The first signs of schizophrenia in women - when is it time to sound the alarm?

According to a 1998 study (Y. V. Seiku et al.), with a large sample, per thousand people there are approximately the same (6–8) number of men and women who suffer from schizophrenia. It is similar with the hereditary transmission of the disease - it is not transmitted only through the female or only through the male line.

An experienced psychiatrist diagnoses and treats schizophrenia in women. Modern diagnostic methods - Neurotest and Neurophysiological test system.

Reasons for the development of the disease

The most common cause of schizophrenia is considered to be a hereditary factor . If both parents suffer from this disease in a family, the possibility of their child acquiring this mental disorder is 50%. Children are at risk, even if this diagnosis occurred in the family several generations ago.

Signs of schizophrenia in young women are observed against the background of a sharp change in hormonal levels - during pregnancy and after childbirth. Other reasons may be:

• viral infections suffered during pregnancy;
• birth, traumatic brain, psychological trauma;
• long-term use of alcoholic beverages and drugs;
• cases of physical or sexual violence that occurred in childhood.

Paranoid schizophrenia: phobias, delusions, obsessions

A peculiarity of paranoid schizophrenia in women is the emergence of quite vivid obsessions and phobias. For example, she cannot open the front door without counting to three and first pulling the handle 5 times. Sometimes the rituals are even more complex.

The types of phobias are even more diverse. Among them are fears:

• darkness;
• spiders;
• loneliness;
• heights;
• fires;
• loss of self-control;
• physical injuries;
• harming other people.

These and other fears are quite exaggerated and are accompanied by other classic signs of schizophrenia in girls. Among them are disorders of emotional intelligence, autism, great oddities in behavior, lack of logic in thinking and statements, and disregard for social norms and rules. However, most often the female type of the disease occurs in the form of latent schizophrenia, which has a more or less calm course.

In other cases, the disease is accompanied by auditory and visual hallucinations and delusions. Among them:

• mania of persecution - there is confidence in surveillance by strangers, or friends and relatives;
• thoughts that a woman’s behavior is influenced by any strong external forces, usually of an otherworldly nature;
• jealousy is completely groundless, absurd and hyperbolic;
• suspiciousness - increased confidence that everyone around them is ridiculing and criticizing a woman behind her back, that they are unreasonably negatively opposed to her;
• search for imperfections - the patient looks for any flaws and shortcomings in her appearance, and then despairs about this for a long time and inflates it to unprecedented proportions; Patients may also resort to attempts to eliminate their defect on their own or turn to the services of plastic surgeons.

Stages of schizophrenia in women

The development of the disease goes through several stages.

First stage

During this period , signs are usually mild. Therefore, they are not paid attention to or taken for granted, as a feature of a person’s character and behavior. The patient is characterized by mood swings and emotional problems.

Adaptation stage

It is at this stage, most often, that the patient’s relatives seek help from a specialist who establishes an accurate diagnosis. It is no longer possible to ignore the symptoms of schizophrenia. They can manifest themselves as hallucinations, delusional ideas, and a sharp change from attacks of aggression to apathy. A person stops adequately perceiving reality.

Degradation stage

Emotions and desires become dull, a person becomes weak-willed .
In the absence of treatment, the consequences of the development of the disease are sad - the patient loses self-care skills, falls into a state of apathy, and degrades.

Condition after childbirth

Certain changes occur in a young body after childbirth. Therefore, girls of this age who have given birth may be subject to varying degrees of development of schizophrenia if they have a predisposition to it. After giving birth, women may develop schizophrenia due to severe stress that affects their physical and psychological state. But this is an extremely rare occurrence. The following factors can lead to the development of schizophrenia after childbirth:

• loneliness;

• depressed state;
• postpartum depression;
• hereditary predisposition to the disease;
• lack of communication with other people.

A mental disorder in a woman who has given birth to a child is difficult to ignore. It is characterized by pronounced symptoms, which are not typical for a healthy person. The woman refuses to accept her child and fulfill new responsibilities. During this period, pathological delirium is often observed in patients.

After the symptoms of schizophrenia subside, women are left with a feeling of alienation towards their own baby. To cope with unpleasant symptoms and disease, a woman will need to undergo a course of drug therapy. Close people should help her in every possible way to achieve recovery. If they begin to pull away, the patient’s condition will worsen significantly.

Symptoms and signs of schizophrenia in women

Changes in the emotional sphere

A woman is characterized by mood swings, from one extreme to another. A couple of minutes ago she could have been in a state of causeless euphoria, which then abruptly gives way to a flash of anger, rage or aggression. As the disease progresses, such changes will be permanent and continuous.

A woman reacts inappropriately to various news. She may laugh loudly when she is told about a tragic incident, and, conversely, cry if she is told a funny story or joke. Spontaneity in expressing emotions is another sign of the disease. The patient may suddenly begin to sing or dance in a public place in an environment that is not at all conducive to this kind of entertainment.

The patient is subject to bursts of irritability, unreasonable and frequent hysterics. The other extreme is indifference and a clear scarcity of emotions. A person stops smiling, rejoicing, and being interested in previously loved hobbies and hobbies. Apathy gives rise to a change in attitude towards family members. She may accept the news of the loss of a loved one with indifference. A woman with schizophrenia stops paying attention to her children. If they are still small and are not able to take care of themselves, they remain hungry, unwashed, unkempt and unkempt.

Cognitive impairment

The disease affects all mental functions of a person. The woman's memory is deteriorating. She cannot remember important, memorable dates, the birthdays of her loved ones. The patient loses the ability to draw logical conclusions and solve simple mathematical problems. A person becomes distracted, has problems concentrating, and cannot concentrate on one thing.

Changing speech

A sign of schizophrenia in women is speech impairment. Depending on the form of mental disorder, it becomes inhibited or, conversely, too active. The patient saturates her with ornate, complex turns of phrase. When speaking, he may lose the endings of words or phrases. The woman invents her own language, which she considers very beautiful, but only she understands it. Her reasoning becomes incoherent, devoid of logic.

The patient jumps from one topic to another, while losing the very essence of the conversation. Loud exclamations and uttering fragmentary phrases out of place, without taking into account the content and meaning of the conversation, are also a sign of speech impairment.

Symptoms of schizophrenia in women - changes in behavior

The faster the disease progresses, the more severely it affects behavioral deformation . The first signs of schizophrenia in women are expressed in isolation and detachment. A person does not want to get in touch with his friends and acquaintances, and later relationships with family members deteriorate.

As the disease progresses, changes in behavior become more noticeable. Their manifestations depend on the form of schizophrenia. So, for example, a previously shy and modest woman begins to behave defiantly. He dresses flashily and unattractively, turns things inside out, and applies aggressive makeup. Such changes are especially noticeable if they were not characteristic of the patient before.

a symptom of schizophrenia in women . They cannot stand criticism and condemnation addressed to them. In response to a remark made or a “wrongly spoken” word, they may rush with their fists and start kicking.

A characteristic sign of the disease is inappropriate spending. A person spends all his accumulated savings on an expensive branded item. Patients also tend to create household rituals that they strictly follow. For example, they wipe a chair a certain number of times before sitting on it, and regularly move things from one place to another. If the sequence of these actions is disrupted, the patient loses count or places an object in the wrong place, she may have an attack of panic attack or aggression.

If at least a few of the above signs and symptoms of schizophrenia a woman’s behavior , this is a reason for concern for her relatives. The patient herself is unlikely to notice the strangeness and eccentricity of her actions, therefore the initiative and responsibility for timely contact with a specialist often lies with loved ones. Remember, the earlier the diagnosis is made and treatment started, the greater the patient’s chances of returning to a full life.

Contact the “Balance” clinic by phone +7 (499) 495-45-03. Our specialists will definitely help you . We employ experienced psychiatrists who are proficient in modern diagnostic techniques. They will talk with the patient, identify signs characteristic of schizophrenia, and classify its form and stage of development. Based on the results of the examination, effective medications will be prescribed.

Is schizophrenia a hereditary disease?

Recent studies have shown that schizophrenia in adults and children is still a hereditary disease transmitted through the maternal line. If earlier scientists only mentioned statistical data saying that children of sick parents in 40% of cases also become patients in psychiatric clinics, now these data have been confirmed by geneticists.

Predisposition to schizophrenia involves the presence of a set of defective genes. But, what is still surprising, the set of patients is usually different. True, all these genes, as a rule, have common features - their functions relate to regulating the process of brain development. This means that the more there are, the higher the likelihood of the disease occurring.

Although, unfortunately, it is still not possible to unambiguously determine the genetic profile of a patient diagnosed with schizophrenia, which means that it is impossible to test a carrier of a predisposition to this pathology in order to clearly say whether he will get sick or not.

Productive symptoms

Delusions and hallucinations are the main productive symptoms that accompany the disease. But they can begin with milder forms - obsessions, phobias, fears and metaphysical intoxication.

The most common phobia among girls suffering from schizophrenia is dissatisfaction with their own appearance . They develop an ugliness complex. They don't like the eyes, mouth, nose, cheekbones, body proportions. The help of plastic surgeons does not bring the desired result - girls feel ugly and unattractive. With excessive criticism, they drive themselves to nervous exhaustion, and the struggle with extra pounds often ends in dystrophy or anorexia.

Obsessive states in schizophrenia in women are also expressed in their desire for philosophizing - metaphysical intoxication . Their distinctive feature is that the patient fixates on one topic, about which she can talk for hours - about the meaning of life and existence, the purpose of man, the problems of the universe. She considers all ideas and thoughts expressed to be unique and extremely valuable. Doesn't take criticism of his thoughts adequately.

Another obsessive fear of female schizophrenia is hypochondria - the belief in the presence of a fatal disease. The patient constantly “winds up” herself with thoughts about ailments that cannot be treated. Self-hypnosis has a strong influence on the patient’s consciousness. She really believes that her organs are rotting inside, rupturing, filling with blood. The patient is not able to logically explain the reasons for her health complaints, and it is impossible to convince her of the unfoundedness of these statements.

Phobias, fears and obsessions, in the absence of proper treatment, gradually transform into delusions and hallucinations. These signs and symptoms of schizophrenia in women indicate a stage of acute psychosis, which can only be treated in a hospital setting .

Hallucinations

The most common hallucinations are auditory. A woman hears one or more voices in her head that communicate with her or with each other. They comment on various events, ask questions and immediately answer them, discuss and criticize the appearance of their mistress. Hallucinations in the form of orders are the most dangerous. The patient unquestioningly obeys all the instructions of her voices. In this state, she cannot be left alone - she can harm not only others, but also herself.

Women, unlike men, are characterized by tactile and olfactory hallucinations. They smell foreign odors and claim that someone is constantly touching them.

Rave

The sources of delusional ideas are the patient’s obsessive states. The most common are delusions of persecution and grandeur. In the first case, the woman becomes overly suspicious. She is sure that there are only enemies around who are plotting against her, who want to harass her and cause harm. In this case, everyone falls into the category of “ill-wishers” - from the closest relatives to unfamiliar people.

In the second case, the patient feels superpowers. She considers herself talented, capable of performing any act, including heroic ones. She promises to resolve complex political issues and “reach out” to ministers and presidents. In this state, a woman’s sense of fear is dulled. She can safely jump off a roof or walk into a deep body of water, trying to prove her superpowers.

If your loved one begins to experience delusions or hallucinations, it will be impossible to avoid hospitalization. Such a person needs emergency medical care - and we are ready to provide it. Call the “Balance” clinic at: . We work around the clock, so we will arrive at any time of the day or night. An experienced psychotherapist will quickly assess the situation and help you transport the patient to the hospital. Already in the clinic, after the diagnosis, the patient will be prescribed an effective course of drug therapy that will eliminate the symptoms of delusions and hallucinations.

Our hospital has cozy rooms designed for two and three people. But if you want to create increased conditions of comfort for your loved one, we are ready to offer VIP rooms without the possibility of sharing. During the entire treatment period, the patient will be supervised by qualified medical personnel. We provide all services on an anonymous basis.

How does schizophrenia manifest itself in women in various forms?

Sluggish

Symptoms and signs of schizophrenia in women are mild . They are smoothed out or weakly expressed, appearing episodically in the form of apathy, depression, outbursts of aggression and irritability, and indifference to family members. After the attacks pass, a long stage of stabilization begins, when the patient behaves like an ordinary, healthy person.

Paranoid

Expressed in the presence of auditory hallucinations and persecution mania. The voices in a woman’s head constantly talk to her, conducting meaningful dialogue. Often a woman is in constant harmony with her inner world. Delusional ideas of persecution make the patient suspicious and irritable. She “imagines” surveillance of her person everywhere, even from TV screens.

Manic-depressive

This form of the disease is characterized by a constant change of two phases - depression and mania with a delusional or hallucinogenic component. Symptoms of schizophrenia manifest themselves in an unbalanced emotional background. A woman can cry with emotion, and a minute later swear furiously. Patients get tired very quickly and feel chronic fatigue.

Neurosis-like

One of the mildest forms of schizophrenia. It manifests itself in the presence of phobias. Girls and women are critical of their appearance , considering themselves ugly, fat or too thin, useless to anyone. They withdraw into themselves, isolate themselves from society, or, conversely, begin to behave provocatively and vulgarly.

Alcoholic

This type of schizophrenia occurs in women due to prolonged alcohol abuse. Women become addicted faster than men. In a state of drunken stupor, they behave aggressively - they scream loudly and start fighting. Patients experience increased anxiety and complain of auditory and tactile hallucinations.

Hebephrenic

Expressed in immaturity and foolishness. The patient's actions are similar to the pranks of a child. She shows inappropriate grimaces, can giggle for no reason, her voice becomes cutesy, unnatural, and her manner of communication becomes feigned and theatrical. At the same time, the woman stops taking care of her appearance - she doesn’t wash her face, doesn’t comb her hair, combines things that don’t match each other, and wears them for weeks. This form of mental disorder is the least responsive to drug therapy, so the prognosis for treatment in most cases is unfavorable.

Senile

The main symptoms of schizophrenia in older women are associated with impaired short-term memory. They do not remember the details of the past day, but can accurately reproduce stories from twenty years ago.
Illusions become a feature of this form of the disease. Old women invent events for themselves, sincerely believing that they actually happened to them.

Prevention

Modern medicine cannot yet give an exact answer to the question of why, even among children whose both parents have schizophrenia, only half get sick. Since the causes of the disease have not been precisely established, preventive measures are of a general nature. A healthy lifestyle and positivism definitely won’t hurt anyone.

Prevention for schizophrenia is more about preventing exacerbations. And this, in turn, is determined by the pragmatic attitude towards the disease both of the patient herself, her ability to respond to the first signs of exacerbation, and of her family members, their awareness, willingness to help cope with the problem, and discuss it calmly. This way of asking the question prevents stigmatization and promotes successful treatment and social readaptation.

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Diagnostics

To establish an accurate diagnosis, the patient must be regularly monitored for 2-4 months. At this time, the doctor collects an anamnesis of the disease, identifies the general clinical picture, and differentiates the type of schizophrenia. To clarify the diagnosis, neurotests and neuropsychological systems are additionally used. In each specific case, the psychiatrist selects treatment , depending on the individual characteristics of schizophrenia, its form and symptoms, which come to the fore.

Diagnosis of low-grade schizophrenia

This type of schizophrenic disorder is diagnosed with a frequency of 0.1 - 0.4%. In the early stages, it is quite difficult to establish a diagnosis of sluggish schizophrenia, because schizophrenic psychoses and obvious productive signs of pathology are absent. The predominant symptoms may constitute a picture of one or another disease.

To confirm the diagnosis, the psychiatrist needs to conduct a thorough analysis of the patient’s personal data and determine whether cases of schizophrenia have occurred among blood relatives. It is important to pay attention to the presence of productive symptoms, such as:

• self-perception disorder;
• strange, inexplicable sensations in the body;
• visual, gustatory, auditory hallucinations;
• causeless anxiety;
• paranoia.

Treatment

Treatment of schizophrenia in women is aimed at eliminating productive and negative symptoms . At the Balance clinic, an individual approach is used to each patient. A comprehensive therapy is being developed for her, consisting of a course of medication, psycho- and family therapy.

If a patient comes to us with an attack of acute psychosis, we insist on treatment only in a hospital setting. This will help us monitor her condition around the clock, make timely adjustments to the course of therapy - change medications and their dosages to achieve a better result.

We treat schizophrenia in women using:

• neuroleptics - they help cope with obsessions, hallucinations, outbursts of anger and irritability;
• antipsychotics aimed at restoring cognitive abilities and volitional functions;
• antidepressants that eliminate signs of depression and apathy;
• tranquilizers to reduce psychomotor agitation and normalize emotional reactions.

Elimination of productive symptoms takes from 4 to 8 weeks. When the stabilization stage is reached, the patient is transferred to outpatient treatment and supplemented with a course of psychotherapy and family therapy.

In individual sessions, the patient learns to accept her illness, live with it and not be ashamed of it. The result of conversations with a psychiatrist is the patient’s awareness of the groundlessness of her fears and obsessions. At group trainings, the patient restores her communication abilities - learns to re-build a dialogue, express her thoughts through coherent speech.

Her immediate environment plays a big role in a woman’s recovery. During family therapy sessions, relatives are taught how to properly communicate with the patient, what words and emotions to use. Relatives should create an atmosphere of comfort and tranquility in the house and surround the patient with sincere attention and care. It will also be the responsibility of those close to you to regularly monitor the woman’s pill intake and compliance with all doctor’s recommendations.

Schizophrenia is a chronic illness . Therefore, even if a state of remission is achieved, the patient will have to constantly take medications, albeit in smaller quantities and dosages. This measure will help avoid relapse.

Can schizophrenia go away on its own?

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder of a polymorphic type, accompanied by increased emotional reaction, deterioration of thinking function and other symptoms. Usually the disease is inherited. But it can arise due to somatic diseases and the influence of social factors. It is often formed due to the negative effects of alcohol or drugs.

Tissue destruction occurs in the brain, so the patient develops the first signs, which develop more and more over time. Schizophrenia cannot go away on its own; it is not completely curable. Even if it is provoked by somatic factors, after they are eliminated, tissue damage will remain in the brain that can no longer be restored. Therefore, psychiatrists prescribe medications that can control the condition during an exacerbation.

In the acute stage, schizophrenia is kept under control with medications. But the patient periodically experiences a period of remission. This means that signs of a mental disorder do not appear and the person feels normal. At this moment, he may think that the pathology is over, but in the near future repeated attacks and exacerbation of the pathology may occur.