Depression in schizophrenia

Abstract

Introduction. Schizophrenia is a mental disorder with pronounced symptoms in the form of mental disturbances, difficulties in communication, emotional reactivity and difficulty perceiving reality. Depression is a mood disorder characterized by apathy, lowered mood and social withdrawal. The presence of Depressive symptoms in schizophrenia, their diagnostic significance is equated with positive and negative symptoms. The frequency of depression among patients with schizophrenia is quite high, which emphasizes the relevance of this problem. Aim of study. Studying the peculiarities of depressive symptoms in schizophrenia. Methods and materials. Study and analysis of the scientific literature. Was interviewed with patients diagnosed with schizophrenia at the IMSP Clinical Hospital of Psychiatrists using the Calgary scale. Results. Depression is the third most common syndrome in schizophrenia and significantly complicates the prognosis and course of the illness. The incidence of depressive disorders in schizophrenia is around 40%, but these figures are influenced by the stage of the illness, which can vary considerably. Depression in schizophrenia may be associated with increased frequency of psychotic episodes, more severe course of the illness, substance use, reduced quality of life and suicidal behavior. Depression is common in patients with schizophrenia and thus has an association with higher rates of disability, treatment resistance, and suicide-related mortality. The presence of depressive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia is associated with suicide attempts 20 times more often, as well as longer disease duration. Conclusion. The presence of depression in schizophrenia requires a very careful differentiated diagnosis, which will also affect therapeutic tactics. At the same time, depressive symptoms are often presented both during periods of remission and during periods of exacerbation of the disease, which can significantly complicate the choice of therapeutic approach.