Common Schizophrenia Terminology to Familiarise Yourself With

Schizophrenia is a mental health condition that needs prompt diagnosis and treatment. Patients start to see, hear and feel things and voices that don’t exist in real life in this condition. Your mental health expert may use many terms during the diagnosis and treatment of this condition.

Keep reading to understand the common schizophrenia terminology to familiarise yourself with.

Common Schizophrenia Terminology to Familiarise Yourself With

Schizophrenia Terminology	Meaning
Anosognosia	Neurocognitive ailment with patients not being aware of their condition
Antidepressants	Medicines for reducing symptoms of depression
Antipsychotics	Medications for psychosis spectrum disorders like hallucinations
Assisted Outpatient Treatment	Community-based mental health treatments/therapies for patients
Auditory hallucinations	Hearing imaginary voices
Anxiety	Panic or restlessness
Bipolar Disorder	frequent episodes of extreme energy, known as mania and extreme sadness, known as depression
Catatonia	A trance-like state; patients remain still and don't move or respond to anyone
Clinical Trial	Studies where people volunteer to test detection methods, ailments, etc.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)	Treatment focuses on the patient's thoughts and beliefs
Comorbidity	Being diagnosed with two or more ailments simultaneously
Coordinated Specialty Care	Treatment given by a team of experts involving psychotherapy, family support, educational support, behaviour therapies, etc.
Delusions	Believing in something
Depression	Constant feelings of sadness or loneliness, feeling worthless, having suicidal thoughts, inability to carry on with normal life routines, etc.
Disorganised Thinking	Inability to think clearly or logically; inability to speak and read clearly, speaking incoherently, etc.
DSM-5	Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, published by the American Psychiatric Association
Dystonia	Sudden and involuntary contractions in the muscles, caused due to medications
Hallucinations	Hearing and seeing imaginary voices and things
First episode psychosis	First occurrence of symptoms of psychosis
Mood stabilisers	Used for treating symptoms of bipolar disorder and reducing mood swings
Neurotransmitters	Chemicals in the brain cells that help communication with other parts of the body
Psychological Evaluation	Process in which psychologists ask detailed questions to the patients to understand their symptoms clearly
Rehabilitation	Usually refers to activities post-treatment, like job counselling, behavioural training, speech therapies, etc.
Schizoaffective Disorders	Mental health condition that combines one or more problems (like bipolar health disorder) along with schizophrenia

Conclusion

Once schizophrenia symptoms are diagnosed, treatment involves a series of treatments (such as therapies, medications, rehabilitation, etc.). Remember to have a comprehensive health insurance plan to cover treatment costs associated with mental health. Read through the terms of your plan to understand the inclusions and exclusions and to get the most from it.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purposes only. For more details, please refer to the policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.