Schizophrenia Paper - Grade: A- PDF

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Prof. Gleason Schizophrenia Research Paper...

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Shauna Gentile Professor Gleason General Psychology 3/30/18 Schizophrenia Research Paper Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that is characterized by hallucinations, delusions, catatonic behavior, and disorganized speech. An estimated 3.5 million individuals in the United States have been diagnosed with Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a chronic disorder with a wide range of symptoms. It is typically introduced into an individual’s life within a given period of time. Although Schizophrenia is incurable, there are multiple treatment options to help a schizophrenic manage their symptoms. The illness of Schizophrenia has a plethora of symptoms. There are three categories that the symptoms of Schizophrenia can fall under, known as cognitive, positive, and negative. Symptoms that fall under the positive category are described as psychotic behaviors that are not typically seen in those who are healthy. Some positive symptoms are delusions, dysfunctional thinking, hallucinations, and agitated body movements. Negative symptoms are believed to be associated with interruptions to normal behaviors and emotions. Some negative symptoms are decreased feelings of pleasure in life, reduced emotional expression, decreased speaking, and trouble with beginning and sustaining activities. For some schizophrenics cognitive symptoms of the mental disorder can be severe as well as others experiencing more subtle symptoms. Some patients experiencing more intense cognitive symptoms may have changes in their thinking or the functions of their memory. Decreased levels of executive functions, problems with concentration, and trouble with working memory are all cognitive symptoms.

Schizophrenia typically first makes an appearance in an individual’s life in early adulthood. Often, men experience symptoms in their early 20s whereas women frequently show signs late in their 20s and 30s. Even though most schizophrenics show signs of their disorder as young adults, subtle signs of the illness may be present prior to young adulthood. Some of the symptoms teenagers encounter may be more difficult to recognize because of the similarity to typical development in the duration of the teenage years. Seventy five percent of schizophrenics develop their disorder between the ages of 16 and 25. It is considered atypical in cases of children or adolescents to have an established diagnosis of Schizophrenia. The cause of Schizophrenia is still unknown, therefore treatments for it have a focus on eliminating the symptoms of the disorder. Some treatments used to help manage the symptoms are antipsychotics, psychosocial treatments, and Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC). Antipsychotics are normally taken in pill or liquid form, whereas others may be taken by injections. Psychosocial treatments can be helpful to a patient after working with their doctor and finding an effective medication to help manage their symptoms. These treatments may include teaching schizophrenics skills to help cope with everyday challenges of Schizophrenia, in turn helping them to pursue their life goals. Patients receiving psychosocial treatment regularly are less likely to encounter relapses or future hospitalisation. CSC is a treatment model which integrates psychosocial therapies, case management, medication, familial involvement, and supported employment and education services. This treatment models main objective is aimed at the reduction of symptoms in an individual as well as a greater and improving quality of life. Schizophrenia is a chronic illness, and like other chronic illnesses some patients respond to treatment well while others can remain symptomatic; needing assistance and support. Studies show that 25% of schizophrenics do not recover, 50% see improvement over a period of 10

years, and 25% recover completely. Schizophrenia is a mental disorder with a variety of symptoms, and its symptoms are manageable. Schizophrenia typically develops between a specific period of time in an individual’s life. Despite the knowledge doctors possess on the topic of Schizophrenia and the multiple treatment options for the illness, 50% of diagnosed schizophrenics never receive any treatment for Schizophrenia. 1.1% of the world’s population is found to have Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia does not discriminate against an individual’s race, economic, or ethnic background. The complex nature of schizophrenia causes misconceptions regarding the disease; Education is the ultimate tool to help those affected and to create a more inclusive mentality surrounding the illness. Resources About Schizophrenia:DSM-5 Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders (2018) SARDA Retrieved from https://sardaa.org/resources/about-schizophrenia/ Parekh, R. (2017, January). What Is Schizophrenia? Retrieved April 04, 2018, from http://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/schizophrenia/what-is-schizophrenia. Schizophrenia. (2016, October 11). Retrieved April 04, 2018, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/schizophrenia/symptoms-causes/syc-2035 Schizophrenia:Definition Of Schizophrenia (n.d.) Merriam Webster Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/schizophrenia?src=search-dict-box Schizophrenia:overview (n,d.) National Institute Of Mental Health retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/schizophrenia/index.shtml

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