Margherita Dolce Vita Summary

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder. It is also quite a complex illness that affects daily functioning of those who suffer from it. Professionals across several fields who treat schizophrenics do not share a consensus regarding the cause of schizophrenia, though there are a few theories regarding potential and definitive causes. The on-set of schizophrenia often takes place in adolescence and adulthood, but there are cases when there is childhood on-set schizophrenia. Schizophrenia in children will be the focus of this paper. Children who show signs of schizophrenia may begin doing so at around age five.

Schizophrenia is classified as a psychotic disorder. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, in order to be diagnosed with schizophrenia, an individual must present two (or more) of the following symptoms for a significant portion of time during a one-month period: delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, catatonic behavior, or negative symptoms (such as diminished emotional expression or avolition). The DSM-5, however, has a continuum (schizophrenia spectrum) of disorders that may be similar to schizophrenia disorder but not as severe or persistent.

In order for schizophrenia to be diagnosed, the American Psychiatric Associations Diagnostic and Statistical Manual requires two symptoms to be present for a substantial amount of time during a 30 day period. It also requires major areas of functioning to decrease, with continuous signs for at least six months (Fentress, Moller 1). Three different types of symptoms characterize schizophrenia: positive, negative, and cognitive (Richards 1). Positive symptoms refer to an exaggeration of brain function. This can be characterized by unusual thoughts, hallucinations, and delusions. Hallucinations are things a person sees, hears, smells or feels that no other person can. Hearing “voices” is the most common

The National Institute of Mental Health states that Schizophrenia starts between the ages of 16 and 30. Children can develop this disorder, but it is very rare. Some positive symptoms of this illness include: delusions, hallucinations, movement disorders and thought disorders. Negative symptoms include: reduced expression of emotions, reduce feelings of pleasure, reduced speaking and

Schizophrenia is an illness that affects the brain chemistry and structure in such a way that they experience changes in how they think, manage emotions, make decisions, and relate to others. An individual with schizophrenia may experience psychotic symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, disorganized sleep, flat affect, loss of interest in life and activities, trouble organizing thoughts and remembering things, etc. Current treatment options may include medication, therapy, and psychosocial rehabilitation. (NAMI, 2015)

People who have this disorder can multiple symptoms leading to the diagnosis. Some symptoms are known as “psychotic symptoms” which includes a break with reality, hallucinations, delusions, or evidence of thought disorder. These symptoms are referred to as positive symptoms because they are so readily available. Negative symptoms, which are less readily observed, include withdrawal from society, the inability to show emotion or to feel pleasure or pain, total apathy, and lack of facial expression (Piotrowski, 2015). People schizophrenia also have senses that typically become enhanced or weakened. It can also be hard to concentrate or difficult to focus on things because their selection and filtering process may become impaired. One of the “psychotic symptom” of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder of the brain. Schizophrenia also has the most negative stigma attached to it as well. People who view schizophrenia in a negative aspect, tend to think that schizophrenic people are all violent and unpredictable (The Leap Institute, 2013). This is not always accurate because schizophrenic symptoms vary in drastic ways. The common symptoms of schizophrenia are hallucinations, hearing voices, paranoid thoughts, anosognosia (poor insight), confusion, forgetfullness, unfocused, and isolation/withdraw from others. The more negative symptoms are a decreased motivation,  lack of energy,  and lack of facial expressions (The Leap Institute, 2013).

Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that effects the way an individual experiences the world. The disorder is characterized by psychotic, positive symptoms, deficit, negative symptoms, and cognitive impairment (Hung Choy Wong & Van Tol, 2003). Positive symptoms are expressed as delusions, hallucinations and/or disorganized thoughts. Delusions are beliefs that are false, for example, your neighbor Joe starts to believe that he is the president of the United States of America. Hallucinations are perceptions, any form, that are false; the more common are visual and auditory. For example, your other neighbor Donnie starts to see and communicate with a white bunny rabbit named Frank. Disorganized thoughts can be seen

Schizophrenia is a disorder of mental illness. Another way to describe this disorder is to lost the touch with reality. Schizophrenia is less common than any other mental disorder; therefore, treatments can be different. This disease is likely to occur between age of 16 to 30, or may develops in children if problem occurs during the birth. In that regard, a person with the schizophrenia suffers six months or a month or less, if proper treatments given. One of the main reason to identify the schizophrenia type is to observe specific behavior of the person. If the person has a sense of feeling, touching, and smelling without any physical source is called Hallucination. However, Delusions are the result of

It can also be scary and upsetting to the people around them. Families and society are both impacted positively and negatively by schizophrenia. Positive symptoms are usually the symptoms that are not found in healthy people and can either come and go or will just stay stable over the span of the time they are diagnosed. Some examples of positive symptoms are hallucinations, delusions, thought disorders, and movement disorders. Negative symptoms are those that are harder to identify and recognize as part of the disorder or another separate condition. Examples of these negative symptoms are reduced speaking, difficulty beginning and continuing activities, reduced feelings of pleasure in everyday life, and activities they used to enjoy doing, and lastly having “flat affect” which is reduced expression of emotions by facial expression or the tone of voice. The last form of symptoms the individual diagnosed can have is cognitive symptoms. These symptoms are subtle, but are difficult to notice like the negative symptoms. Example of cognitive symptoms is poor “executive functioning” (the ability to understand information and use it to make decisions), trouble focusing or paying attention, and problems with “working memory” (the ability to use information immediately after learning

The symptoms of schizophrenia are wide and varied, typically falling into three main categories, positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and cognitive symptoms. Each of these symptom types affect the patient in different ways, and in different degrees of severity. The symptoms may range from mildly irritating, to severe and debilitating. Positive symptoms are behaviors not normally seen in healthy people. Negative symptoms are behaviors that are usually exhibited in healthy people but are lacking in the patient. Cognitive symptoms are subtle symptoms that affect the patient’s thought processes and cognitive functioning.

Schizophrenia is a complex, chronic, severe and disabling brain disorder that affects approximately 1% of all adults worldwide. It affects males and females equally (University of Maryland Medical Centre). Signs and symptoms of Schizophrenia usually become apparent earlier in men that is between the ages of 15 to 25 among men, and later in women, that is about 25 to 35 in women. The symptoms of Schizophrenia are classified into: positive, negative and cognitive symptoms. The positive symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, thought disorders, and movement disorders (U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, National institute of Mental health). Negative symptoms include lack of pleasure in everyday life, lack of ability to begin and

Schizophrenia is a form of psychosis, which are mental illnesses that are characterized as unusual behaviors exhibited as out of touch with reality. Schizophrenia is characterized by positive symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thoughts or speech, and catatonic behavior. While negative symptoms range from cognitive deficits to restricted emotional affect. According to the Harvard Mental Health Letter (2009), there are five stages of progression of schizophrenia: premorbid, prodromal, psychotic, transitional, and chronic. Early on-set schizophrenia develops in children who experience odd or unusual auditory hallucinations and olfactory delusions in the prodromal stage. It is thought that schizophrenia is fully developed at the psychotic level, once an individual has reached their first psychotic episode. However researchers suggest looking into the prodromal stage through assessment and diagnosis to learn more about the etiologies of schizophrenia, and therefore contribute further research into preventative methods. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, childhood-onset schizophrenia is a rare form of schizophrenia which has its onset before

Signs and symptoms are classified into positive and negative symptoms. We want to be aware of these when assessing a patient or family member. Positive symptoms of schizophrenia are an exaggeration or distortion of normal functioning and include the following (Hoban, 2010): delusions, hallucinations, form of thought and bizarre behaviors. Negative symptoms of schizophrenia are lessening of normal functioning and include (Hoban, 2010): flat affect, anhedonia, apathy, lack of volition, social isolation, regression, and waxy flexibility.

In some people's cases, Schizophrenia appears suddenly and without warning. But for most it comes slowly, with subtle warning signs and a gradual decline in functioning long before the first severe episode. “In the early phases of Schizophrenia people often seem eccentric, unmotivated, emotionless, and reclusive (Helpguide.org).” They may isolate themselves and not want to participate in daily activities such as playing with their children, going outside, or getting off the couch. They abandon their hobbies and they do not do well in their jobs. “The most common early warning signs of Schizophrenia include: social withdrawal, hostility or suspiciousness, deterioration of personal hygiene, having a flat and expressionless gaze, the inability to cry or express joy, inappropriate laughter or crying, depression, oversleeping or insomnia, odd or irrational statements, forgetfulness or the inability to concentrate, extreme reaction to criticism, and or strange use of words or way of speaking (Helpguide.org).” There are five types of symptoms of Schizophrenia. Positive is a symptom that involves having hallucinations or delusions. Negative is when one shows no emotion or flat behavior. Avolation is when a person shows little interest in whatever they are doing. Cognitive behavior is when you have disorganized speech or memory loss. Catatonic behavior is considered poor functioning such as your voluntary muscles