Introduction:
John Forbes Nash, Jr. is a famous mathematician who won the 1994 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. In 1959, while he was teaching at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), he displayed some symptoms of Paranoid Schizophrenia. He suffered from hallucinations and delusions. Once he said that he has encrypted messages from outer space. People thought it was a joke, but they didn 't know that he was suffering from Schizophrenia. After his illness, he resigned from MIT and went to Europe. When he came back, he mostly hanged around Princeton campus and wrote about himself in a third person and wrote nonsensical cards to his friends. When his wife knew about his symptoms, she took him to a hospital. He went through
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Schizophrenic patients are typically unable to filter sensory stimuli and may have enhanced perceptions of sounds, colors, and other features of their environment (cited in Gulli and R. Rosick, 2014). If there is no intervention, schizophrenia could lead to withdraw from people.
Types: Schizophrenia has four main different types: paranoid subtype, disorganized subtype, catatonic subtype, and undifferentiated subtype. Paranoid subtype is the most common type schizophrenia. It consists of auditory hallucinations and/or prominent delusions about prosecution or conspiracy. Patients with paranoid subtype may live normal with successful management and treatment. Disorganized subtype consists of disorganized thought process. Patients with this subtype may have a difficult time with maintaining daily activities and emotional processes. Also, their communication abilities may be impaired (Bengston, 2009). Catatonic subtype is marked by incoherence, grossly disorganized behavior, bizarre thinking, and flat or grossly inappropriate emotions. Undifferentiated subtype lacks the specific features of paranoid subtype, disorganized subtype, and catatonic subtype (Dennis Coon, John O. Mitterer, 2014).
Causes: Currently, the causes of Schizophrenia are unknown. Research has tried to identify the causes, but no specific cause has been found. Research has revealed that some factors cause Schizophrenia. One of the factors is genetics and environment. Scientists say that
“The Transformation of European Society” by Gary B. Nash talks about the economic, social, and religious changes that took place in the British colonies in the eighteenth century in North America. The author discussed that the people of a once strict hierarchical society of Europe now had a more democratic and individualistic American view. The vast land, which distinguished America from Europe, allowed people to get rich fast and climb the social ladder. Unlike America, in Europe there was a large disparity between the rich and the poor. If you were born a blacksmith's son, you would die a blacksmith. However, the vast amount of land in America offered great opportunities for growth. Poor farmers could become rich businessmen in no time in the northern colonies, which helped to develop an
Undifferentiated schizo. Is usually given when a patient has been exhibiting symptoms of schizophrenia. However, the symptoms do not meet the criteria for diagnosed, catatonic, or paranoid schizophrenia. Undifferentiated is the “not otherwise specified” version of schizophrenia (Schizophrenia, Undifferentiated). Residual schizophrenia is the mildest of all the subtypes. “Individuals who are diagnosed with residual schizophrenia are often in a transitional stage of the disorder.” (Residual). Disorganized based on the individuals disorganized behavior, speech, and disturbances in emotional expression (Schizophrenia, Disorganized). Disorganized behavior can be expressed in many ways. Varying from as simple as starting or finishing a small task to as major as not being able to function on their own. Catatonic Schizophrenia involves disturbances in a person’s movement, exhibit a dramatic reduction in activity, to the point where voluntary movement completely stops (Catatonic). A person with Catatonic Schizophrenia can show considerable physical strength in resistance to repositioning attempts, even though they appear to be uncomfortable. Paranoid Schizophrenia is the most common subtype. Patients are likely to experience paranoid delusions that are unreasonable such as the thought of strangers trying to harm them. Patients with Paranoid Schizophrenia may feel angry and/or
Many doctors are not for sure what causes schizophrenia but they have many ideas about what causes it.
Many researchers believe it to be a combination of factors such as brain chemistry, genetics, and various environmental factors. Neuroimaging studies have shown differences in the brain structure and central nervous system of people with schizophrenia. While researchers aren't certain about the significance of these changes, they indicate that schizophrenia is a brain disease. (Mayo Clinic Healthy Living, October 11, 2012) Also, people who have problems with certain naturally occurring brain chemicals- including some neurotransmitters called dopamine and glutamate- have a higher risk of contracting schizophrenia. Other factors that may increase the risk of a person developing schizophrenia is having a family history of the disorder, pregnancy complications, taking certain psychoactive drugs, and exposure to neurotoxins at a young
There are several different subtypes of schizophrenics which include the disorganized type, catatonic type, paranoid type, undifferentiated type, and the residual type. Of all these types, the paranoid
“Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that’s affecting millions worldwide. It affects a patient’s thinking, emotions, judgment, behavior, relationships and ability to effectively communicate.” (James Rinehart, 2006). Paranoid Schizophrenia is the most common kind of schizophrenia out there. Those who suffer from paranoid schizophrenia, show to be normal with day to day activities, work, or relationships being either friends or a significant other. Although, they suffer from illusions of sound and hear things
Exact cause is unknown. It is believed that hormones place a role in other types of schizophrenia. In this type of schizophrenia, physical degeneration is mostly responsible for symptom.
The cause is still unclear. Some theories about the cause of this disease include (heredity), biology (abnormalities in the brain’s chemistry or structure) and/or possible viral infections and immune disorders. Scientists recognize that this disorder tends to run in families and that a person inherits a tendency to develop the disease. Similar to other genetically-related illnesses, schizophrenia may appear when the body undergoes hormonal and physical changes (like those that occur during puberty in the teen and young adult years) or after dealing with highly stressful situations. Some scientists believe that people with schizophrenia have an imbalance of the brain chemicals or neurotransmitters (electrical impulses that reach a neuron’s ending, the nerve ending is stimulated and releases this
There is no clear cut understanding what is the actual cause of schizophrenia however we know that it is a mixture of both genetics and
Even with all the criteria for Schizophrenia that I described above, still there is no apparent reason as to what the risk factor of Schizophrenia is. Which lead to my research to indentify certain certain Risk factors associated with with Schizophrenia. During my research, I was able to discover many risks factors, but I chose to only discuss the few that are very common through most
Many factors hinder a truly effective study of and conclusion to the relationship between genius and insanity. For instance, who determines a genius? One can measure neither creativity nor madness, for these two factors are purely objective and up to the discretion of the individual carrying out the test (Simonton; Weisberg 362). In addition, the measures of genius and madness may simply depend on the culture and time period; Galileo, the famed astronomer who proved the Copernican theory that the planets revolved around the sun, a presently obvious but at the time completely heretical idea, was deemed a madman by the Roman Catholic Church (Ludwig 12; “Genius or Madness?”). The issue remains and probably will remain dubious; nevertheless, through much investigation and research, many credible speculations have surfaced that may explain the phenomenon.
In the movie, "A Beautiful Mind", the main character, John Nash, is a mathematician who suffers from schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is actually the most chronic and disabling of the major mental illnesses and it distorts the way a person thinks, acts, expresses emotions, interprets reality and relates to others.
Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder that causes severe mental disturbances which disrupt ones thoughts, speech, and behavior. According to Paul Thompson, Associate Professor of Neurology, one percent of the world’s population suffers from this disorder. There is no one specific cause of schizophrenia, because it is caused by a combination of problems during development. It is a disorder which not only affects the patient, but their family and society as well. Schizophrenia can be a debilitating disorder, however, there are many treatments that can allow people who suffer from it to lead normal lives.
There are many causes to Schizophrenia. Many causes are genetics, brain chemistry and structure, and the environment of a human being. Genetically Schizophrenia can run through a family and can be passed on generations at a time. “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.” (Helpguide.org) Identical twins are a good example of this. “If an identical twin is diagnosed with Schizophrenia the other twin is 50 percent more likely to also be diagnosed with the mental disorder (psychcentral.com).” Brain chemistry and structure is another big factor in the cause of Schizophrenia. Neurotransmitters-
John Nash suffers from Paranoid Schizophrenia. He is a gifted mathematician who began graduate school at Princeton University in 1947. We will begin Mr. Nash’s history from this point in time, for it is here that his symptoms first began to emerge. During this time in his life he is in what is known as the prodromal phase of schizophrenia, which is a period before active