Residual schizophrenia is called schizophrenia, which continues to bother the patient (and more – his relatives) a year after the successful treatment of acute psychosis. A period of one year is a fairly conventional unit for determining the diagnosis of residual schizophrenia. The interval can last from nine to fourteen months, which suggests chronic schizophrenia.
Symptoms of residual schizophrenia
- Negative signs prevail (the scientific term for this symptom complex is “affective flattening”):
- Lack of will.
- Lack of any initiative.
- Persistent indifference.
- Absence of significant contractions of the facial muscles of the face.
- General lethargy.
- Lack of communication.
- Indifference to the need for self-service. This is what causes the most problems for the people surrounding the patient with residual schizophrenia.
- There are no signs of organic damage to the central nervous system.
- Dementia is not detected.
- There are no signs of depression.
- Productive symptoms (hallucinosis, delusional ideas) during this period appear quite rarely and are poorly expressed.
- The patient himself does not pay attention to the listed manifestations of the disease, but they bother his relatives and others.
- A protracted form of schizophrenia (residual schizophrenia) excludes the patient from active forms of social life.
Diagnosis of residual schizophrenia
There is currently debate over the criteria for this diagnosis. The presented material shows the most accepted by the scientific world signs of residual schizophrenia. A clear diagnosis should be carried out for a differentiated approach to treatment, the development of uniform standards of therapy. A competent psychiatrist plays a decisive role in accurate diagnosis.
Treatment of residual schizophrenia
Often, treatment is possible only when psychotherapy and social rehabilitation come to the fore . Without them, drugs (even prescribed in maximum doses) may have little effect on the symptoms of the disease. A careful individual approach to each individual patient is required for his successful adaptation in the family and society. The patient needs to constantly explain the details of his condition, which are visible only to an outside observer. The success of rehabilitation is possible only if there is full confidence in the psychiatrist on the part of the patient and his relatives or guardians. Group psychotherapy is of great importance . If in the collective of patients with residual schizophrenia mutual support develops, which continues after the inpatient course, then this group has good prospects for full-fledged social adaptation. A higher level is professional adaptation, which is possible with impeccable adherence to the recommendations of the attending physician.