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| Uun Zulfiana, M.Psi. (Photo : Special). |
According to data from the Indonesian Ministry of Health 2023, mental health disorders, or depression, are a psychiatric problem that is easily experienced by teenagers. In Indonesia, the data shows that 6.1% of the population above 15 years old experience mental health disorders, one of which is schizophrenia.
Uun Zulfiana, M.Psi, a psychologist and lecturer in the Psychology Study Program at the University of Muhammadiyah (UMM), explained that schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder consisting of reality disorientation. "The contact with reality is reduced or even does not work when the problem is too severe," explained the lecturer, who is familiarly called Uun.
In addition, schizophrenia also affects people's thinking, emotions, and behavior. If we look further, this disorder can be caused by several factors. First, there are biological factors, which means that if someone has a hereditary history or family genealogy diagnosed with schizophrenia, the potential for their offspring to have these symptoms is higher. Especially if the environment is not supportive.
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The second is one's own personality, which means how he or she solves problems and sees himself or herself (self-esteem), whether he or she is an introvert or an extrovert. "And the third is environmental or psychosocial factors, which include economic, social, and other factors. The fourth is the use of drugs for a long time, which causes brain damage and can affect schizophrenia," she added.
Uun also explained that there are several symptoms, or characteristics, of schizophrenia. First, they isolate themselves because they feel they are overly aggressive. Second, his emotions are uncontrollable, which can be very passive, such as being lazy, or even the opposite, too active. Third, cognitively, there is disorientation regarding time and atmosphere, where he can interpret things incorrectly. Finally, the most prominent symptom is hallucinations or delusions about doing something that a normal person would not do.
"However, someone who has the characteristics mentioned above cannot be directly diagnosed before the characteristics have persisted for six months persistently and consistently," she said.
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The recovery potential of schizophrenia patients depends on their level of disorder. It means that there are many factors that affect their recovery. The more a person is susceptible to the disorder and has had it for a long time, the probability of recovery is not 100%. However, if the disorder appears during old age and is recognized quickly, then the chances of recovery are more positive. The healing process can be done through medical, physiological, and psychotherapeutic approaches.
The most useful advice from Uun to prevent schizophrenia from recurring in the next generation is to have good stress management. Likewise, the process of relaxing the mind involves refreshing and avoiding triggering factors. "The best step is to solve the triggering factor, but if you can't, it's better to avoid it," she said.
In the end, she hopes that people with schizophrenia can be more sensitive to the situation when they feel the signs or symptoms. "Don't be ashamed to tell the closest or most trusted person about the problems you are experiencing. If not, consult immediately because now you have been facilitated by technology that allows you to consult with professionals only through gadgets," she concluded. (dit/wil/put)
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