Schizophrenia

What is Schizophrenia?

This mental illness is of unknown cause and is present in less than 1% of the population across all cultures. This disorder involves a defect in thinking characterized by the occurrence (positive symptom) and/or absence (negative symptom) of specific features that severely impair communication and behavior. The onset occurs most often in the transition from teenage into early adulthood. Rare cases may occur in childhood and at the older end of the spectrum may present between ages forty and sixty.

How can Dr. Kohn help you?

Dr. Kohn uses a variety of evaluation forms and both Assessment and Treatment Tools in his Practice. He uses a Holistic view of the patient and the problem. Dr. Kohn uses a Biological-Psychological-Social framework to assess your symptoms because he knows that the proper diagnosis leads to proper treatment.

Treatment includes the combination of medicines with case management and therapy that is both supportive and directive. Disability determination allows people access to the support services and medication that are needed. A psychiatrist and therapist (often social worker) are needed to provide the needed services.

What Are the Symptoms of Schizophrenia?

Examples of positive symptoms may include hearing thoughts as spoken words from an unfamiliar source (third person, auditory hallucinations), disorganized speech with mumbling, grimacing or odd facial expression, body postures, inappropriate laughing or screaming, refusal to eat, sleep pattern reversal with sleeping during the day and awake all night.

Thinking lacks the logical interconnection of ideas and often includes distortions or bizarre thoughts such as being controlled by aliens, feeling electrical zaps from the TV or lights; belief that the body organs are melting, burning, rotting, etc.

The withdrawal of participation in activities in the absence of a mood disorder; the halting of motivation to continue involvement at work, school or previous areas of importance; flattening of affect and emotional color; poverty of content in conversation despite knowledge and familiarity of the subject; decreased productivity of speech or unwillingness to speak are all examples of negative aspects of schizophrenia.

There are five subtypes considered in the diagnosis of schizophrenia:

• Paranoid
• Disorganized
• Catatonic
• Undifferentiated
• Residual