The care for women suffering from psychosis could be a lot better, say researchers in a piece published this week in the scientific journal The Lancet Psychiatry.
Dutch scientists Bodyl Brand and Iris Sommer of the UMCG in Groningen also contributed to the study. On average, schizophrenia is discovered much later in women than in men, and drugs against psychosis also work differently in women.
4 percent of the population has schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness. People with schizophrenia can regularly develop psychoses. For example, they can see things that are not there or hear voices. About 4 percent of the Dutch population has a psychotic disorder such as schizophrenia. It concerns 278,000 women.
In men, schizophrenia often develops in young adults, explains psychiatrist Sommer. “The typical image of someone with schizophrenia is a young man who uses cannabis, for example.” On average, it takes men two years to be diagnosed with schizophrenia. During the treatment of their first psychosis, they are helped to stop drug use or to resume education.
Sometimes it takes up to six years to establish a diagnosis
In women, schizophrenia can develop into old age. “Women are much more likely than men to become depressed in combination with their psychoses,” says Sommer. Therefore, another problem is often thought of, such as depression. It takes an average of six years for women to be diagnosed with schizophrenia.
“And because it could also be older women, who may already have a family, they will also need other help. For example, when asked how they can maintain a relationship with psychoses.” Also, women with schizophrenia more often than healthy women have sex against their will, or they become pregnant unintentionally. “It’s important to pay more attention to that.”
Need more research
In addition, the medication that people with schizophrenia use to combat their psychoses do not fit well with the female body, says Sommer. Female kidneys and the liver break down these drugs less well, so they actually need a different dose than men. The medication against psychosis can also cause women to produce less female hormone (estrogen). “While estrogen can naturally slow down the psychoses.” According to Sommer, it does not take much effort to properly gear psychosis care to women. “It’s really not complicated. More research is needed.”
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