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Schizophrenia FAQ
Here you’ll find answers to commonly asked questions about schizophrenia. When more information is available in other sections of this Web site, you’ll see a link to read more.
What is schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is a severe and chronic mental illness. It impairs a person’s thinking, judgment, interpretation of the world around him or her and ability to function in society. As a result, people with schizophrenia may react inappropriately. They can feel frightened, nervous, and confused.
Is schizophrenia the same as a split personality?
Contrary to popular belief, schizophrenia is not a split personality. But the perceptions of reality in people with schizophrenia tend to be very different from those of people around them. People with schizophrenia often experience:
- Hearing voices not heard by others
- Believing that others are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts or conspiring against them
- Hallucinations or delusions
What are the symptoms of schizophrenia?
For a person with schizophrenia, everyday tasks like thinking clearly, controlling emotions, making decisions, and relating to others are challenges. People with schizophrenia can have:
- "positive" symptoms of schizophrenia
psychological disturbances "added" as a result of a disorder, such as delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking, and agitation - "negative" symptoms of schizophrenia
psychological capabilities the patient has "lost," such as a lack of drive or initiative, social withdrawal, apathy, and emotional unresponsiveness
You may have heard the term "psychotic" used in association with schizophrenia. A psychotic episode is a worsening of symptoms, during which a person experiences hallucinations and/or delusions.
Are people with schizophrenia dangerous to others?
While most people with schizophrenia are not violent toward other people, they are more likely to hurt themselves. Suicide is common among people with schizophrenia. (Read more about Handling a Crisis.)
Who is affected by schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia affects more than 2 million Americans, regardless of race, economic condition, or location. In fact there are 300,000 newly diagnosed cases each year. Men and women are at equal risk of developing this illness. However, most males become ill between the late teen years and 25 years old, while females typically develop symptoms between ages 25 and 30.
Like high blood pressure and heart disease, schizophrenia can run in families. People who have a relative with schizophrenia are more likely to develop the illness than someone who does not.
What causes schizophrenia?
No single cause has been identified. Scientists have found that some people with schizophrenia have abnormalities in the structure of their brain, while others have an imbalance (too many or too few) of the chemicals that transmit messages in the brain. These chemicals, called neurotransmitters, are thought to affect your emotions, motivation, movement, mood, sleep, and appetite.
Whatever the cause, it is important to understand that it is not your fault. It is not the result of poor parenting or weak willpower.
Can schizophrenia be cured?
Schizophrenia is a long-term illness, lasting for many years or even a lifetime. At this time, there is no cure for schizophrenia. However, the illness can be managed by psychosocial therapy and taking your medication as prescribed. With treatment, people with schizophrenia may be able to function more effectively.
What medications are used to treat schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia symptoms can be treated with antipsychotic medications—under the supervision of a mental health professional. Conventional and atypical medications may reduce the symptoms of schizophrenia and help delay the recurrence of symptoms, also known as relapse.
What are the side effects of these medications?
Side effects are common with antipsychotic drugs. Ask your mental health professional about the side effects of the medications you are taking. It is important to talk with your mental health professional about the side effects of any medications you are taking.
INVEGA® (paliperidone) extended-release tablets are used for the treatment of schizophrenia.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR INVEGA
Elderly Patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with atypical antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death compared to placebo. INVEGA (paliperidone) is not approved for the treatment of patients with dementia-related psychosis.
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) is a rare and potentially fatal side effect reported with INVEGA and similar medicines. Call your doctor immediately if the person being treated develops symptoms such as high fever; stiff muscles; shaking; confusion; sweating; changes in pulse, heart rate, or blood pressure; or muscle pain and weakness. Treatment should be stopped if the person being treated has NMS.
One risk of INVEGA is that it may change your heart rhythm. This effect is potentially serious, and you should talk to your doctor about any current or past heart problems. Some medications interact with INVEGA. Please inform your healthcare professional of any medications or supplements that you are taking.
Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) is a serious, sometimes permanent side effect reported with INVEGA and similar medications. TD includes uncontrollable movements of the face, tongue, and other parts of the body. The risk of developing TD and the chance that it will become permanent is thought to increase with the length of therapy and the overall dose taken by the patient. This condition can develop after a brief period of therapy at low doses, although this is much less common. There is no known treatment for TD, but it may go away partially or completely if therapy is stopped.
High blood sugar and diabetes have been reported with INVEGA and similar medications. If the person being treated has diabetes or risk factors such as being overweight or a family history of diabetes, blood sugar testing should be performed at the beginning and throughout treatment with INVEGA. Complications of diabetes can be serious and even life threatening. If signs of high blood sugar or diabetes develop, such as being thirsty all the time, going to the bathroom a lot, or feeling weak or hungry, contact your doctor.
INVEGA and similar medications can raise the blood levels of a hormone known as prolactin, causing a condition known as hyperprolactinemia. Blood levels of prolactin remain elevated with continued use. Some side effects seen with these medications include the absence of a menstrual period; breasts producing milk; the development of breasts by males; and the inability to achieve an erection. The connection between prolactin levels and side effects is unknown.
People with narrowing or blockage of the gastrointestinal tract (esophagus, stomach or small or large intestine) should talk to their healthcare professional before taking INVEGA.
Some people taking INVEGA may feel faint or lightheaded when they stand up or sit up too quickly. By standing up or sitting up slowly and following your healthcare professional's dosing instructions, this side effect may be reduced or it may go away over time.
INVEGA may affect your driving ability; therefore, do not drive or operate machinery before talking to your healthcare professional. Avoid alcohol while on INVEGA.
INVEGA should be used cautiously in people with a seizure disorder, who have had seizures in the past, or who have conditions that increase their risk for seizures.
Extrapyramidal Symptoms (EPS) are usually persistent movement disorders or muscle disturbances, such as restlessness, tremors, and muscle stiffness. If you observe any of these symptoms, talk to your healthcare professional.
Inform your healthcare professional if you are pregnant or if you are planning to get pregnant while taking INVEGA. Caution should be exercised when INVEGA is administered to a nursing woman.
INVEGA may affect alertness and motor skills; use caution until the effect of INVEGA is known.
INVEGA may make you more sensitive to heat. You may have trouble cooling off, or be more likely to become dehydrated, so take care when exercising or when doing things that make you warm.
INVEGA should be swallowed whole. Tablets should not be chewed, divided, or crushed. Do not be worried if you see something that looks like a tablet in your stool. This is what is left of the tablet after all the medicine has been released.
The most common side effects that occurred with INVEGA were restlessness and extrapyramidal disorder (for example, involuntary movements, tremors and muscle stiffness).
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Please see the Important Product Information for INVEGA.
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This page was last modified on: May 15 2008 at 18:08:34 EDT