Schizophrenia: symptoms and signs in men, treatment methods

Despite many studies regarding schizophrenia, the disorder still remains one of the most mysterious illnesses. The symptoms of the disease are extensive, the outcome is unpredictable. The disorder is diagnosed among male and female populations, but the symptoms of schizophrenia in men are more pronounced. Behavior is complicated by comorbid (accompanying) disorders, the disease is much more complicated.

Features of the development of schizophrenia in men

Both women and men are susceptible to this disease. However, the latter get sick more often. Gender itself becomes a risk factor. Men lead a more active lifestyle, are subject to stress, emotional fatigue, and are more prone to drinking alcohol and drugs than women. All these factors can become a “trigger” for the development of a mental disorder.

The peak of the disease in men occurs at 20-25 years, while in women - after 25-30 years. The earlier a guy showed the first signs of schizophrenia, the brighter, sharper, and more aggressive the symptoms and the faster the disease progresses .

Forecasts for a successful outcome in this case are reduced to a minimum. Doctors explain it this way: over time, the disease affects increasingly large areas of the cerebral cortex, damaging them and affecting changes in all mental, emotional and behavioral reactions. The continuous progression of the disease leads to complete degradation and disintegration of a person’s personality, loss of contact with reality, loss of self-care skills and dementia.

Schizophrenia in men, the symptoms of which first appeared after 30-40 years, has a more favorable treatment prognosis. Such cases respond well to therapy. The patient has a chance to recover and return to society.

Another distinctive feature of schizophrenia in men is its continuous course, while in women the disease is more often episodic.

Dependency problem

In the male form of the disorder, issues of alcohol, drug addiction and smoking are particularly acute. There is an inverse relationship between the disease and addiction. Many scientists call the male form of the disorder a provocateur for the development of drug addiction and alcoholism, since such substances help relieve tension. Conversely, addictive behavior can provoke disease, since addictions lead to destructive processes in the brain.

Harmful substances change the behavior of a schizophrenic, intensify the symptoms of the disease, aggravate anxiety, and incite aggressiveness.

Considering the type of alcoholic schizophrenia, the following types of pathological behavior are distinguished:

• Delusional psychosis provokes the appearance of anxiety, excitement, and develops a feeling of wild fear. The patient is uncontrollable. Runs, screams. Aggressive. Characterized by delusions of persecution and jealousy;
• hallucinosis causes the schizophrenic's brain to produce voices. The individual complains about their intrusiveness. Voices make you harm others. Normal perception of reality is preserved;
• delirium tremens – triggered by prolonged alcohol abuse. Causes depersonalization. Disorients a man. Creates ominous hallucinations. The patient is agitated and his behavior is inappropriate.

Sometimes, under the influence of alcohol, a schizophrenic changes dramatically. The patient craves communication and friendliness. The behavior of an individual affected by addiction is devoid of signs of illness. However, such well-being is imaginary. It provokes an exacerbation of the painful process. There is an intensification of aggressive, autistic manifestations of the disease. Delusional symptoms are significantly pronounced.

Signs of drug intoxication are similar to attacks of schizophrenia. Often the patient is mistaken for a drug addict. Drugs significantly aggravate the manifestations of the disease. Psychotics tend to change the course of treatment, reducing the effectiveness of the drugs. Schizophrenic drug addicts also often ignore pharmacological treatment regimens.

The combination of symptoms of schizophrenia with narcotic substances is especially dangerous. Such an alliance gives rise to expressed hatred, increases anger, and provokes the individual to commit murder and cause severe bodily harm.

Dmitry, 36 years old. He has been drinking alcohol regularly since the age of 18. The guy's father also abused alcohol. At the age of 20, he went to prison for theft committed “out of solidarity with his comrades.” Having freed himself, he got married. A child was born. Soon Dmitry was overcome by insomnia. He claimed to communicate mentally with friends and was being persecuted by bandits. After this episode, the psychiatric hospital opened its doors to the guy for the first time.

The patient smokes a lot and suffers from a hacking cough. He has a permissive attitude towards health. He is in a dejected state. Depressed by feelings of loneliness. According to the guy, he drinks with colleagues to get rid of feelings of melancholy and anxiety. His wife and child left him and Dmitry really misses them.

Causes of the disease

Scientists have not yet established the exact causes of the development of schizophrenia. However, there is a main factor that provokes the risk of this form of mental disorder with a probability of 10% to 50%. This is a hereditary predisposition. If both parents of a patient suffered from this disease, then in 50% of cases he will also develop schizophrenia. There are situations when parents act only as carriers of a “defective” gene. They pass it on to the next generation - their children or grandchildren.

Among other reasons that provoke the risk of developing the disease, scientists identify:

• consequences of past viral infections - meningitis, encephalitis, which had a detrimental effect on the functioning of the brain;
• traumatic brain, birth and perinatal injuries;
• long-term alcohol use, drug addiction;
• severe emotional stress, nervous breakdowns;
• Trauma experienced in childhood - sexual, physical or psychological abuse.

One or more of these reasons can negatively affect the functioning of the cerebral cortex, thereby causing irreversible changes in a person’s personality.

Ways to prevent disease

Schizophrenia provokes a disorder of normal life not only in the person diagnosed, but also in his family and close people. The disease is inherited, so prevention is aimed at leveling this aspect. It is necessary to reduce the risk of stress, maintain hormonal balance, not drink alcohol, and not take drugs. All possible risk factors must be addressed for the diagnosis of schizophrenia to become a reality. It is recommended to do things that help stabilize the psyche: physical labor, drawing and other manual creativity. It is better to understand the risks and carry out prevention than to then undergo treatment for schizophrenia.

The first signs of schizophrenia in men

How does schizophrenia manifest in men in the initial stages? It is, first of all, expressed in duality in everything - in behavior, emotions, judgments and actions. The patient gradually withdraws from his family and tries to avoid sharing traditional meals and festive events. Over time, he ceases to be interested in the affairs and news that happened in the lives of his household.

The emotional background becomes unstable. It is characterized by contrasting mood changes. A man can tear up while watching a dramatic film, and a minute later shout angrily at his family because of a phrase that he did not like. He perceives news about the death of a loved one with indifference, while he sincerely suffers because of the death of a small fish or indoor flower.

The man’s actions begin to lack logic ; he cannot concentrate for long on completing the task assigned to him - vacuuming, doing his work, preparing for a seminar at the university.

The initial signs are also characterized by a state of passion. A man is overly emotional, overflowing with physical strength, and capable of great accomplishments. However, such moments are quickly replaced by powerlessness, moral decline and oppression. All these symptoms in the behavior of men are difficult to mistake for such a complex disease as schizophrenia. The patient's relatives often attribute them to fatigue, overwork, and nervous tension. The person himself also does not notice the changes happening to him. Meanwhile, the disease is slowly but steadily progressing. Only with the appearance of pronounced signs do relatives begin to see “something strange” in the behavior of their loved one, which was previously unusual for him, and “sound” the alarm.

Aggression

The male form of the disease is twice as often accompanied by aggression than the female form. The disorder is distinguished by 2 types of aggressive behavior:

• auto-aggression;
• aggression directed towards others.

Auto-aggression, manifested by suicide attempts, accompanies the stage of schizophrenia, characterized by the patient’s awareness of the ongoing pathological process. The individual realizes the loss of his former beautiful, successful life, the loss of prospects for professional growth, the breakdown of personal relationships, the departure of friends. Depressive thoughts give rise to aggressive behavior directed inwards.

Hostility directed at others, on the contrary, becomes a sign of a schizophrenic’s loss of self-criticism.

A woman tells the story of her marriage life. When she began to live legally married to her husband, initially he was quite attentive, courteous and tactful. One day, after drinking a little, my husband’s behavior suddenly changed: he became aggressive, shouted, and even tried to hit me. Then similar episodes of aggression were repeated several times.

One day a man was shaving in the bathroom and accidentally cut himself. A woman passing by noticed and offered to help. Suddenly the husband became enraged and began to rage. He began to chase his wife around the house, shouting: “Here, witch, drink my blood!” He was soon diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Aggression directed outward by a schizophrenic individual is usually carried out unconsciously, provoked by delusional ideas and hallucinations.

Symptoms and signs of schizophrenia in men

There are several groups of signs by which doctors differentiate the disease - productive and negative.

Positive signs of schizophrenia in men

Productive or positive signs are reversible symptoms, such as delusions, hallucinations, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Their appearance directly indicates the presence of schizophrenia in the patient.

Rave

Delusional ideas in men come in several types.

• Delusions of grandeur . The person feels super-capable and talented. He can claim that he is the right hand of an influential minister or even the president himself; he is able to resolve issues of any complexity and importance. Trying on the role of “general” or “marshal” is a characteristic feature of delusions of grandeur in men. They imagine themselves to be the greatest military leaders and try to create a prototype of the army within their family. Every morning there is a formation before breakfast and strict discipline is established. All household members suffer from this attitude. Insubordination or criticism of the patient can provoke an outburst of anger. The man also feels that he has superpowers and declares that he is a superhero, ready to perform brave deeds. He sincerely considers saving people's lives his mission. To prove his abilities, he fearlessly breaks into a burning house, throws himself into a deep pond, and jumps from a height. In this condition, the patient can be dangerous to himself.

Relatives need to constantly monitor his actions, and if necessary, seek emergency medical help. You can ask for help and get advice by calling +7 (499) 495-45-03. Specialists at the mental health center “Balance” are always ready to answer your questions and provide the necessary assistance. We work around the clock. Our mobile team with a psychiatrist will arrive at the specified address and, if necessary, help transport the patient to the hospital.

• Delirium of persecution. Its basis is obsessions. The patient considers himself an object of surveillance. Moreover, they can monitor from anywhere - aliens from outer space, neighbors from the upper or lower floors, family members, people on the street, TV presenters from TV screens, secret services. In this state, a man experiences incredible nervous tension and strong fear for his life. He tries his best to catch the "persecutors" and prevent a plot against him.

• Nonsense of relationships. The patient believes that everyone around him, including family members, constantly discusses him, criticizes his actions, condemns his appearance, “whispers” behind his back, and gives him “sideways glances.” They record all his movements and actions and record them on video.

• Delirium of jealousy. It may be based on a real event in which the spouse was actually guilty of infidelity, or it may develop on the basis of a fictitious, obsessional idea. In the second case, this type of delusion, not confirmed by actual actions, is called “Othello syndrome.”

• Delirium of influence . It is inextricably linked with auditory hallucinations of the command type. The patient hears voices in his head that tell him, guide him. In this condition, the patient exhibits inappropriate behavior. He can harm not only himself, but also those around him.

Hallucinations

For men, mostly only auditory hallucinations occur, while women can also experience visual, tactile and olfactory hallucinations. Auditory is expressed in the constant “broadcasting” of voices in the patient’s head, which only he hears. It can be one, several or a whole choir of voices. Hallucinations can be one-sided, when only voices speak, and two-sided, when there is a constant dialogue between them and the patient.

“Broadcasting” in the head can be of a different nature. Voices comment on current events, discuss programs watched, condemn, blame or criticize the appearance of the patient himself. The most dangerous are considered imperative hallucinations, when voices order to perform some action, even if it is contrary to the man’s wishes. It is in this state that suicides most often occur; the patient commits crimes aimed not only at those around him, but also at his loved ones.

“Ordered” hallucinations are a serious reason for compulsory treatment of a patient in a hospital, regardless of the patient’s consent.

You can recognize a man suffering from auditory hallucinations by the oddities in his behavior:

• he talks to himself or an imaginary interlocutor;
• may suddenly become silent in the middle of a dialogue, listening to something;
• unable to concentrate, from the outside it seems that the patient sees and hears something incomprehensible to others;
• actively gestures with his hands, without matching the topic of conversation, constantly jumps from one discussion to another.

Obsessions

An obsessive state in schizophrenia in men is expressed in increased anxiety, fixation on one problem, constantly turning it over in the head, automation of movements and the creation of household rituals. A person constantly fears for his own well-being , so he double-checks several times whether he has closed and turned off everything before leaving.

Obsessions in men evolve over time into more severe signs and symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations, characteristic of paranoid schizophrenia.

The behavior of patients with productive symptoms is dangerous for others and for the patient himself. Such a patient requires urgent drug therapy in a hospital setting. center “Balance” offers qualified medical care. We employ experienced psychiatrists who will establish an accurate diagnosis, differentiate the type of schizophrenia and, in accordance with the individual characteristics of the course of the disease, select adequate pharmacotherapy.

Your relative will be monitored around the clock and his condition monitored. We place our patients in 2- and 3-bed wards. At your request, we can also provide rooms without sharing and VIP categories. We provide all services strictly anonymously. After discharge, your relative will be able to return to society without fear of publicity and censure from others.

For more information, please call +7 (499) 495-45-03

Negative symptoms of schizophrenia in men

Negative symptoms are associated with irreversible disorders of mental functions - memory, attention, concentration, logic and thinking, as well as speech and the emotional-volitional sphere.

Changes in the emotional sphere

The emotional background of a man becomes extremely unstable. It is in this area that the main feature of schizophrenia is most manifested - duality . The patient is characterized by sudden mood swings, a shift from one extreme to another - loves-hates, laughs-gets angry, is silent-screams. A previously calm person, incapable of expressing strong emotions, is now characterized by sudden outbursts of aggression and irritability.

As the disease progresses, a pronounced impoverishment of emotions occurs. A person becomes gloomy, withdrawn and detached, isolates himself from family, friends and acquaintances, and ceases to be interested in his hobbies, events in the world, and later in the family. Many men develop depression against this background, and as a result, suicidal thoughts appear. Relatives of men should carefully monitor changes in the behavior of their loved one in order to notice “something is wrong” in time and seek psychiatric help, thereby preventing trouble.

Speech Impairment

Speech becomes slow, inhibited or, conversely, overly active, supplemented by violent gestures. A man can philosophize on the value of existence, the role of man in the universe . At the same time, his expressions will be complex, often devoid of meaning and logic. It is also typical to jump from one topic to another during the dialogue. It is difficult for the interlocutor to follow the patient’s thoughts and the essence of the conversation itself.

A man comes up with his own language or individual words, the meaning of which he cannot explain. After some time, he is unable to remember what he composed.

Impaired memory, attention and concentration

A person cannot focus and concentrate on completing a simple task. It is difficult for him to assimilate new information, maintain a budget, and calculate financial costs. If the patient is a young guy who studies at a college, technical school or university, he begins to experience problems with his studies. He cannot do his homework, answer successfully in seminars, or pass exams. Over time, he loses interest and desire to achieve his goal. As a result, he drops out of school, even if there is a year or several months left before graduation.

Schizophrenia in old age affects the destruction of short-term memory. The patient does not remember where he put his things, keys, phone, or what he did a few hours ago. But he can talk in detail about his childhood and youth.

Behavior change

Behavioral disturbances are often a consequence of all the previously overcome signs and symptoms of schizophrenia in men. Due to the weakening of the volitional sphere, the patient cannot regulate his actions and actions, bring them into conformity with the accepted rules in society. Actions that previously seemed immoral are now the norm for him. A man can behave inappropriately, be rude and swear, and react aggressively to criticism addressed to him. A sharp change in preferences in food, clothing, and color shades is also characteristic.

Particularly strong deviations in behavior are observed in patients with hebephrenic form of schizophrenia. The actions of an adult man are childish. He constantly grimaces, giggles inappropriately, and speaks in a “feigned” voice. Such a patient tries in every possible way to attract attention to himself.

The other, opposite, side of behavioral disorder is complete isolation, detachment from the outside world, and social isolation. It is not uncommon for men to develop autism. Such people refuse to make eye contact, cannot tolerate tactile touches, and repeatedly repeat stereotypical movements.

Main types of disease

In the medical classification, the main types of schizophrenia include 9 positions. Some of them have subtypes. Experts identify several of them, which occur most often. Paranoid schizophrenia manifests itself in increased suspicion of others. A person is haunted by the feeling that he is constantly being watched, he has delusions and hallucinations. In the catatonic form of the disease there are movement disorders. And this can be either complete immobilization or chaotic disorderly excitement. Simple schizophrenia does not have a history of acute psychosis, but negative symptoms increase over time. The hebephrenic form manifests itself in the form of dementia and foolishness.

Diagnosis of the disease

Most of the signs of schizophrenia, especially those associated with disturbances in the emotional background, can be attributed to various mental and nervous disorders. To establish the correct diagnosis and differentiate this disease from others, the doctor must identify the presence of a set of symptoms characteristic of one of the forms of schizophrenia.

Our psychiatrists use the clinical anamnestic method - they collect information about manifestations, symptoms and signs, the degree of their severity, the approximate duration of the disease, the presence of a genetic predisposition, trauma of any kind suffered in childhood. From conversations with the patient’s relatives and the patients themselves, it is possible to recreate a clear clinical picture, establish the stage of development and form of schizophrenia.

As additional methods in the clinic, the doctor may prescribe the following types of examination:

• neurotests;
• CT and MRI of the brain;
• lab tests.

The Ravnovesie clinic has all the necessary equipment for diagnostics.

You can make an appointment with a psychiatrist by calling: +7

Treatment

Schizophrenia is a complex and dangerous disease that can lead to negative consequences (physical, economic, legal) for both the patient and his loved ones. The disease requires constant monitoring by doctors and loved ones; the patient must be convinced to continue therapy and monitor whether he is taking medications. The most effective treatments for paranoid schizophrenia are:

• medicinal
  – antipsychotic drugs, detoxification therapy, insulin comatose therapy, lithium carbonate;
• psychotherapeutic
  – confidential contact with the doctor, achieving the maximum level of trust, sympathy;
• ECT
  – electroconvulsive therapy (for resistance to neuroleptic drugs).

Once the result is achieved, the stage of stabilizing therapy begins, during which the dose of the drug is gradually reduced. Stabilizing therapy is prescribed for several years, depending on the specific situation.

Maintenance therapy is usually carried out after stabilizing therapy; its main goal is to prevent relapse of the disease. It is important to follow all recommendations of your doctor and not stop taking prescribed medications.

Instead of tablets, you can switch to deposited forms of antipsychotics, which are administered once every few weeks or months.

This type of treatment can be used in undisciplined patients prone to forgetfulness. Patients achieve a high degree of remission and can continue to live and work with minimal drug support. The rehabilitation course allows patients to learn to live with their illness and realize their potential. The patient can take part in the course together with his relatives and friends.

Consequences

Possible consequences of psychotic complications:

• more severe, rapidly progressing dependence syndrome;
• periods of remission become shorter;
• increased organic damage to the brain, which is manifested by chronic encephalopathy;
• reduction of professional and labor qualifications;
• committing antisocial acts;
• aggression and violent actions towards loved ones and others;
• persistent memory impairment;
• the patient receives injuries, often incompatible with life;
• loss of family;
• personality degradation with a decrease in cognitive and thinking abilities;
• isolation from society;
• inability to self-service;
• causing road traffic accidents and industrial emergencies;
• exacerbation of other chronic diseases;
• death.

Metal-alcohol psychoses can be isolated, repeated, or not occur at all, even with continued abuse. The course of each clinical case is individual, so the prognosis depends on the individual patient.