Week 6 Team Assignment Symptoms and Causes of Schizophrenia PDF

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Running head: SCHIZOPHRENIA

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Symptoms and Causes: Schizophrenia Clinita Hooker Dove, Lashonda Armstrong, Theresa Provenzano, Donnamarie Washington, Ngoc Quach Psych/650 November 19, 2017 Instructor Harold Beaman

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Schizophrenia Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a disorder that happens in individuals no matter what their culture or status in society or what age a person may be. It is associated with having the individual having an abnormal way of thinking when it comes to how they think of self, and the way that they react with others. The greatest indicator in this disorder is that the individual seems to have a loss of the sense of reality. The effects of this disorder is enduring and or long lasting disorder, and it is difficult for the individuals who encounter it, including the individuals that are close to them that suffer (NAMI, 2017). The prevalence of this disorder is that it affects assumingly 1% of individuals who live in America. Schizophrenia occurrence is usually seen the most in individuals in their late adolescence or early adulthood for men and in women they are generally around the age of 30. There are some that manage to live a productive life with this disorder (NAMI, 2017) The diathesis-stress model as it pertains to schizophrenia The diathesis stress model looks at how the combination of biological and psychosocial factors leads to mental illness. Essentially it purports that a person may have a biological vulnerability to a disease such as schizophrenia which is not expressed behaviorally until the person is exposed to a psychosocial stressor (Walker & Diforio, 1997). However, despite this prevailing assumption about the etiology of schizophrenia, research on the social and organic characteristics of stress responsivity in schizophrenia have been studied disjointedly. Walker and Diforio (1997) noted that psychosocial stressors affect the neuroendocrine and neuroanatomical systems, specifically a dysregulation of the stress answer in the systems, may also cause exacerbation of the symptoms of schizophrenia. However, dysfunction of the hypothalamicpituitary adrenal axis relates to other psychiatric conditions and thus may not be the main reason

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of schizophrenia but may contribute to the worsening of the symptoms through its interaction with a preexisting neuropathology (Walker & Diforio, 1997). The signs of schizophrenia can be categorized in two groups; specifically, positive and negative symptoms. The positive symptoms are delusion, hallucination, disorganized speech and behavior. The negative symptoms include; the lack of ability to function, lack of emotion, reduce ability to experience pleasure and to plan and carry out daily activities. The stress model theory indicates that the symptoms of this disorder are triggered by factors that are of an environmental nature. These environmental stressors include: abuse, family problems or conflicts, trauma faced by the individual, and school and peer problems. Additionally, research indicates that there is consistence evidence that supports the claim that when there is a presence of prenatal stressors then these children are likely to become individuals who suffer from schizophrenia. The impact of the disorder on the family Those who have schizophrenia and any other disorder are not battling the disorder alone. Families also are dealing with schizophrenia and everything that comes along with it. According to Roick et al., (2006), “Relatives of mentally ill people constitute an ‘invisible healthcare system’, because they are the core long-term care providers of psychiatric patients in the community” (p. 364). Burdens that can be seen by the families of those with schizophrenia can include financial loss, disruption of family routines, anxiety, depression, impairment of work efficiency, embarrassment in social situations and subjective psychological effects such as felling of loss (Roick, C., et al., 2006). It is said that female caregivers experience a greater burden than male caregivers and this may be because women are typically in single mother roles and are naturally nurturing (Roick, C., et al., 2006). Families that have poor coping resources and little social support tend to have high levels of burden (Roick, C., et al., 2006). Family relationships

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are severely tested when it is in response to symptoms of schizophrenia (Roick, C., et al., 2006). Most families are terrified and confused about what is going on and the behaviors that are being displayed from their loved ones. Family members do not know how to deal with the changes of schizophrenic people and need direction and knowledge how to effectively. Now we will discuss families and the individuals with schizophrenia can cope with this disorder.

How the individual and family can cope with the impact of schizophrenia Ways that individuals and those in the family can cope with the impact of Schizophrenia is to also give some of the care of the sufferer to others within the family, even if it comes to having to train the youth within the family on the care of the individuals (Brichford, C, 2017). Getting everyone involved helps to take the burden off of one person, that also have needs. This in turn strengthens the unit as a family. Giving each other a break helps each mentally from the pressure that may be felt having to deal with the sufferer (Brichford, C, 2017). If the family as a unit seek help from groups that can help to support them, and help them talk about what they have to deal with and get out what their feeling about the sacrifice of taking care of the family member with the disorder. Group help can also help the family to gain the knowledge they need to help the sufferer and also manage their feelings as well. Individuals with the family who have members or a member with this disorder can cope also by making sure that they take care of themselves properly, and continue to live among those who can offer support to them (Brichford, C, 2017). The sufferer can also cope by talking with individuals that they trust about their condition and the symptoms that they have been experiencing, and also making sure that they are properly taking the medication that have been prescribed to them. Straying away from situations that is stressful for them will also help along with finding ways to distract themselves from the symptoms or hearing voices (Burton, N. MD).

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Current best practice treatments for schizophrenia In many cases, there is always multiple types of treatment options. Unfortunately, when it comes to helping one part of the body, you are harming another. In any treatment, there are positive and negative parts. Psychosocial treatments show improvements in negative symptoms that schizophrenia in the person's body. Three categories of psychosocial treatments that are commonly used treatments. These are social skills training, combined treatment interventions cognitive behavioral therapy. With these types of treatment options, it can have an impact on the negative symptoms of schizophrenia in the person body. Medication is another type of treatment for some candidates, and most of the time it’s the doctor’s first line of action. Medication can help the symptoms subsided and also improve the chance of risking a relapse for the patient. Many medications are helpful on some levels but are also incredibly hurtful to the patient. This is since it can be filtered by the liver and kidneys where it can harm those two vital organs. According to Elis, O., Caponigro, J. M., & Kring, A. M. (2013) "addition of family therapy may be beneficial. Although people with schizophrenia who enroll in family therapy studies may represent a specific subset of this population with unique characteristics (e.g., family support and engagement), they appear to benefit from added support and external sources of motivation. Of the eleven studies reviewed that involved family therapy, eight were associated with an improvement in negative symptoms."

Conclusion

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Schizophrenia is a fatal neurological disorder affecting the everyday life of millions of individuals suffering from this disorder. Schizophrenia is most commonly caused by genetic factors, biochemical abnormalities, abnormal brain structure, and viral complications, however; environment influences can contribute to the onset of this disorder. Symptoms of schizophrenia are categorized into three groups: positive symptoms (delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking, and inappropriate effect), negative symptoms (blunt and flat affect, loss of volition, and inability to experience pleasure), and cognitive symptoms (deficiencies in attention, memory, learning, and psychomotor speed). Symptoms of schizophrenia inevitably have paralyzing effects on a person’s life. Research results prove the most reliable and efficient form of treatment of schizophrenia is pharmacological therapy; however, patients do have other treatment options such as cognitive behavioral therapy and alternative therapies. According to Sabbag, Levin, Edelman, & HerescoLevy (2011), an encouraging field of schizophrenia research is the recognition and treatment of initial warning signs or prodromal symptoms. Scientists insist on treating prodromal symptoms full psychotic episodes can be prevented (Sabbag, et al., 2011). With the help of drug therapy, early prevention may improve a schizophrenic's life quality by decreasing the reoccurrences of abnormal behavior, and reduce active and negative symptoms.

References

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Connie Brichford, Coping with Schizophrenia in the Family: Families of patients with schizophrenia need the right care and support, too. 2017 Everyday Health, Retrieved from: https://www.everydayhealth.com/schizophrenia/schizophreniacaregiving.aspx

Elis, O., Caponigro, J. M., & Kring, A. M. (2013). Psychosocial treatments for negative symptoms in schizophrenia: Current practices and future directions. Clinical Psychology Review, 33(8), 914-928. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2013.07.001 National Alliance on Mental Health, Schizophrenia, 2017 Retrieved from:https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Schizophrenia

Neel Burton, MD, Schizophrenia: Coping with Delusions and Hallucinations Simple and practical advice on the day-to-day management of schizophrenia., Psychology Today, 2017 Retrieved from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/hide-and-seek/201208/schizophrenia-copingdelusions-and-hallucinations

Roick, C., Heider, D., Toumi, M., & Angermeyer, C. (2006, February). The Impact of Caregiver' Characteristics, Patients' Conditions and Regional Differences on Family Burden in Schizophrenia: A Longitudinal Analysis., (114), 363-374.

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Sabbag, R., Levin, R., Edelman, S., & Heresco-Levy, U. (2011). Preventive pharmacological treatment-An is evolving new concept in schizophrenia. Israel Journal of Psychiatry and Related Sciences, 48(2), 82-90.

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