Herbal Health – information on herbal medicine

Until the development of the major tranquillising drugs, schizophrenia was responsible for a large proportion of admissions to mental hospitals.

It is a severe psychological illness and yet there are some psychiatrists (not in the mainstream of psychiatric thought), who say that schizophrenia is not a disease but only a label we put on people who handle life differently from the rest of society.

There are many different forms of this disorder but what they have in common is that the personality does not seem to be integrated. Thinking, emotion and conduct do not co-ordinate, yet there is no impairment of intelligence.

Anxiety and depression can occur in schizophrenia as they can in any of us. There is often a withdrawal into oneself and one’s thoughts and feelings become more real than the outside world. Delusions, wrongly interpreting others’ behavior and hallucinations, usually voices rather than seeing things, are common.

The disorder of thinking is an important part of the schizophrenic process. The sufferer may miss the point, misinterpret cause for effect, dwell on irrelevant material or accept inconsistencies.

The first onset of this disorder is usually in the young, and may be present in the teens or early twenties.

Schizophrenia is commonly spoken of as split personality but this term is more properly applied to some forms of hysteria. Two opposite personali¬ties are not the result of schizophrenia, which tends more to produce a splintering of the personality and a loss of reality.

Changes in attitude to the management of those with this disorder and the use of drugs has meant many who would previously have spent most of their lives in hospital can now return to the community and support themselves at work.

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The cause may be recognised on the history alone but, for an accurate diagnosis, patch testing is often required.

In this, the offending chemical and others under suspicion are applied to the skin under a cover, and then assessed, if irritation results.

Most cases respond to simple treatment, provided the offending substance is removed from skin contact. This may entail wearing gloves or modifying one’s job.

Where this is impossible, minimal contact may result in a mild rash which can be controlled with treatment. Compromise may enable the worker to stay in his job rather than having to abandon it.

Contact dermatitis may occur in those with skin problems such as atopic dermatitis, eczema or psoriasis, it may complicate both.

The golden rule for any rash is that, if it itches DON’T scratch. If you do, it will only get worse. Seek treatment instead.

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