Abu Dhabi: A 43-year-old woman diagnosed with chronic schizophrenia has been able to get her undergraduate degree following comprehensive treatment at the Shaikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi.
In a statement, the public hospital, which is part of the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha) network, said the patient initially started experiencing severe disturbances. She approached the SKMC’s Behavioural Sciences Pavilion in 2010 for treatment.
“Chronic schizophrenia is a severe mental health disorder that causes people to have abnormal experiences of reality,” said Dr Ala Alnaqbi, specialist psychiatrist at the SKMC.
Common symptoms
According to the World Health Organisation, schizophrenia affects 20 million people worldwide, but is not as common as many other mental disorders. The mental illness affects how an individual thinks, behaves and feels. Some common symptoms experienced by individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia are hallucinations, delusions, disorganised thinking and disturbances to the emotional state.
With the support of SKMC’s rehabilitation team and her family, the patient went back to school to complete her education. She successfully attained her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, and celebrated her accomplishment with the medical team.
“We aim to help those with complex mental illness by enabling the development of emotional, social and vocational skills, improving the management of illness, and enhancing personal autonomy and independence. We employ multidimensional interventions in a patient-centred and recovery-focused environment,” Dr Alnaqbi said.
Early intervention
While people with schizophrenia require lifelong treatment, early treatment may help get symptoms under control before serious complications develop, and will potentially improve the patient’s long-term outlook. According to Dr. Alnaqbi, one of the biggest issues when it comes to mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, is the lack of awareness.
“Those individuals affected find it difficult to identify the signs and get help, and so it often falls to family and friends to step in. Offering support and help can go a long way. At Seha, we have a highly experienced team of psychiatric physicians, nurses and social workers who focus on providing an accurate diagnosis and developing the best treatment plan,” the psychiatrist said.
Need for awareness
There has, however, been increasing awareness of mental health concerns as of late.
“Over the past year, we have seen a positive step change when it comes to mental health awareness in the UAE. Positive mental health is integral to cultivating a thriving community which is why, at SEHA, we believe it is critical to integrate specialist mental health services across our network. Through offering the latest technologies as well as multidisciplinary expertise, we strive to ensure our patients receive all the care, compassion and support they need.” said Dr Aisha Al Dhufairi, acting chair of the SKMC’s Behavioural Sciences Pavilion.
