Schizophrenia (from the Greek roots skhizein ("to split") and phrēn, phren- ("mind") is a severe mental illness characterized by a variety of symptoms including but not limited to loss of contact with reality. Schizophrenia is not characterized by a changing in personality; it is characterized by a deteriorating personality. Simply stated, schizophrenia is one of the most profoundly disabling illnesses, mental or physical, that the nurse will ever encounter (Keltner, 2007).
There are five subtypes of schizophrenia respectively the paranoid, disorganized, catatonic, undifferentiated, and residual types. Schizophrenia undifferentiated is the type of schizophrenia wherein characteristic symptoms (delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, grossly disorganized or catatonic behaviour, and negative symptoms) are present, but criteria for paranoid, catatonic, or disorganized subtypes are not met.
Schizophrenia is not a terribly common disease but it can be a serious and chronic one. Worldwide about one percent of the population is diagnosed with schizophrenia. About 1.5 million people were diagnosed with schizophrenia around the world. (www.mentalhelp.net). Ninety-five percent (95%) suffer a lifetime; thirty-three percent (33%) of all homeless Americans suffer from schizophrenia; fifty percent (50%) experience serious side effects from medications; and ten percent (10%) kill themselves (Keltner, 2007). According to study done 697,543 out of 86,241,697 of Filipinos or approximately 0.8% are suffering from schizophrenia (cureresearch.com). In Davao City, Dr. Padilla said that the Davao Mental Hospital receives an average of eight to 10 patients a day suffering from schizophrenia, depression and bi-polar illnesses (www.positivenewsmedia.net).
Schizophrenia ranks among the top 10 causes of disability in developed countries worldwide. Schizophrenia is a disease that typically begins in early adulthood; between the ages of 15 and 25. Men tend to get
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