Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that affects approximately 1% of the world population, being mainly characterized by delusions, hallucinations and changes in behavior and perception. At the beginning of the onset of symptoms, the individual is apathetic, with greater vulnerability to stress and disappointments in life. This way of recognizing the world around them makes the patient increasingly change his behavior, but without this being clear to him. Auditory hallucinations, with voices that are often imperative or even destructive, also occur. He comes to believe he is part of a plot, his ideas become confused, and people of their coexistence realize that there is something wrong, and they do not always know how to act in a way that, in fact, the help.
Thus, it is not only the schizophrenic who suffers, but also those who live with him, especially family members. Feeling of guilt, impotence, anxiety, shame, fear, bitterness, denial, tiredness, exhaustion and alcohol abuse are some feelings and behaviors that can permeate the lives of these people, if they do not receive the proper guidelines. This situation can further aggravate the patient's situation, as he tends to be dependent on other people, who are the ones who live most directly with him.
Family and/or patient support groups are interesting because they provide the exchange of information. These help people to realistically perceive the disorder, recognizing that, being well, and not putting your loved one's illness at the center of your life, the better the chances of everyone being beneficiaries. Informing, reflecting and reassessing situations and attitudes frequently are exercises that should be considered. Dialogue frankly, avoid hospitalizations (except in cases of outbreaks or acute crises), do not minimize the person's fears and hallucinations, encourage their independence and socialization, not expecting or demanding unrealistic goals and guaranteeing drug and psychotherapeutic treatment are equally important.
Family and friends should also remember that although there are several lines of treatments for these people, schizophrenia is not curable; the worsening of symptoms is not always directly related to the efforts of those close to them; and that, when treated, the person does not present risks to society and can, in many cases, carry out activities normally.
By Mariana Araguaia
Graduated in Biology
Brazil School Team
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LAY-ANG, Georgia. "How to deal with schizophrenia"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/psicologia/esquizofrenia3.htm. Accessed on June 29, 2021.
