Approximately 51 million people worldwide have schizophrenia, a type of mental disorder involving a breakdown between thoughts, emotions, and behavior. With this disorder, individuals may have a faulty perception, may exhibit inappropriate actions and feelings, and more. The American Psychiatric Association notes that many people with schizophrenia experience delusions, hallucination, difficulty with thinking and concentrating, and lack of motivation. Recent research is leading to new medication that could help even further reduce symptoms that individuals with schizophrenia experience.
Paul M. Grant, a research professor of psychology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania explained for the U.S. News that many people with schizophrenia don’t get a high quality of life. He stated, “For some people, they go through that cycle and they just don’t ever get the life that they wanted – they live solitarily, they keep to themselves”. Many others wind up homeless or abuse drugs and alcohol because of not only their symptoms but also due to stigma. If you have schizophrenia, you may have experienced some of these challenges.
According to Science Daily, newest research is showing promise for a medication that may be able to directly target antipsychotic drug effects such as weight gain, anxiety, dizziness, severe digestive problems, agitation, and more. For scientists, they are particularly focused on the D2 receptor in the brain to see how certain medications bind to it. Before now, scientists were unable to find a way to isolate the D2 receptor – many medications also bind to many different dopamine, serotonin, and histamine receptors, causing serious side effects.
If researchers can find a medication that doesn’t spark unwanted side effects, individuals with schizophrenia may be able to enjoy a higher quality of living while on medication. Hopefully soon, we will have something to help further alleviate distressing symptoms that many are experiencing.
If you have schizophrenia, understand that you are not alone. Treatment is becoming more advanced and is opening more avenues – a future that we can become excited for. Seek the help you need today.
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