Catatonic Schizophrenia
3 out of the 5 main types of Schizophrenia
Catatonic schizophrenia is a rare type of Schizophrenia. Catatonic schizophrenics can be very active and energetic to still and rarely talkative. Catatonic schizophrenics at times may copy someone’s movements and dialogue. And may last for a few minutes, hours, or days.
Like every other type of schizophrenia, the causes of catatonic schizophrenia are unknown. But, according to Medical News Today, researchers gather that most types of schizophrenia are caused by brain dysfunction. They also believe it can be a combination of genetics and environmental triggers, such as stress. And "an imbalance of dopamine, a neurotransmitter, is involved in the onset of schizophrenia" (Yvette Brazier). Researchers believe that a person can get an illness due to a person imbalance in their brain caused by their genes. As well as involve a person's levels of other neurotransmitters, like serotonin (Yvette Brazier).
Some symptoms of catatonic schizophrenia are stupor, mannerism, negativism, catalepsy, mutism, waxy flexibility, posturing, stereotypy, agitation, echopraxia, echolalia, and grimacing. While being in a stupor state, the person will be close to a state of unconsciousness. For instance, if you are talking to a person being in a stupor state, they would not be involved in the conversation. The person would be there physically, but not mentally. When being mannerist, the person would have and express odd and exaggerated movements. For example, the person would tap their fingers while they speak. An individual being in a negativist state, the person will lack response to stimuli or instruction. For instance, if the doctor told the patient to take their medication, they would not take it. During the catalepsy state, the person will be in a trance seizure with a rigid body. An example, if a person is in a fetus position, they would stay like that for a while. In a mutism state, the person will lack verbal response. Such as, instead of using their words, a person would nod or use facial expressions to communicate with someone. While being waxy flexibility, a person's limbs would stay in the position another person puts them in. For example, if someone puts the other person in a modeling pose, they would remain like that for a while. While being posturing, a person would stay in a pose that would define gravity. Like, if a person stands on one foot while putting their arms out, they would stay like that. While being stereotypy is when a person would have repetitive movements for no reason. For instance, if a person was running in a circle. If a person is agitated, they feel aggravation, annoyance, or restlessness due to provocation (Scott Frothingham). An agitated individual could go off on you if you take a piece of their food. While being in echopraxia, a person would do a meaningless repetition of another person’s movements. Like if a person is screaming at someone, the person will imitate the person yelling. Yet, while being echolalia, a person would repeat another person’s words. For instance, they might address someone else as a person from a TV show. During grimacing, the person would have contorted facial movements. For example, they have a facial expression of smelling something unpleasant even though there are no bad smells.
Unfortunately there is no cure for catatonic schizophrenia, the main types of treatments you can get are electro-convulsive therapy, life skills training, medications, psychotherapy, and hospitalization. Electro-convulsive therapy is a very effective type of treatment for catatonic schizophrenia. According to Yvette Brazier, it is a "procedure in which an electric current is sent through the brain to produce controlled seizures (convulsions)." If a patient with catatonic schizophrenia is not responding to their treatments, they receive electro-convulsive therapy. Life skills training, another type of treatment for catatonic schizophrenia, helps a person with adjusting to life and daily functions. For instance, they help patients get houses or learning good communication skills. Medications, a type of treatment for catatonic schizophrenia, can help a person relieve some symptoms and help a person become calmer. Some medications that treat catatonic schizophrenia are benzodiazepines, barbiturates, antidepressants, and mood-stabilizing drugs. Benzodiazepines are tranquilizers that are fast-acting drugs. Some examples of benzodiazepines are prescribed lorazepam, alprazolam, diazepam, and clorazepate. Barbiturates are depressants or sedatives that suppress the central nervous system (Yvette Brazier). And barbiturates rapidly relieve the symptoms of catatonia. Antidepressants and mood-stabilizing drugs help people with other mental healths like depression and anxiety. Psychotherapy allows someone to talk to someone else to help them deal with their mental illness. And get advice on how to deal with their symptoms and emotions. Hospitalization can help the person get the help they need. They can receive the proper attention and medication they need to get better and recover from their mental illness.