[Fathimah]

Hello I am 21 years old and my mother has schizophrenia or paranoia psychosis... I don't know what to do... she doesn't listen to us... if we tell her to come to the doctor she refuses... she doesn't take the medicine... she doesn't sleep at night... she hears noises... she is paranoid... and shouts at invisible people... she thinks that someone haas done magic or something to her... this has been going on since two and a half years... I feel hopeless... can it be cured.. are there cases where people have been cured of the disease?

[DrBill100]

Assuming schizophrenia, first episode*, with proper treatment, about 70% of patients have a positive outcome. The hallucinations and disorganized thoughts, are usually treated with anti-psychotic medication. It is necessary to begin there so further tests can be performed to rule out an organic cause. Schizophrenia requires the attention of an experienced specialist, preferably in neuropsychiatry. It is not a condition that should be diagnosed or treated in general medicine. Due to disorganized thought, hallucinations and delusions, your mom should be closely monitored, to make certain that she is taking her medication, that her condition is not deteriorating, etc. That is very important in early treatment, until she is stabilized.

I see you also mention an alternative diagnosis of "paranoia psychosis." Paranoia could be a symptom of schizophrenia or a separate condition, co-morbidity.

Schizophrenia, as with most psychiatric conditions, is diagnosed based on observation of behaviors and patient self reports. There isn't a physical benchmark although organic brain dysfunction should be investigated and ruled out.

So before you can get an answer to the whether she can be cured it's necessary to consider more exactly where the problem lies. That is made more difficult by your mother's lack of cooperation, not taking medication, (probably symptomatic and should be expected), which underlines the need for the experienced specialist accustomed to dealing with these behaviors. The physician may work with support group in order to have your mom monitored, make certain she takes her medication, etc.




*First episode usually occurs at a much earlier age (18-28).

[Fathimah]

Thank you for your early reply.