The impact of psycho-social factors on the adverse effects of antipsychotics in paranoid schizophrenia

Abstract

Introduction Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe mental disorder that affects the way a person thinks, feels and behaves, sometimes creating the impression that they have lost touch with reality. The disease can manifest itself through a combination of various symptoms such as: hallucinations, illusions, thoughts and extremely disordered behavior, which affects daily activity. People with schizophrenia need lifelong treatment. Purpose This study will find out what happens to the patient with paranoid schizophrenia when they are in a social environment with a high negative emotional expression, will show the increased risk of recurrence. It will show the attitude of patients with paranoid schizophrenia towards antipsychotic treatment when they are influenced by society. Material and methods The study was performed by bibliographic analysis of the literature and the clinical evaluation of 40 patients diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. The selection of the cases included in the study was made in an alternative way, respecting a gender equality in the study - 20 women and 20 men. Results It was found that when the patient with paranoid schizophrenia is in a social environment with a high negative emotional expression, the risk of recurrence is 2 times higher. Lack of social support often leads to the manifestation and accentuation of a series of adverse reactions, which modulate the patient's interaction with society. The attitude of patients with paranoid schizophrenia towards antipsychotic treatment is closely related to society's attitude towards people with mental disorders, mental illness and their therapy. About 1/3 of patients with paranoid schizophrenia take antipsychotic medication only to reduce family conflicts. Conclusions (1) About 2/3 of patients with paranoid schizophrenia abandon antipsychotic treatment due to stigmatization by society. (2) Psychosocial factors with a positive impact improve the clinical and functional recovery of the patient, reduce the manifestation of adverse effects of antipsychotic remedies, decrease the frequency of hospitalization, increase compliance and compliance with prescribed antipsychotic medication.