Schizophrenia is an illness that is characterized by distortions of reality and disturbances of thought and language. A person with schizophrenia may have a hard time making decisions. They may also have trouble managing their emotions or relating to other people. Schizophrenia can also cause the sufferer to feel frightened and paranoid, making it difficult to function and interact socially.
Some things that people with schizophrenia may feel or experience are:
- Hearing or seeing things that are not there (hallucinations)
- Believe things that are not true (delusions)
- Feeling as if they are being watched (paranoia)
- Experiencing a negative change in self-care or personal appearance
- Feeling angry or fearful toward others
- Acting in ways that are strange or out of place
Contrary to popular belief, schizophrenia is not a split personality. Schizophrenia is a psychosis, a type of mental illness in which a person cannot differentiate between what is real from what is imagined. At times, people with psychotic disorders lose touch with reality. The world may seem like a mixture of confusing thoughts, images, and sounds. The behavior of people with schizophrenia may be very strange and even shocking. A sudden change in personality and behavior, which occurs when people lose touch with reality, is called a psychotic episode. Americare can help people with schizophrenia remain healthy.
At Americare, our nurses receive advanced training and behavioral health certification. Our certified nurses help individuals with behavioral health diagnoses manage their care in a more supportive environment – their own home. Our program is designed to reduce the frequency of re-hospitalization, increase adherence to treatment regimes, provide self-care education, and help the patient reach optimal health, safety, and independence.
