According to the DSM-V, there are several things necessary to make the diagnosis. There needs to be a month-long period of time where at least one of the following are true: hallucinations, delusions, or disorganized speech. There may also be disorganized behavior, such as catatonia. The symptoms can be present for less than a month if they have been treated successfully. Six months is the limit on time and there can’t be any affective symptomatology during that time. Substance abuse or withdrawal cannot be a factor. Good prognostic features include the onset of psychosis within 4 weeks of the first noticeable behavior change, good social or occupational function before symptom onset, and/or symptoms accompanied by perplexity or confusion. If these are not present, it Is considered to be “without good prognostic features.” The disorder affects both males and females with equal prevalence but it occurs at a younger age with males. It is not diagnosed as often as is schizophrenia in developed countries. The incidence is higher in developing countries and is usually seen with good prognostic factors. Schizophreniform disorder is often treated with antipsychotic drugs and sometimes by antidepressant and antimanic drugs. Atypical antipsychotics are now preferred over typical antipsychotic drugs. If these alone do not resolve the symptoms, then mood-stabilizers, SSRIs, Lithium, or SNRI drugs are used. ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) has sometimes been found to be effective.
SCHIZOPHRENIA (259.90) The DSM-V classifies schizophrenia as being a psychotic thought disorder that lasts a minimum of six months. While it appears in young adulthood, it is believed to be highly hereditary, with patients having periods of relapse and remission throughout their lives. Most relapses come from not taking the proper medicine. The newer antipsychotic drugs have fewer side effects than the older drugs but patients still stop taking them because they think they no longer need of them.
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