Schizhophrenia can be cured, says psychiatrist

 

However, Tamil Nadu is far better than other states with more number of rehabilitation centres and psychiatrists even at the district headquarters hospital level, said Dr Mohan Isaac, Prof of Psychiatry, University of Western Australia.

 

Though the exact cause is unknown and research was on to find it, the causes could be categorised as genetic, or any incident that has affected the person’s life, a stressful life or children growing up in unhealthy circumstances such as in a troubled family.

 

He said, around 3–4 per cent per 1,000 population were affected by schizophrenia. The affected number is similar in all places across the country, said Dr Isaac, who served in the department of psychiatry for more than 25 years at the National Insitute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences in Bengaluru, before moving to the University of Western Australia in 2005.

 

He said symptoms start with the person behaving abnormally, hearing voices when no one is nearby, or a perception that someone is harming them.

 

Such behaviour could be identified in late teens. However, parents take them to astrologers, thinking it is an evil spirit ,or take them to temples. And, only after three or four years lapse patients are brought to us, he said.

 

“Treatment takes a long time as it is a slow process,” he said, which is why educating parents and public is very important.