Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders

Schizophrenia is a common manifestation of severe mental illness that brings a considerable "stigma" is often misunderstood. Persons who suffer from schizophrenia have thoughts, emotions and behaviors upset and feel great difficulty in assessing the reality around them. This can have a big impact on the lives of individuals and their families.
Schizophrenia is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain that send signals, leading to the perception of things (sights, sounds, thoughts) that are not real. The factors that are causing this desiquilíbio are not yet fully understood.
Treatment

The acute psychotic symptoms
Symptoms drug resistant
Prevention of relapse
Depressive symptoms associated
Approach and psychosocial rehabilitation. Antipsychotics should start at low doses and gradually increasing
70% acute episodes respond well to antipsychotics
Extrapyramidal side effects: acute dystonias, akathisia, parkinsonism
Electroconvulsive is associated with severe depression or catatonic stupor
Relapse Prevention

Pharmacological treatment maintenance reduces the risk of relapse
20% patients were stable without medication
Long-term treatment with conventional antipsychotics produces dyskinesias late chronic in about 15% of patients after 4 years. Should perform a slow reduction of doses where the patient remains symptom-free for months
Anticholinergics reduce parkinsonian side effects but increase the late dyskinesias
Family Therapy have proven effective in relapse rate