Schizophrenia is estimated to impact approximately 1.1% of the population in the United States. While it may not be as widespread as other mental health conditions like anxiety and depression, it’s important to know the early signs of schizophrenia. This condition requires professional treatment to manage symptoms, so early detection is critical.
When Does Schizophrenia Develop?
Schizophrenia usually develops between late adolescence and early thirties. It’s incredibly rare for young children to develop schizophrenia or for the condition to occur in a person past the age of 40, but both situations can happen.
Women tend to develop the condition slightly later, usually in their early twenties to early thirties. In comparison, men are often diagnosed earlier in their late teens or early twenties.
However, early warning signs typically appear before the condition fully emerges. These pre-symptoms can show up even years earlier.
Understanding the Early Signs of Schizophrenia
The majority of individuals with schizophrenia will go through a “prodromal stage,” which is a time before their condition fully develops when they begin to experience some symptoms. Most commonly, the prodromal stage includes subtle mood, behavior and thinking changes. It can last weeks, months or even years.
Some of the early symptoms of schizophrenia are:
- Changes in mood, behavior and emotions
- Isolation
- Difficulty concentrating
- Sleep issues
- Unusual thoughts or beliefs
- Lack of self-care and poor hygiene habits
The early symptoms of schizophrenia can be subtle, which is partially why the condition can be so hard to diagnose. Additionally, the symptoms can mirror regular changes that would occur in a person’s life. For example, a teenager suddenly switches their friend group or begins to isolate themselves. This could be normal teenage behavior or, combined with other concerning symptoms, could be the first warning signs of schizophrenia.
Over time, the prodromal stage ends and the more obvious signs of schizophrenia develop. These include hallucinations and delusions, disorganized thinking and strange or inappropriate behavior. This is usually when symptoms are so apparent that friends and family begin to notice something is wrong.
When and How to Seek Professional Help
Wondering to yourself, “Do I have schizophrenia? And if so, what do I do?” As soon as you suspect that you — or someone else — is showing warning signs of schizophrenia, it’s important to seek professional help. As previously stated, schizophrenia can be challenging to detect and diagnose. Inserting a professional into the situation is the best, and fastest, way to get a confirmation.
Schizophrenia is a serious condition that can overwhelm a person’s life when left untreated. According to the World Health Organization, “Schizophrenia is frequently associated with significant distress and impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational and other important areas of life.”
However, with therapy and prescription medication, someone with schizophrenia can live a normal, happy life and manage their symptoms.
Continual therapy and monitoring are critical, as the symptoms of schizophrenia can make it more challenging to stick to treatment. For example, someone with schizophrenia can experience hallucinations and delusions that make them suspicious of the pills they take or the help they receive from counseling.
Importance of Early Intervention
Early intervention is particularly challenging with schizophrenia because it’s such a difficult mental health condition to diagnose. In fact, the majority of people with schizophrenia experience a large delay (months or years) between the first psychotic symptoms and the start of proper treatment. This delay is called the Duration of Untreated Psychosis (DUP).
Early intervention can be monumental for an individual with schizophrenia, especially if treatment happens in the prodromal stage. At this point, the person isn’t yet dealing with hallucinations, delusions and disorganized thinking. As a result, they’re in a better place to learn about their condition and prepare for what’s to come.
Even treatment as soon as severe symptoms show up is impactful. Most importantly, reacting properly to the first psychosis episode is critical. Overall, some of the benefits of early intervention for schizophrenia are:
- Improved outcomes
- Reduced suffering
- Reduced time spent in psychosis
- Improved quality of life
- Increased chances of maintaining work and relationships
- Reduced risks of related problems that can arise from untreated schizophrenia, such as criminal activity, unsafe sexual promiscuity and substance abuse
- Reduced risk of self-harm or harm to others
Early intervention also allows involved family members and friends to learn how to best support their loved one. This is critical because someone with schizophrenia will need supportive people in their lives who can identify psychosis breaks and get them the help they need.
Long-Term Management and Support
One day, the person in your life might begin to talk about being tracked by the FBI or start talking to people who aren’t there. These are typical symptoms of schizophrenia and often a sign of a psychotic break. The person has lost touch with reality. It can be scary to witness.
Like many other mental health conditions, schizophrenia doesn’t have a cure. However, treatment is possible and usually successful.
Here’s what someone with schizophrenia can expect for long-term management:
- Therapy. Psychotherapy can help the individual learn about their condition, identify warning signs, develop coping strategies and learn how to improve social functioning.
- Medication. Schizophrenia requires prescription medication to lessen symptoms, especially the occurrence of hallucinations and delusions.
- Self-management. Someone with schizophrenia will need to master coping skills so they can manage their stress levels. It’s also important they recognize early warning signs of relapse to alert their support system and get help.
- Support systems. An individual with schizophrenia will thrive if they have the right level of support and understanding from loved ones and their local community.
- Rehabilitation. Some individuals with schizophrenia may choose to use rehabilitation services so they can advance specific areas of their lives, such as school, work, housing, self-care and relationships.
There’s a lot of negative representation of schizophrenia in the world. But it’s vital to remember that this condition has effective treatment options. People with schizophrenia can have jobs, relationships and all kinds of success. Early intervention and continued treatment are key.
A Better Tomorrow With Restore Mental Health
If you’re concerned that you or someone you know is showing signs of schizophrenia, talk to a mental health professional immediately. Restore is a mental health rehabilitation facility offering multiple levels of care depending on your needs. Our compassionate staff will help you navigate this new stage of your life. Contact us today to learn about our treatment programs.
