SCARF is the acronym for the Schizophrenia Research Foundation, a non governmental, non profit organization in Chennai (Formerly Madras) in south India Founded in 1984 by a group of philanthropists and mental health professionals led by Dr. M.Sarada Menon, an internationally known psychiatrist, SCARF has established itself as a center of repute in rehabilitation and research in disorders of the mind. The present team led by the Director Dr. R.Thara is composed of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, rehab personnel, administrative and support staff. SCARF is one of the very few NGOs in the world to be named as a Collaborating Center of the World Health Organization ( WHO) for Mental Health Research and Training. SCARF would like to reach and support a wider community of patients and their caregivers through this community platform.
SCHIZOPHRENIA AWARENESS WEEK A poem by a person with schizophrenia A whirlwind of pain these days are When will I again be free But I know I must not look far But step by step as I see The doctor is kind and tells me Don’t fret the sun will yet shine And I know I can still be happy Even though I am not fine The world is going ahead And I am left behind And all for the sickness in my head A sickness of my mind And there are no one’s steps to follow In this darkened cruel place And my…
SCHIZOPHRENIA AWARENESS WEEK 2016 Mahesh (name changed) was caught unawares by schizophrenia which rendered him unsuitable for the world outside and for all those parameters which tag a person ‘normal’. He was unfit for school, for friends, for academics and for competition of any kind. Rudderless as he was, SCARF provided him with that much-needed cushion to re-discover himself and find his comfort zone. He recounts his fight here and how he managed to come to terms with it.…
What are the signs and symptoms of Schizophrenia? The symptoms exhibited at different stages are different. The symptoms do not appear suddenly. They creep in stealthily and may be present for weeks to months before they progress to a full blown state. Stages of Schizophrenia elaborates how the symptoms progress. The signs and symptoms of schizophrenia are broadly grouped into two: Positive symptoms Negative symptoms. Positive symptoms of schizophrenia are behaviors and…
The symptoms of Schizophrenia progress slowly. There are broadly two stages in terms of the progression of Schizophrenia: Prodrome Stage Acute Stage Prodrome Stage In the very beginning there are some “Behavioral changes” which can pass for normal variations in daily life. It is very difficult to state that at this stage they clearly indicate a disorder. These changes are not just a set of particular symptoms but a definite variation in the routine behavior of the individual…
What is Schizophrenia “A slowly progressive deterioration of the entire personality which involves mainly the affective life and expresses itself in disorders of feeling thought and conduct and a tendency to withdraw from reality” - Eugen Bleuler Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe multi-faceted and complex disorder of the mind, now being increasingly considered a brain disorder. It affects approximately 1% of the world population and has a…
Effective management of schizophrenia always involves a multidisciplinary team of psychiatrists, social workers, psychologists, occupational therapists and families. Medication is the mainstay of treatment in schizophrenia. There is a wide range of medication to choose from depending on the person’s age, nature of illness, affordability, side effect profile etc. Treatment in schizophrenia does not stop with symptom control. It extends to include rehabilitation and reintegration back…
What causes schizophrenia? There is no single cause for this ailment. Several factors play a role in the causation of this illness. First and foremost are the genetic factors which are in place right from a person’s intra-uterine life. Then come the environmental factors which include adversities in life. A combination of genetic predisposition, inherent vulnerability and the presence of environmental factors such as prolonged stress seem to lead to schizophrenia. Other…
Are there investigations to diagnose Schizophrenia? There is no single diagnostic test to confirm this illness. The information provided by an observant family member combined with the doctor’s clinical acumen go a long way in arriving at a diagnosis. As a family member watch out for these signs and symptoms of Schizophrenia. Then how is this condition diagnosed? Like seizures or migraine this is a clinical entity which is diagnosed purely by a good psychiatrist’s diagnostic skills. The…
There is no documented way to prevent Schizophrenia but if you are at a high risk due to genetic and environment factors, counselling may help. Also, early treatment is helpful in getting the symptoms under control and preventing full blown development of the condition. It is also important to stick to the treatment plan to prevent relapses. The treatment plan may include complementary therapies that help calm the mind like meditation, martial arts, art therapy, music therapy.
This section coming soon Refer to Schizophrenia Management for more information
My wife recently got diagonisis with the schizophrenia. she was under olanzapine 10 mg for the last 6 months. currently she is not feeling with delusions and hallousinations but she has no motivation to do any work and very less confidence. I am…
my age is 35 years from the past 3- 4 months iam experiencing sleepiness when iam reading when iam in spiritual work i could also rarely concentrate totally in spiritual work thought process is always on iam trying some ways like preparing for…
I know someone who was diagnosed with schezophrenia about 6 years back. He has been on reducing dosage of medication as the doctor started seeing improving results.
There have been a couple of instances where the patient stopped medication, but the…
Request/question from a sister:
hello.m from chandigarh India needs help for my brother.He has been
suffering from schizophrenia since 3 years.He is an engineer student too.He
can't concentrate in his day to day life due to the side effect of ricnia…
Are there any mental health support groups in north Chennai like roypuram , central, mount road, thiruvottiyur ..scarf is very far
Can a person suffering from mental disorder and stable on medication accompany spouse when the spouse travels related to the office work to other countries for kind of 3 to 6 months. The couple live in India. The person needs to carry prescribed…
Can any one guide me on finding jobs in Chennai for people with schizophrenia but are completely normal on medication.such that knowing the illness n its limitations.
My elder sister was suspected to be suffering from Schizophrenia and she was under medication from a Psychiatrist during which time her condition had improved. then all of a sudden she refused to take medication and over the last few years her…
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