| Mental health problems are severe when | | | | apathy, lack of concentration, and |
| the person becomes out of touch with | | | | depression.TreatmentConventional drug |
| reality. They | | | | treatment can help control some of the |
| may develop false beliefs about who they | | | | symptoms of schizophrenia (such as |
| are or what is happening, feel | | | | hallucinations) but may also create many |
| persecuted by external forces, or | | | | new symptoms. Alternative therapies can |
| believe they have been given special | | | | be used alongside conventional treatment |
| powers. They may hear voices, discussing | | | | for these problems.Manic DepressionManic |
| their thoughts or behavior, or telling | | | | depression involves mood swings: periods |
| them what to do, or they may see things | | | | of deep depression and over-excited or |
| that are not there (hallucinations).When | | | | manic behavior. There may be periods of |
| someone is out of touch with reality in | | | | varying stability in between these |
| this way, they are called psychotic. | | | | extreme highs and lows.During mania, |
| Some people have only one episode of | | | | sufferers are euphoric, feel |
| psychotic illness in their life, others | | | | selfimportant, excited, and extremely |
| have several with remission in between, | | | | talkative. They may go on spending |
| and others have them most of the time. | | | | sprees, be unable to sleep, be |
| Alternative therapies can be useful for | | | | irritable, or angry. They have no |
| all these people but may not be | | | | awareness of changed behavior. During |
| appropriate in a crisis. Conventional | | | | the depressive periods (usually longer) |
| drug medication can usually prevent | | | | they feel despair, guilt, and |
| psychotic episodes, but people who are | | | | worthlessness.Music, which can access |
| very distressed or dangerous to | | | | mood states without recourse to |
| themselves or others may need the | | | | language, may be a helpful therapeutic |
| shelter and protection of a hospital or | | | | tool in the treatment of psychotic |
| specialized care unit.SchizophreniaEach | | | | illness.TreatmentIt is important to |
| sufferer's experience of schizophrenia | | | | avoid stressful situations, and finding |
| is unique. Thoughts and feelings are | | | | the right therapy and therapist is |
| dramatically disturbed and the world is | | | | vital.Relaxation TechniquesMeditation, |
| experienced very differently. The | | | | visualization and relaxation exercises |
| person's behavior may appear bizarre to | | | | can all help.Consult a qualified |
| others. Schizophrenia does not mean | | | | practitioner/therapist for:Talking |
| "split personality"as is widely | | | | Treatments Taking part in supportive |
| believed, but is a word used to describe | | | | psychotherapy and counseling can help |
| a wide range of symptoms and | | | | reduce the risk of a relapse by helping |
| conditions.It is not known what causes | | | | sufferers to understand the condition |
| schizophrenia: one theory is that a | | | | and cope better with problems and |
| person's genetic makeup makes him or her | | | | stresses. Group or family therapy can |
| vulnerable, and that it is triggered off | | | | help with the communication process. It |
| by stressful events. People diagnosed as | | | | is thought, however, that psychotherapy, |
| schizophrenic are rarely violent, but | | | | which probes into the past, can be too |
| they are often very frightened and | | | | stressful for people with manic |
| isolated because of their distressing | | | | depression or schizophrenia, but some |
| symptoms.Symptoms of schizophrenia | | | | sufferers do find it helpful. Some |
| include jumbled, disordered thinking, | | | | sufferers may prefer cocounseling. |
| paranoia, false beliefs, hearing voices, | | | | |