Teen Schizophrenia

As the teen walks in front of the radio, she becomes convinced that it’s calling out her name. It speaks to her directly, in a voice that only she can hear, and it tells her that danger is coming and she should seek cover immediately. Without speaking to anyone else, the girl packs her bags and heads out into the night, looking for shelter and escape. This might sound like the opening lines to the latest best-selling science fiction novel, but in fact, this fictional case describes what it’s like for a teen to live with schizophrenia.

The word “schizophrenia” has its roots in German, and roughly translated, it means “a splitting of the mind,” according to the Online Etymology Dictionary. This is a medial term that aptly describes what it’s like to live with the disease. People with schizophrenia may be cut off from their own emotions, from reality or both. While schizophrenia might be present in adults, and there are many adults in the United States who are currently receiving medical care for the disease, schizophrenia often has its roots deep in adolescence. In fact, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, symptoms of schizophrenia often start in people who are younger than 30. Learning more about the disease, and how it can be detected, may help parents provide needed care to their teens with schizophrenia.

Causes of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a disease that seems to run in families. According to the website Schizophrenia.com, people with one first-degree relative with schizophrenia have a 10 percent chance of developing the disease, while people with an identical twin with schizophrenia have a 50 percent chance of developing the disease. Genetics do play a role here, but environmental factors also have a part to play. Some researchers suggest that an infection during pregnancy could cause the schizophrenia gene to “turn on” and the disease to take hold, while others believe that problems during childbirth could start the process. Much more research must be done in this area before doctors will know definitively what causes this disease.

There is one factor that has been positively associated with schizophrenia. According to a study published in BMJ, teens who smoke marijuana are at risk for developing psychotic episodes, and teens who smoke marijuana habitually are at risk for developing full-blown schizophrenia. It’s unclear why smoking marijuana is associated with this increased risk, but an article in the Harvard Health Blog suggests that, during adolescence, teens are building connections between the judgment/processing centers of the brain and the emotional center of the brain. It could be that marijuana use disrupts those connections, keeping them from forming, and leaving the adolescent at risk for psychotic thinking and schizophrenia. It’s clear that marijuana smoking is not safe for teens with a family history of schizophrenia.

Preparing for an Appointment

If you think your teen is struggling with schizophrenia, a visit to the doctor is in order. Some parents start with the child’s pediatrician, but there’s absolutely no shame in asking to be transferred directly to a specialist who deals with mental illness in teens. Schizophrenia can be difficult to spot, and in teens, it can masquerade as bipolar disorder, depression or just plain normal adolescent behavior. Sometimes, it’s best to get help from an expert and make sure the child is getting the right diagnosis at the right time. Teens who develop persistent delusions may be harder to reach if they keep those delusions hidden for long periods of time. The delusions become habits. By getting help sooner, those habits might not have the time to form and become entrenched behavior.

According to the Mayo Clinic, there are some things parents can do to prepare for this appointment:

• Keep a list of symptoms the teen is displaying, and include information about when they were noticed and how long they’ve been present.
• Jot down dates corresponding to major life changes the teen has experienced in the recent past.
• Gather up all medications the teen is taking, including vitamins, and bring those to the appointment.
• Find out if anyone else in the family has experienced schizophrenia.

During this appointment, the teen will probably be asked to answer a series of questions about how he/she is feeling. Some doctors also ask patients to take written tests or perform actions within a specific period of time. Other doctors run a series of blood tests or other physical tests, just to rule out the possibility that another disease could be causing the symptoms the teen is experiencing. While parents might not be allowed to participate in these tests, they may be asked to provide information about the family’s medical history, and they certainly will be allowed to ask questions. With a firm diagnosis in hand, parents can begin to plan for treatment for their teens.

Outcomes

Schizophrenia is a chronic disease, meaning that it can’t ever truly be cured. People with schizophrenia have differences in their brain structures, chemical makeup and processing ability, and those sorts of issues are difficult to completely correct. The goal of schizophrenia treatment is to help the person understand the disease and work hard to keep it under control. Since people with schizophrenia have a difficult time with understanding information and processing lessons, it can be difficult for them to completely take control of their disease. The study results seem to bear this out. For example, a study in the Schizophrenia Bulletin found that, four years after patients left a treatment facility, few were symptom-free and independent. A similar study, also published in the Schizophrenia Bulletin found that 19.8 percent of people studied were functioning well, 38.2 percent were functioning at a fair or poor level and 42 percent were functioning at a very impaired or poor level. It’s a serious disease, and it can be hard to control.

There is cause for hope, however. Schizophrenia medications are quite sophisticated, and if provided at the proper dosage, they can help people maintain healthy thought patterns and the ability to live independently. Pairing medications with therapy is an excellent way to help the person understand the disease and gain control of symptoms.

While it might be true that teens with schizophrenia may need the help of their family members for an extended period of time in order to beat back the disease, there’s no reason to think that they can’t strive for wellness and achieve it. At Newport Academy, we’d like to help. Our schizophrenia treatment programs are designed just for teens. Please call us today and let us share some success stories with you.