Undifferentiated Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a psychological disorder that impairs the brain's ability to express and identify emotions, and hinders the thinking process of the brain. Schizophrenia is an umbrella disorder with many sub types like paranoid schizophrenia, catatonic, disorganized, residual, and undifferentiated schizophrenia. One of the most widely misunderstood psychological disorders across the world, schizophrenia affects more than a million Americans every year. Although there is no known cure for schizophrenia, the disease can be arrested and the affected person is able to get back to a routine, normal life. Schizophrenia is one of the top disorders behind long term disability in men and women across the world. Generally, this disorder affects men and women in early adulthood, and schizophrenia in children is rare. Scientist believe that 'Nature and Nurture' both play a part in someone getting schizophrenia. It can occur because of pre-existing genetic disposition or the kind of social environment the person is exposed to.

Symptoms

The different sub types of schizophrenia are characterized by some specific symptoms, for example, in paranoid schizophrenia, hallucination and delusions can be seen. Bizarre body movements and echopraxia are some of the signs in catatonic schizophrenia. Problems with behavior and speech are some symptoms of disorganized schizophrenia. In undifferentiated schizophrenia there are some or all the signs of the other sub types and it cannot be categorized in one particular sub type. In undifferentiated schizophrenia, the symptoms can vacillate from one category to another and thus this kind of schizophrenia cannot be categorized under one sub type. Schizophrenia is a mental illness which cannot be diagnosed by any test, hence the diagnosis is done with the help of symptoms described by the friends and family of an individual. Schizophrenia develops slowly in an individual, and careful observation is required for the correct diagnosis. Some of the major signs of schizophrenia are:

• Delusion: After psychological testing it was found that one of the biggest indicators of schizophrenia is delusional behavior, a person might believe that a family member or a friend is conspiring to hurt them. They might think that they are very famous, for example, a famous musician, TV personality, or belonging to a royal family.
• Unusual Speech: The thought process is not stable in a schizophrenic, hence there is sometimes no connection between the words that come out of the mouth of an affected person. A affected person will try and accommodate different thoughts in one sentence, making a sentence without any meaning. They are also known to use imaginary words which have meaning only to them and repeat words uttered by others.
• Hallucinations: A feeling of experiencing sounds or sensations which are not real is common among schizophrenics. Auditory hallucinations are very common in people with schizophrenia as they might hear imaginary sounds like music playing, drill machines at work, or even someone talking to them. Visual hallucinations are also experienced by these people and they might see manifestations of things that are not real.
• Other Signs: An inability to understand written or spoken words known as Alogia is one of the key indicators of schizophrenia. A person will not be able to coherently reply to questions or will not be able to make correct sentences. Another sign is bizarre body movements and the inability to care for one's personal hygiene. The affected person will also show signs of being in depression, being disconnected, avoiding eye contact, might stop speaking and sometimes even stop body movements. An all round lack of interest is one of the early signs.

There is no clear undifferentiated schizophrenia treatment process, some believe that there is no cure, but with the help of medication and family support the affected person can function in society. Anti-psychotic medications can help reduce or stop the hallucinations and delusions. Some psychotherapies that help the cognition process of the affected individual also go a long way towards their rehabilitation. Self help groups have also been very effective in helping people with undifferentiated schizophrenia deal with their condition.