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Chronic Schizophrenia: The Major Mental Health Problem of the Century
Author(s) -
Gomez Gerda E.,
Gomez Efrain A.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
perspectives in psychiatric care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.538
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1744-6163
pISSN - 0031-5990
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-6163.1991.tb00326.x
Subject(s) - apathy , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , feeling , psychiatry , psychopharmacology , psychology , brain disease , mental health , mental disease , disease , psychotherapist , clinical psychology , medicine , social psychology , cognition , pathology
Research now shows that schizophrenia is a disease of the brain as well as the mind and, as such, must be treated in ways other than by drugs alone. Psychopharmacology is helpful in controlling the positive symptoms, but does not eliminate aspects of the disease such as apathy and withdrawal. Studies show the structure and blood flow of the schizophrenic brain is very different from the normal brain. Families of schizophrenic individuals are forming support groups to share their feelings of suddenly being cast in the role of caregivers. Additionally, the schizophrenic individual needs to be placed in a comfortable social and vocational setting to increase the chance of improvement.