The obstacles that schizophrenia may cause can take its toll on any college student. It can be hard to concentrate in class if the professors speech can’t be comprehended or irrelevant thoughts distract you to a stressful state of mind. For such people, seeking treatment can be beneficial in many ways.

“Students who comply with their medication regimen can successfully complete their academic coursework,” said Michelle Detsch, a Psychological Intern at Fresno City College.

According to E. Fuller Torrey and Jane E. Phillips, authors of Surviving Schizophrenia and Schizophrenia, Schizophrenia is known to be one of the most misunderstood mental disorders that is characterized by confused thinking and an inability to respond, communicate, or behave appropriately. Affecting about 1 percent of Americans, it is commonly known to cause hallucinating, which causes those who suffer from schizophrenia to see or hear things that are not there. Schizophrenia can cause chaos to any college student living with this disorder, especially if they don’t know they may have it in the first place or may be lost on not knowing where to get help. The effects of schizophrenia can be overwhelming if untreated and the symptoms can be a living nightmare if the cause is unknown.

There are five types of schizophrenia (Catatonic, Paranoid, Disorganized, Undifferentiated, and Residual) therefore, symptoms may vary. In general schizophrenia symptoms include:

? Delusions – False personal beliefs that are thought to be true even though contradictory facts are present.

? Seeing or hearing things that don’t exist (hallucinations), especially voices.

? Incoherent speech.

? Neglect of personal hygiene.

? Lack of emotions.

? Emotions inappropriate to the situation.

? Angry outburst.

? Catatonic behavior.

? Persistent feeling of being watched.

? Trouble functioning in school and work.

? Social isolation.

? Clumsy, uncoordinated movements.

Schizophrenia damage ranges from mild to severe. Some people are capable of living productive lives while others may need specialized intensive care.

Getting treatment from a mental health provider with experience in schizophrenia can help you learn ways to manage your symptoms. The type of treatment that works for one individual may not be useful to another, depending on what type of schizophrenia is being treated and many other factors. Doctors choosing medication for a schizophrenic patient have to consider:

? The sex and weight of the patient

? The patient’s health

? The severity of the patients symptoms; and

? How many psychotic episodes the patient has experienced

“Students who are not medication compliant may become overwhelmed with their symptoms and may not be able to complete school; delusions, hallucinations and/or paranoia might lead the individuals to become socially isolated and they may deteriorate emotionally,” Detsch said.

Medications used today are known as atypical antipsychotics. Antipsychotic medications are effective at managing both positive and negative symptoms. Using medication for schizophrenia isn’t always enough treatment. People with schizophrenia need to learn to understand their disorder and how to take care of their lives, which can help prevent relapse.

Therapy is another type of treatment which is beneficial towards helping someone with schizophrenia live a productive life. One type of therapy that is used today is psychotherapy, which helps you learn ways to cope with the daily life challenges brought on by schizophrenia. Therapy can help you improve communications skills, relationships, your ability to work and your motivation to stick to your treatment plan. Learning about schizophrenia can help you understand it better, cope with lingering symptoms, and understand the importance of taking your medications.