Schizophrenia is a type of mental illness that affects a person’s ability to think. It is one of the most misdiagnosed mental illnesses as not more than 20 million people across the globe have been diagnosed with the same. This makes it more important to be aware of its early onset for appropriate diagnosis and treatment. The following article lists some of the early warning signs of schizophrenia and foods to manage its symptoms.

Early warning signs of schizophrenia
While some may exhibit a sudden appearance of schizophrenia symptoms, most people develop the mental illness with the following subtle warning signs:

• Depression and social withdrawal
  This is one of the earliest symptoms of schizophrenia, as the person may experience overwhelmingly negative emotions. They may detach themselves socially or may not be able to interact with their group of friends.
• Hostility
  This is yet another critical early warning sign of schizophrenia. The patient may become unexplainably hostile or suspicious of their surroundings. Extreme reaction to criticism is also an early warning sign of schizophrenia.
• Inability to express emotions
  A schizophrenic patient may show this early warning sign of inability to cry, laugh, express joy or sorrow. They may also cry or laugh at inappropriate situations. Schizophrenic patients exhibit flat or expressionless gaze.
• Troubled speech
  A person exhibiting this symptom typically makes odd or irrational statements and has a strange way of speaking.
• Lack of personal hygiene
  All the symptoms mentioned above can result in schizophrenic patients paying less attention to their hygiene.

It is important to note that collectively exhibiting the aforementioned early signs indicates the onset of schizophrenia.

Foods to eat to manage schizophrenia

• natural sugars
  Natural sugars can be derived from fruits. Doctors and dieticians suggest that schizophrenic patients do not get enough natural sugars and fiber. So, fruits such as apples, pears, and raspberries can provide the same. These fruits also help in lowering bad cholesterol, which is usually associated with schizophrenia.
• non-dairy yogurt
  Our gut has a swamp of good bacteria that aids in the proper digestion and processing of food. However, a lack of this microbiome can aggravate schizophrenia. Hence, it is recommended to increase intake of probiotics like non-dairy yogurt to improve gut health and keep schizophrenia symptoms at bay.
• Eat spinach
  Spinach and kale, such as dark leafy greens, are rich in folate. The nutrient is folic acid and can also be consumed as a supplement. Folate can decrease the risk of suffering from schizophrenia. Folate can also be found in peas, asparagus, black-eyed peas, and beef liver.

While these foods only help make it easy to manage schizophrenic symptoms, the following medications can further provide relief from schizophrenia:

• Caplyta®
  Lumateperone or Caplyta is a prescription medication that comes in the form of capsules. Typically taken once daily with food, Capylta® affects hormones like dopamine, serotonin, and glutamate to manage moods, thoughts, and behaviors better.
• Thorazine
  The medication is used for treating symptoms like psychosis and anxiety associated with schizophrenia. The medicine belongs to a class of antipsychotic medicines called phenothiazine.
• Lamictal
  It is yet another medication to manage seizures, bipolar disorder, and mood swings associated with schizophrenia. It comes in the form of chewable tablets that can be had with or without food.