How do I know if the schizophrenia diagnosis was correct?
My sister was diagnosed with schizophrenia 20 years back but at that time, I was too young to understand these things. Now upon reading various articles on the same, I suspect her diagnosis may have been incorrect. She has never had any hallucinations or delusions whatsoever. There was social withdrawl at an early age, drop of grades and mood problems. She would get very angry at her parents and start throwing stuff around and even cutting her hair, tearing her clothes and hurting herself. She attempted suicide once by drinking rat poison.
She has been on medication for schizophrenia for all these years. She stays at home and does nothing. She doesnt have any interest in any work and gives up easily any new task we get her to do. She is 37 now and twice in the past 4 months, she got violent attacks. She is restless the whole day and abusing everybody at home and then gets extremely agitated and starts throwing stuff around and threatening to hurt family memebers. Thats when she is taken to a hospital where she is put on sedatives.
We are from India and her treatment is undergoinhg in VIMHANS hospital now in New Delhi.
My concern at this point is whether she really has schizophrenia. Because all articles on the internet specially state the symptoms of hallucinations and delusions which we never found in her. She has some problem of course, but are we giving her the right treatment?
Your views will be much appreciated.
Thanks,
A concerned sister.
Dear concerned sister,
I am sorry your sister is having such a hard time of it.
I suggest you get a second opinion if you're concerned that the diagnosis of schizophrenia is wrong.
It is important that you know that not everyone with schizophrenia hears voices or hallucinates.
It is possible to have schizophrenia and never hear voices or hallucinate.
Your sister's lack of motivation to do things sounds like what's called a "negative" symptom of schizophrenia, in that it takes away from what a person does. "Positive" symptoms include hearing voices, delusions, and paranoia. A lot of people with the negative symptoms of schizophrenia lack the desire to go out of the house, and have no motivation to plan things and organize.
Right now, the one thing the psychiatrists need to focus on is your sister's violence towards you. The tactic of dragging her into a hospital and medicating her to keep her docile, then releasing her and having her fall back on the violence again, only to be re-admitted to the hospital, doesn't solve anything.
I don't know if in India there are halfway houses for people with mental illnesses, however, you may want to investigate such a living arrangement for your sister. Though she might not be taken in if she is violent.
The bottom line is, you need to get a second opinion from another qualified psychiatrist before it's too late. Also, maybe she needs a medication change, or an adjunct medication, like an anti-depressant. Sometimes a lack of motivation is tied into depression.
I wish your sister well and I wish you and your family some peace and comfort during this hard time.
Regards,
Christina
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Forgive me, but my first impression of your sister's condition/symptoms, as you desctribed in your posting, leads me to beg the question..."Has the person ever been abused, molested or raped?" Initially to me, even though I am not a doctor or mental professional, her behavior as described appear to be surrounded by what I will looosely describe as "severe control issues".
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Hi,
I am Abhishek,I hope your your sister is doing better now and I will pray for her to get better.My brother also has SZ,I am also from India and we are from Rohtak(haryana).I am also looking for best place in Delhi for the treatment of SZ.Pls advice if you knw,also since you took your ister to VIMHANS,I would like to know how do you find the hospital,facilities,doctors and the treatment.
Regards,
Abhishek
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josy
Tuesday, September 22, 2009 at 10:33 PM
Hi Abhishek,
VIMHANS is the best hospital we have found yet in all these years. The doctors are very good and professional. We have been to the famous 'celebrity' doctors in Delhi but they are all money minded. VIMHANS is very good that way. But make sure that your you or members of your family are around your brother during treatment because no patient can ever feel at home in a hospital.
Wish your brother early recovery.
Best,
D