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| |  Studies Show Early Intervention Leads To Brighter Future for Schizophrenics SAN DIEGO, May 16, 1997-- Early detection, intervention and treatment of schizophrenia with the newer generation antipsychotic medications may lead to higher recovery rates and better long-term outcomes, according to experts at a symposium on the early stages of schizophrenia, held this weekend at the American Psychiatric Association (APA) annual meeting. Research shows there is an 83 percent remission rate among first-episode schizophrenia patients who receive immediate intervention with antipsychotic medications. For 75 percent of all people with schizophrenia, the symptoms of this severely debilitating biological brain disease first appear between the ages of 13 and 25. "Schizophrenia often surfaces as a traumatic interruption of an important stage of life, when people finish high school, start college or begin their careers," said S. Charles Schulz, M.D., chair, Department of Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University. "The signs of schizophrenia are really important danger signals, and they can't be confused with a phase of late adolescence or early adult life. Knowing the warning signs and seeking medical advice are the first steps in making sure people with schizophrenia get help when it matters most." A consumer education program, "S.O.S. -- Signs of Schizophrenia: What To Look For, What To Do," introduced today with the support of the National Mental Health Association, is designed to increase public awareness of the disease. A free consumer educational brochure, "S.O.S. -- Signs of Schizophrenia," describing the warning signs of the illness and how to get help, will be distributed by the National Mental Health Association. "Through S.O.S. we hope many people will learn what to look for and how to seek the treatment and services they need to recover from schizophrenia to the fullest extent possible." said Michael M. Faenza, president and CEO of the National Mental Health Association. "We are working very hard to help people recognize that schizophrenia and other mental illnesses are real, common, diagnosable and treatable." A review of all symptoms by a qualified health professional is necessary to diagnose schizophrenia. However, the following behaviors may be early warning signs of the disease: -- Hearing or seeing something that isn't there Living in a "Mad House" One individual who can attest to the importance of early treatment is author Clea Simon, who grew up watching her two siblings turn from charming individuals to uncontrollable people. In her newly released book, "Mad House" (Doubleday, 1997) Simon chronicles her life, describing how the terrifying hallucinations and delusions that tormented her older brother and sister affected her family. "The only way we can gain any triumph over this horrible disease is to talk about schizophrenia, and realize that there's no shame associated with it," says Simon. "With the newer treatments now, perhaps more people could be spared the pain my family and I suffered." Living Successfully With Schizophrenia Tony Baldessari, who has lived with schizophrenia for seven years, experienced his "first break" from reality at the age of 21 when he shut down emotionally and dropped out of art school. After trying a number of medications which did not alleviate his symptoms, his doctor prescribed one of the newer antipsychotic medications. Within six weeks Tony's hallucinations went away and his energy level returned to normal. "For a while, I tried to rationalize the strange noises, the solid sound of humming," said Tony. "Once I understood the symptoms of schizophrenia, I recognized them and got help." About Schizophrenia At any given time, schizophrenia afflicts approximately one percent of the world's population, including 2.5 million Americans. Schizophrenia is a brain disease thought to be caused by an imbalance of the chemicals serotonin and dopamine, and is characterized by a dysfunction in the thinking process and withdrawal from the outside world. The more severe stages of schizophrenia carry higher risks of mortality with 10 percent of patients committing suicide. Contrary to popular belief, schizophrenia is not "split personality." A person with schizophrenia may have delusions (false beliefs) and hallucinations (hearing or seeing something that is not there) and may appear confused or agitated. These are called "positive" symptoms because they are added to the person's behavior. "Negative" symptoms, on the other hand, are capabilities that are lost. Thus, someone with negative symptoms may become socially withdrawn, apathetic, emotionally unresponsive and unmotivated. Most of the critical damage caused by this disease occurs in the years immediately following its onset. Although there is no cure for schizophrenia, proper treatment can reduce symptoms and allow patients to function more effectively. Older "conventional" medications, available since the mid-1950s, help to reduce the positive symptoms in some patients, but often cause side effects that make it difficult to comply with treatment. A newer class of antipsychotic medications called "atypicals," introduced in 1990, treat both the positive and negative symptoms with fewer side effects. Early intervention with this newer class of medications may save patients from the full extent of devastation this illness can cause. Unfortunately, up to 50 percent of people diagnosed with schizophrenia have received no treatment, according to some reports. Treatment, combined with psychosocial support services, helps people with schizophrenia lead more fully productive and emotionally rich lives. "The newer antipsychotic medications, whose improved side-effect profiles have been demonstrated in adults, may offer comparable advantages in young patients including increased compliance leading to stronger therapeutic effects," said Dr. Schulz. "Risperidone is one of the medications being studied in pre-adult populations, and other new therapies may be promising." The public can receive a free "S.O.S. -- Signs of Schizophrenia" educational brochure by calling The National Mental Health Association's information center at 1-800-969-NMHA. The National Mental Health Association is the nation's oldest mental health consumer advocacy organization. It has 330 affiliates with 416,000 volunteers serving two million Americans. The S.O.S. campaign is supported by an educational grant from Janssen Pharmaceutica, a Johnson & Johnson company.
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