Schizophrenic Disorder Research Paper
PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS
Psychotic disorders are severe mental disorders that cause abnormal thinking and perceptions. These are mental disorders in which a person’s personality is severely confused and that person loses touch with reality. When a psychotic episode occurs, a person becomes unsure about what is real and what isn’t real and usually experiences hallucinations, delusions, off-the-wall behavior, chaotic speech and incoherency. A person behaving in this manner is often referred to as being schizophrenic.
Schizophrenia is one type of psychotic disorder.
The word schizophrenia comes from the Greek word skhizein meaning "to split" and the Greek word Phrenos (phren) meaning "diaphragm, heart, mind". However it was first called dementia praecox by Emil Kraeplin in 1896. It is a brain disorder that affects the way a person acts, thinks, and sees the world.. This can distress patients severely and persistently, …show more content…
making them withdrawn and frantic.
Others may find it hard to make sense of what a person with schizophrenia is talking about. In some cases, the individual may spend hours completely still, without talking. On other occasions he or she may seem fine, until they start explaining what they are truly thinking.
Causes of schizophrenia
The causes of schizophrenia are not fully known. However, it appears that schizophrenia usually results from a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors.
1. Genetic causes of schizophrenia -Schizophrenia has a strong hereditary component. Individuals with a first-degree relative (parent or sibling) who has schizophrenia have a 10 percent chance of developing the disorder, as opposed to the 1 percent chance of the general population.
2. Environmental causes of schizophrenia - Stressful experiences often precede the emergence of schizophrenia. Before any acute symptoms are apparent, people with schizophrenia habitually become bad-tempered, anxious, and unfocussed
3. Abnormal brain structure - Experts believe that an imbalance of dopamine, a neurotransmitter, is involved in the onset of schizophrenia. They also believe that this imbalance is most likely caused by your genes making you susceptible to the illness.
4. Some drugs - Cannabis and LSD are known to cause schizophrenia relapses.
The most common early warning signs of schizophrenia include:
Social withdrawal
Inability to cry or express joy
Inappropriate laughter or crying
Depression
Oversleeping or insomnia
Forgetful; unable to concentrate
Extreme reaction to criticism
Strange use of words or way of speaking
Symptoms of schizophrenia
Positive symptoms are disturbances that are “added” to the person’s personality.
Delusions
A delusion is where a person has an unshakeable belief in something implausible, bizarre or obviously untrue.
The content of schizophrenic delusions is as rich and diverse as the human imagination. However, delusions tend to fall into certain recognized patterns.
Delusions of Persecution - a morbid belief that one is being mistreated, harassed, or conspired against.
Delusions of Control - a fixed belief that one’s behavior is entirely directed by another person, group of people, or external force.
Example: A man cowers whenever a brown delivery truck passes his house. He believes the trucks contain machines which govern his behavior.
Delusions of Reference - strongly held belief that random events, objects, behaviors of others, etc. have a particular and unusual significance to oneself.
Example: A man might have the delusion that each time he hears a cat meow, it takes one day off his life.
Delusion of sin and guilt - a false feeling of remorse or guilt of delusional intensity
Example: A person may, for example, believe that he or she has committed some horrible crime and should be punished severely.
Erotomania - a delusion in which one believes that another person, usually someone of higher status, is in love with him or her. It is common for individuals with this type of delusion to attempt to contact the other person (through phone calls, letters, gifts, and sometimes stalking).
Grandiose delusion - an individual exaggerates his or her sense of self-importance and is convinced that he or she has special powers, talents, or abilities. Sometimes, the individual may actually believe that he or she is a famous person (for example, a rock star or Christ). More commonly, a person with this delusion believes he or she has accomplished some great achievement for which they have not received sufficient recognition.
Hallucinations
Hallucinations are where a person perceives something that doesn 't exist in reality.
Some of the different types of hallucinations that exist are described below:
Visual hallucinations - a person sees something that does not exist or sees something that does exist but sees it incorrectly. Several conditions can cause visual hallucinations including dementia, migraines and drug or alcohol addiction.
Auditory hallucinations - this is the most common form of hallucination in schizophrenics and refers to the perception of non-existent sounds. In schizophrenia, patients often hear voices talking to them but the hallucinations may also take the form of whistling or hissing, for example
Olfactory hallucination - these hallucinations involve smelling odours that do not exist. The odours are usually unpleasant such as such as vomit, urine, smoke or rotting flesh.
Tactile hallucination- this refers to when a person senses that they are being touched when they are not. One of the most common complaints is the sensation of bugs crawling over the
skin.
Gustatory hallucination - these are hallucinations that cause a person to taste something that is not present
Disturbed Verbal Communication
Most researchers interpret the confused speech of schizophrenics as the product of confused thinking, however some writers (e.g. J.F. Fish,1957, Kleist,1960) have suggested that certain peculiarities of schizophrenic language may result not from radicals thought disturbance but merely from an inability to retrieve commonly agreed upon verbal symbol.
Neologisms – a newly created word whose meaning is unknown to others (from Greek – neo = “new” + logos = “word”). The use of neologisms is common in children, but is considered indicative of brain damage or a thought disorder (like schizophrenia) when present in adults.
Example:
DR: Sally, you’re not eating supper tonight. What’s the problem?
PT: No, I have a belly bad luck and brutal and outrageous. [I have stomach problems, and I don’t feel good.] I gave all the works money. [I paid tokens for my meal.]
Clanging of words - also known as “clang association”, clanging is a manner of speaking in which words are chosen for their related sounds rather than logical meanings
Example:
DR: How are things going today, Ernest?
PT: Okay for a flump.
DR: What is a flump?
PT: A flump is a gump.
DR: That doesn’t make any sense.
PT: Well, when you go to the next planet from the planet beyond the planet that landed on the danded and planded on the standed.
Word Salad - describes a very jumbled manner of speaking in which words are put together even though they don 't form meaningful sentences
Example: “market dog blue asphalt" -- these words all have meaning but not when put together in this fashion
Negative symptoms are capabilities that are “lost” from the person’s personality.
Lack of emotional expression – Inexpressive face, including a flat voice, lack of eye contact, and blank or restricted facial expressions.
Lack of interest or enthusiasm – Problems with motivation; lack of self-care.
Seeming lack of interest in the world – Apparent unawareness of the environment; social withdrawal.
Speech difficulties and abnormalities – Inability to carry a conversation; short and sometimes disconnected replies to questions; speaking in monotone.
Effects of Schizophrenia
When the signs and symptoms of schizophrenia are ignored or improperly treated, the effects can be devastating both to the individual with the disorder and those around him or her. Some of the possible effects of schizophrenia are:
1. Relationship problems. Relationships suffer because people with schizophrenia often withdraw and isolate themselves.
2. Disruption to normal daily activities. Schizophrenia causes significant disruptions to daily functioning, both because of social difficulties and because everyday tasks become hard, if not impossible to do.
3. Alcohol and drug abuse. People with schizophrenia frequently develop problems with alcohol or drugs, which are often used in an attempt to self-medicate, or relieve symptoms.
4. Increased suicide risk. Have a high risk of attempting suicide.
Location of the Brain that is Affected Frontal Cortex & Thalamus
The frontal cortex, which deals much with analytical thinking and social reasoning, and the thalamus, which acts as a relay station for the cerebral cortex, are thought to possibly be locations in the brain that are affected with the disease schizophrenia.
Diagnosing schizophrenia
A diagnosis of schizophrenia is made based on a full psychiatric evaluation, medical history, physical exam, and lab tests.
Psychiatric evaluation – The doctor or psychiatrist will ask a series of questions about you or your loved one 's symptoms, psychiatric history, and family history of mental health problems.
Medical history and exam – Your doctor will ask about your personal and family health history. He or she will also perform a complete physical examination to check for medical issues that could be causing or contributing to the problem.
Laboratory tests – While there are no laboratory tests that can diagnose schizophrenia, simple blood and urine tests can rule out other medical causes of symptoms. The doctor may also order brain-imaging studies, such as an MRI or a CT scan, in order to look for brain abnormalities associated with schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia - Diagnostic Criteria
The presence of two or more of the following symptoms for at least 30 days:
1. Hallucinations
2. Delusions
3. Disorganized speech
4. Disorganized or catatonic behavior
5. Negative symptoms (emotional flatness, apathy, lack of speech)
Significant problems functioning at work or school, relating to other people, and taking care of oneself.
Continuous signs of schizophrenia for at least 6 months, with active symptoms (hallucinations, delusions, etc.) for at least 1 month.
Different types of schizophrenia
Paranoid schizophrenia -- a person feels extremely suspicious, persecuted, or grandiose, or experiences a combination of these emotions.
Disorganized schizophrenia -- is a mental disorder in which a patient behaves like a child and usually has a disorganized speech and thoughts.
Catatonic schizophrenia -- a person is withdrawn, mute, negative and often assumes very unusual body positions.
Undifferentiated schizophrenia - It is the type of schizophrenia wherein a person shows the sign of disease which is unable to categorize.
Common misconceptions about schizophrenia
1. Schizophrenia is not split personality disorder. Although schizo- means “split”, it indicates a split of personality features. Schizophrenics are split from the real environment. Their thoughts and feelings do not coincide with each other and their surroundings.
2. Schizophrenics are not dangerous. Schizophrenia does not induce violent tendencies. Aggression only occurs in reaction to an erroneous interpretation of stimuli present in one’s surroundings (emotional disorder).
3. All is not lost for schizophrenics. Although there is no cure, there are treatments. Some schizophrenics are able to live lives resembling a normal existence (Bernheim&Lewine, 1979).
“Never give up on someone with a mental illness. When "I" is replaced by "We", illness becomes wellness.” - Shannon L. Alder
References: www.schizophrenic.com www.medicalnewstoday.com www.healthcommunities.com/schizophrenia/subtypes psychcentral.com www.coloradorecovery.com schizophrenia.com www.medscape.org http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Delusions.aspx
http://www.alleydog.com/glossary/definition.php
Psychotic disorders are severe mental disorders that cause abnormal thinking and perceptions. These are mental disorders in which a person’s personality is severely confused and that person loses touch with reality. When a psychotic episode occurs, a person becomes unsure about what is real and what isn’t real and usually experiences hallucinations, delusions, off-the-wall behavior, chaotic speech and incoherency. A person behaving in this manner is often referred to as being schizophrenic.
Schizophrenia is one type of psychotic disorder.
The word schizophrenia comes from the Greek word skhizein meaning "to split" and the Greek word Phrenos (phren) meaning "diaphragm, heart, mind". However it was first called dementia praecox by Emil Kraeplin in 1896. It is a brain disorder that affects the way a person acts, thinks, and sees the world.. This can distress patients severely and persistently, …show more content…
making them withdrawn and frantic.
Others may find it hard to make sense of what a person with schizophrenia is talking about. In some cases, the individual may spend hours completely still, without talking. On other occasions he or she may seem fine, until they start explaining what they are truly thinking.
Causes of schizophrenia
The causes of schizophrenia are not fully known. However, it appears that schizophrenia usually results from a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors.
1. Genetic causes of schizophrenia -Schizophrenia has a strong hereditary component. Individuals with a first-degree relative (parent or sibling) who has schizophrenia have a 10 percent chance of developing the disorder, as opposed to the 1 percent chance of the general population.
2. Environmental causes of schizophrenia - Stressful experiences often precede the emergence of schizophrenia. Before any acute symptoms are apparent, people with schizophrenia habitually become bad-tempered, anxious, and unfocussed
3. Abnormal brain structure - Experts believe that an imbalance of dopamine, a neurotransmitter, is involved in the onset of schizophrenia. They also believe that this imbalance is most likely caused by your genes making you susceptible to the illness.
4. Some drugs - Cannabis and LSD are known to cause schizophrenia relapses.
The most common early warning signs of schizophrenia include:
Social withdrawal
Inability to cry or express joy
Inappropriate laughter or crying
Depression
Oversleeping or insomnia
Forgetful; unable to concentrate
Extreme reaction to criticism
Strange use of words or way of speaking
Symptoms of schizophrenia
Positive symptoms are disturbances that are “added” to the person’s personality.
Delusions
A delusion is where a person has an unshakeable belief in something implausible, bizarre or obviously untrue.
The content of schizophrenic delusions is as rich and diverse as the human imagination. However, delusions tend to fall into certain recognized patterns.
Delusions of Persecution - a morbid belief that one is being mistreated, harassed, or conspired against.
Delusions of Control - a fixed belief that one’s behavior is entirely directed by another person, group of people, or external force.
Example: A man cowers whenever a brown delivery truck passes his house. He believes the trucks contain machines which govern his behavior.
Delusions of Reference - strongly held belief that random events, objects, behaviors of others, etc. have a particular and unusual significance to oneself.
Example: A man might have the delusion that each time he hears a cat meow, it takes one day off his life.
Delusion of sin and guilt - a false feeling of remorse or guilt of delusional intensity
Example: A person may, for example, believe that he or she has committed some horrible crime and should be punished severely.
Erotomania - a delusion in which one believes that another person, usually someone of higher status, is in love with him or her. It is common for individuals with this type of delusion to attempt to contact the other person (through phone calls, letters, gifts, and sometimes stalking).
Grandiose delusion - an individual exaggerates his or her sense of self-importance and is convinced that he or she has special powers, talents, or abilities. Sometimes, the individual may actually believe that he or she is a famous person (for example, a rock star or Christ). More commonly, a person with this delusion believes he or she has accomplished some great achievement for which they have not received sufficient recognition.
Hallucinations
Hallucinations are where a person perceives something that doesn 't exist in reality.
Some of the different types of hallucinations that exist are described below:
Visual hallucinations - a person sees something that does not exist or sees something that does exist but sees it incorrectly. Several conditions can cause visual hallucinations including dementia, migraines and drug or alcohol addiction.
Auditory hallucinations - this is the most common form of hallucination in schizophrenics and refers to the perception of non-existent sounds. In schizophrenia, patients often hear voices talking to them but the hallucinations may also take the form of whistling or hissing, for example
Olfactory hallucination - these hallucinations involve smelling odours that do not exist. The odours are usually unpleasant such as such as vomit, urine, smoke or rotting flesh.
Tactile hallucination- this refers to when a person senses that they are being touched when they are not. One of the most common complaints is the sensation of bugs crawling over the
skin.
Gustatory hallucination - these are hallucinations that cause a person to taste something that is not present
Disturbed Verbal Communication
Most researchers interpret the confused speech of schizophrenics as the product of confused thinking, however some writers (e.g. J.F. Fish,1957, Kleist,1960) have suggested that certain peculiarities of schizophrenic language may result not from radicals thought disturbance but merely from an inability to retrieve commonly agreed upon verbal symbol.
Neologisms – a newly created word whose meaning is unknown to others (from Greek – neo = “new” + logos = “word”). The use of neologisms is common in children, but is considered indicative of brain damage or a thought disorder (like schizophrenia) when present in adults.
Example:
DR: Sally, you’re not eating supper tonight. What’s the problem?
PT: No, I have a belly bad luck and brutal and outrageous. [I have stomach problems, and I don’t feel good.] I gave all the works money. [I paid tokens for my meal.]
Clanging of words - also known as “clang association”, clanging is a manner of speaking in which words are chosen for their related sounds rather than logical meanings
Example:
DR: How are things going today, Ernest?
PT: Okay for a flump.
DR: What is a flump?
PT: A flump is a gump.
DR: That doesn’t make any sense.
PT: Well, when you go to the next planet from the planet beyond the planet that landed on the danded and planded on the standed.
Word Salad - describes a very jumbled manner of speaking in which words are put together even though they don 't form meaningful sentences
Example: “market dog blue asphalt" -- these words all have meaning but not when put together in this fashion
Negative symptoms are capabilities that are “lost” from the person’s personality.
Lack of emotional expression – Inexpressive face, including a flat voice, lack of eye contact, and blank or restricted facial expressions.
Lack of interest or enthusiasm – Problems with motivation; lack of self-care.
Seeming lack of interest in the world – Apparent unawareness of the environment; social withdrawal.
Speech difficulties and abnormalities – Inability to carry a conversation; short and sometimes disconnected replies to questions; speaking in monotone.
Effects of Schizophrenia
When the signs and symptoms of schizophrenia are ignored or improperly treated, the effects can be devastating both to the individual with the disorder and those around him or her. Some of the possible effects of schizophrenia are:
1. Relationship problems. Relationships suffer because people with schizophrenia often withdraw and isolate themselves.
2. Disruption to normal daily activities. Schizophrenia causes significant disruptions to daily functioning, both because of social difficulties and because everyday tasks become hard, if not impossible to do.
3. Alcohol and drug abuse. People with schizophrenia frequently develop problems with alcohol or drugs, which are often used in an attempt to self-medicate, or relieve symptoms.
4. Increased suicide risk. Have a high risk of attempting suicide.
Location of the Brain that is Affected Frontal Cortex & Thalamus
The frontal cortex, which deals much with analytical thinking and social reasoning, and the thalamus, which acts as a relay station for the cerebral cortex, are thought to possibly be locations in the brain that are affected with the disease schizophrenia.
Diagnosing schizophrenia
A diagnosis of schizophrenia is made based on a full psychiatric evaluation, medical history, physical exam, and lab tests.
Psychiatric evaluation – The doctor or psychiatrist will ask a series of questions about you or your loved one 's symptoms, psychiatric history, and family history of mental health problems.
Medical history and exam – Your doctor will ask about your personal and family health history. He or she will also perform a complete physical examination to check for medical issues that could be causing or contributing to the problem.
Laboratory tests – While there are no laboratory tests that can diagnose schizophrenia, simple blood and urine tests can rule out other medical causes of symptoms. The doctor may also order brain-imaging studies, such as an MRI or a CT scan, in order to look for brain abnormalities associated with schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia - Diagnostic Criteria
The presence of two or more of the following symptoms for at least 30 days:
1. Hallucinations
2. Delusions
3. Disorganized speech
4. Disorganized or catatonic behavior
5. Negative symptoms (emotional flatness, apathy, lack of speech)
Significant problems functioning at work or school, relating to other people, and taking care of oneself.
Continuous signs of schizophrenia for at least 6 months, with active symptoms (hallucinations, delusions, etc.) for at least 1 month.
Different types of schizophrenia
Paranoid schizophrenia -- a person feels extremely suspicious, persecuted, or grandiose, or experiences a combination of these emotions.
Disorganized schizophrenia -- is a mental disorder in which a patient behaves like a child and usually has a disorganized speech and thoughts.
Catatonic schizophrenia -- a person is withdrawn, mute, negative and often assumes very unusual body positions.
Undifferentiated schizophrenia - It is the type of schizophrenia wherein a person shows the sign of disease which is unable to categorize.
Common misconceptions about schizophrenia
1. Schizophrenia is not split personality disorder. Although schizo- means “split”, it indicates a split of personality features. Schizophrenics are split from the real environment. Their thoughts and feelings do not coincide with each other and their surroundings.
2. Schizophrenics are not dangerous. Schizophrenia does not induce violent tendencies. Aggression only occurs in reaction to an erroneous interpretation of stimuli present in one’s surroundings (emotional disorder).
3. All is not lost for schizophrenics. Although there is no cure, there are treatments. Some schizophrenics are able to live lives resembling a normal existence (Bernheim&Lewine, 1979).
“Never give up on someone with a mental illness. When "I" is replaced by "We", illness becomes wellness.” - Shannon L. Alder
References: www.schizophrenic.com www.medicalnewstoday.com www.healthcommunities.com/schizophrenia/subtypes psychcentral.com www.coloradorecovery.com schizophrenia.com www.medscape.org http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Delusions.aspx
http://www.alleydog.com/glossary/definition.php