Lately, I have heard more about schizophreniform disorder. Some individuals wonder if it is really a mental illness. The answer would be “Yes!” So, what is schizophreniform disorder? It is a psychotic mental illness with symptoms very much like those of schizophrenia but occurring in a relatively short period of time, usually less than 6 months. During the “psychotic” period, individuals with schizophreniform disorder also have a serious problem with understanding the difference between what is real and what is fiction. Unfortunately, to them, what they see and hear is real.

A minority of doctors will often inform an individual or their family that if the “psychotic” stage lasts longer than 6 months, the proper diagnosis would be schizophrenia, not schizophreniform. What are the symptoms? They include the following: hallucinations, disorganized speech, delusions, lack of proper hygiene habits, very little energy, withdrawn family & friends and social events, not having the ability to stay focused on anything, pacing the floor or walking continuously, and being unable to sit for any amount of time in one place.

What is the main cause of any mental illness? It could be several things that can eventually cause any individual to suffer from a mental illness. Listed below are several factors to take into consideration when treating an individual suspected of having mental health issues.

Hereditary factors- “those genes”- Most individuals are aware that heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and diabetes can be hereditary. Unfortunately, many other diseases are hereditary and can be passed down through generations in a family. Such as different types of mental illness, like schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder, bipolar I& II, depression, anxiety, or panic attacks, and the list can go on. Very few individuals are aware that even Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease can be hereditary.

Trauma– Any individual who has suffered from a traumatic body injury or due to any traumatic event could develop a form of mental illness. Researchers long ago thought that the only reason for mental illness was mainly due to the chemical imbalance related only to the “neurotransmitters” within the human brain. But this is not solely responsible for an individual developing a mental illness. An 18-year-old young man I knew a while back was in a horrible wreck. He had severe traumatic injuries, mostly to his head. I spoke to his parents two years after his release from the hospital.

Rusty’s parents were very upset because his behavior was not the same. The doctors informed his parents that he would never be the same due to the seriousness of his brain injuries. Rusty’s brain injuries had altered his entire personality. Rusty had bouts of severe depression, delusions, and hallucinations.  He had horrible mood swings, believed people were out to get him, said he saw dead people in his bedroom, and his behavior was very odd at other times.  So eventually Rusty was diagnosed with a mental illness.

Then there is Eric, a 20-year-old, who attended a party and received a drink from a so-called friend. However, that drink was laced with an illegal street drug, and Eric’s body could not handle it. He stayed in a coma for 3 months before being released home with his parents, but due to his behavior, Eric’s parent could not handle him. Last I heard, Eric was in a group home with trained individuals monitoring him 24 hours a day. He had horrible mood swings, periods of severe depression, delusions, and hallucinations. He would become violent at times towards his family members.

Due to Eric’s behavior, he was now considered to have a mental illness brought on by that traumatic experience with illegal drugs. Unfortunately, both young men suffered severe brain injuries. They went from being emotionally stable individuals to becoming unstable due to different traumatic events occurring in their lives. There are times in which damage to an individual’s brain can alter their entire personality and outlook on life. It only shows that regardless of the type of trauma that occurs to an individual, some individuals can recover fully, while others do not.

Environments -another area that needs to be looked at is an individual’s environment.Regardless of how young or old one may be, an environment can have a huge impact on behavior. Whether it is a bad childhood environment or if it occurs after they become an adult. Stressful events, domestic violence, unhealthy relationships, childhood abuse, rape, witnessing a murder.   I am a firm believer in the phrase, “Sometimes an individual is a product of the environment in which they were raised!” Regardless of the environment, if they can receive the right kind of help in life, it can turn them around.

However, I look at the events surrounding the environment and how it occurred and affected that individual. I often find myself asking, “What kind of impact did it have on that individual’s state of mind?” Working within the medical field, I have found that a minority of doctors will request blood tests or other tests such as MRI’S or CT scans to rule out any types of non-psychiatric medical problems before they start to look at the possibility that an individual may have some form of mental illness. Again, it is very critical to get the right diagnosis.

NOTE: If you, a loved one, a friend, or someone you know is having problems…. “The most important thing to remember is to take the first step and seek professional help as soon as possible. Learning to pay attention to warning signs and learning what might trigger symptoms is a part of helping to improve your life or theirs.”

References

1.https://www.verywellmind.com/the-chemistry-of-depression-1065137

2.https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/conditions/schizophreniform-disorder

3.https://psychiatrymagazine.com/schizophreniform-disorder/

4.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schizophreniform disorder

5.https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/coping-with-traumatic-events

6. https://americanaddictioncenters.org/health-complications-addiction/drug-induced-psychosis