What is disorganized schizophrenia? It is one of the many different subtypes of schizophrenia that tends to take on more of an extreme form. People with disorganized schizophrenia typically suffer from hallucinations or delusions, have difficult with their psycho-motor functions, and purposeless behavior. In basic terms, disorganized schizophrenia causes a person’s mind to randomly fire off instructions in a way that is not meaningful.
Facts About Disorganized Schizophrenia
1. 1%. That’s the chance of risk that anyone in the general population has of developing schizophrenia at any point in their life.
2. If a family member has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, then there is a 10% chance of someone else within the family developing it as well.
3. Older parents have a higher risk of having offspring who develop schizophrenia, compared to younger parents.
4. About 3.2 million Americans are believed to be suffering from one of the subtypes of schizophrenia on any given day. In global terms, it is believed that 51 million people have some form of schizophrenia right now.
5. 1 in 4 individuals who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia will have experienced a recovery from their symptoms at the 10 year mark of their psychotic break.
6. 1 in 10 people who are diagnosed as being schizophrenic will die before the 10 year mark, most of the time by suicide.
7. 15% of the people who are diagnosed with schizophrenia are still in need of extensive supports 30 years after suffering their psychotic break.
8. The number of new cases of schizophrenia that will be diagnosed this year: 1.5 million.
9. 40%. That’s the percentage of people who have schizophrenia, but will not receive any treatment for their condition in the next 12 months.
10. Schizophrenia can affect anyone at any age, but most cases develop between ages 16 and 30.
11. Men with schizophrenia are 5.1x more likely to have a shorter life span than men in the general population. Women are 5.6x more likely to have a shorter life span.
12. The risk of suicide in someone with schizophrenia is 100x greater than in individuals within the general population.
13. Individuals with schizophrenia who are tracked with their treatment plans are 2x more likely to stay within medication compliance.
14. To be diagnosed with disorganized schizophrenia, an individual must have persistent symptoms that last for a minimum of 6 months.
15. The treatment costs of schizophrenia can reach up to $65 billion every year.
16. Schizophrenia is believed to be a leading cause of homelessness, with between 33%-50% of the total population having this disorder. In the general population, diagnosis rates are static at 1%.
17. Schizophrenia is 2x more likely to occur than Alzheimer’s Disease.
The risk factors for disorganized schizophrenia are the same as they are for any other subtype of this mental disorder. What research may have discovered recently, however, is that the genetic causes behind bipolar disorder and schizophrenia may be the same. Children who are exposed to a virus while in the womb are also believed to be at a higher risk as well. This means that the statistics of disorganized schizophrenia are essentially the same as they are for generalized schizophrenia.
Why Is Disorganized Schizophrenia Such a Difficult Disorder?
There are not any specific statistics that track the recovery periods for people with each subtype of schizophrenia, but it is fair to say that the randomized nature of this subtype makes it more difficult to treat. The random firings that happen in the mind must become organized in order for the disorder to be controlled, which means there must be added steps to the treatment process.
The randomized nature of this specific subtype also makes it more likely that someone would need extensive supervision, especially in the early treatment days, because they may not even remember that they have medication that must be taken.
Although it is a very serious disorder, it is highly treatable. With over a dozen new medications currently in development and all looking to provide benefits, we could be close to a breakthrough in the treatment of this mental illness and others like it. Managing the use of brain-altering drugs during the younger years may also contribute to a proactive treatment approach, especially to those who may genetically predisposed to developing.
Schizophrenia brings many risks, but we are learning to manage those risks. According to the facts, the future of treating disorganized schizophrenia looks bright indeed.