxant.

There are three main ways in which ECT can be applied to suit the particular needs of the patient in question. They include, the frequency of treatments, electrode placement and the stimulus’ electrical waveform. All three methods of application have their own distinct side effects and level and rate of success with regards to remission. It is usually recommended that drug therapy continues after completion of the required number of ECT sessions. At times, the Physician may recommend a regular series of ECT maintenance sessions. This is essential in helping managing or mitigation remission.