Schizophrenia: Symptoms, Causes, Prevention, Treatments and Recommended Diet Plan

What is Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a mental condition in which a person keeps some unreal or imaginary things in his/her mind that are not really there. Schizophrenia may occur due to family, social stress or due to peer pressure in office.

Types of Schizophrenia

There are five types of schizophrenia —

• Catatonic schizophrenia
• Disorganized schizophrenia
• Paranoid schizophrenia
• Undifferentiated schizophrenia
• Residual schizophrenia

Causes of Schizophrenia

Genetic: If you have a family history of schizophrenia, then you are at a higher risk of getting this disease.

Biochemical Factors: Stress and some mental health conditions may lead to an imbalance in chemicals present in the mind. These chemical may include serotonin and dopamine.

Stress: If you are facing stress, anxiety and depression, then you are at a greater risk of having this disease.

Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia symptoms can be divided into three categories; including :

Positive Symptoms: These symptoms may be:

• Hallucination
• A myth
• Have trouble thinking
• Having trouble doing physical activities

Negative Symptoms: It includes:

• Speak less
• Loss of voice
• Lack of feelings in everyday life

Cognitive Symptoms: These type of symptoms may include:

• Memory loss
• Have trouble making things
• Having trouble focusing

Risk Factors

Risk factors of this mental illness include:

• Psychosocial factors
• Consumption of alcohol and other drugs
• Contact with some types of viruses
• Birth defect
• Malnutrition at birth

Treatment

Antipsychotic Treatment: Antipsychotic include psychotic symptoms, for example- hallucinations, delusions (delusional disorder). This treatment involves medication in the form of tablet and syrups. In some cases, injections are also used.

Psychosocial Treatment: This treatment begins when the patient start taking the medication. This type of treatment helps the patient to do their daily tasks and even office works.

Coordinated Specialty Care: It involves medication and therapy with the help of family members of the patient.

Schizophrenia Diet Chart

What to Eat in Schizophrenia:

By adding these foods, this schizophrenia disease can be reduced to some extent. They include:

• Eggs
• Potatoes
• Green bananas
• Chick peas
• Corn
• Whole grains
• Beans
• Fish
• Meat
• Dairy products such as milk, yogurt.
• Vegetable oil such as sunflower oil and soybean oil
• Peanuts
• Hazelnuts
• Almonds
• Walnuts
• Egg yolk
• Broccoli
• Pistachios
• Mushrooms
• Chicken
• Green vegetables and leafy greens such as spinach, cabbage, kale, etc. 
• Citrus fruits such as lemon, orange, tomato and yellow bell peppers

What to Avoid in Schizophrenia

They include:

• Smoking
• Excessive use of alcohol
• Drug addiction or use of illicit drugs such as cocaine, heroine, etc.
• Avoid the use of tea or coffee in the night as these beverages may cause sleep disturbances (insomnia)

Additional Tips:

• Do not consume alcohol
• Avoid smoking
• Get plenty of sleep
• Avoid mental stress and anxiety
• Do yoga, workout or deep breathing exercise on a regular basis
• See your doctor immediately if you are currently experiencing any mental pressure or illness