Schizophrenia In Today's World

However, the theory that social factors may produce the stressors that lead to schizophrenia does correlate with several key points. Epidemiological studies have shown that a higher proportion of schizophrenics are found in large cities, particularly in those cities with populations of over one million people, whereas smaller cities have virtually no incidence of schizophrenia. Also, the development of schizophrenia in children of a schizophrenic parent or parents appears to be twice as likely in those residing in large cities as compared to those in smaller communities. Moreover, schizophrenia occurs in a higher percentage of immigrants that move from a less industrialized area or nation to a more industrialized area or nation (1). However, other factors may be present that contribute to the disproportionate localization of schizophrenia in relation to geography which will be discussed later.

According to NAMI (), schizophrenia is a long term mental illness that interferes with a person’s ability to think clearly, make decisions, and relate to others, impairing a person from functioning to their full potential when left untreated. For these persons affected, it is many times difficult to distinguish what is real from what is not. “Unfortunately, no single simple course of treatment exists.” Research has linked schizophrenia to a multitude of possible causes” (NAMI).

(Salinger 173). Holden has molded his life around this fantasy and fails to realize that

Schizophrenia, although affecting only one percent of the population, has a direct affect on society today. This disease, if left untreated, poses threat to health care professionals (including psychiatrists), law enforcement personnel, and family members responsible for the care and support of the schizophrenia patient. This paper addresses the causes of schizophrenia and the myths surrounding this complicated ailment, the affect of untreated or misunderstood aspects of schizophrenia has on society and important crisis intervention strategies for those in close contact to victims of schizophrenia.

According to the World Health Organization, “Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder, characterized by profound disruptions in thinking; affecting language, perception, and the sense of self”. This serious brain disorder affects around 21 million people worldwide and causes people to interpret reality differently. People with schizophrenia tend to have strange or altered thinking and don't feel connected with themselves. They often go through psychotic experiences such as seeing hallucinations and delusions, or hearing voices. Mental health America states that “Some early warning signs of schizophrenia are confused and bizarre thoughts, increased sensitivity to light, sound, smells, or touch, fearfulness or suspicion that isn't warranted,

The management of schizophrenia is complex and requires an “all-encompassing approach” which should be individualized to meet the needs of a particular patient (Schizophrenia Society of Canada, 2016, para. 5).

Experts think that schizophrenia is caused by many contributing factors according to the NIMH and Berstein. Although there is a lot about schizophrenia that experts may not know, they do know that it is a genetic disease hat runs in families. According to the NIMH, those affected individuals are highly likely to have a close relative such as a mother, father, sibling, or grandparent with the disorder. According to Tischauser, a person with one parent who has the disease is ten times more likely to develop schizophrenia than a member of the general public. Thirty-nine percent of people who have both parents afflicted with the disease also develop schizophrenia. Schizophrenia majorly affects a person’s brain. The disorder disrupts the way that the brain cells function and communicate with each other. In the affected persons’ brain, the neurotransmitters that carry signals from one cell in the brain to the other may be abnormal or the transmitter may be malfunctioning (Bernstein). It is believed that several genes are associated with an increased risk of having schizophrenia. No single gene causes schizophrenia by itself. In fact, the genetic differences may include up to hundreds of different genes and the disruption of brain development. Bernstein states that we do know that there is an affected gene that is key to making important chemicals for the brain. Also, experts say that the environment is a factor in people with schizophrenia. For example, some environmental factors may include exposure to viruses, malnutrition before birth, problems during birth and other not yet known psychological factors. According to Anushree Bose, other factors that contribute to having schizophrenia include an imbalance of brain chemistry and different structures of the brain (7). The NIMH also adds that a person’s brain who has schizophrenia will look similar to a healthy person’s brain, but only in small ways. They

The word schizophrenia is less than 100 years old. Schizophrenia is a mentality or approach characterized by inconsistent or contradictory elements. Depression, dementia, and thought disturbances that are found in schizophrenia and are described in the Book of Hearts. The disorder was noticed as symptoms of the heart and the uterus and originating from the blood vessels or from purulence, fecal matter, a poison, demons.

Schizophrenia is a class of mental disorders often symptomatic of a broad spectrum of behaviours which ultimately fail to determine what is real. Some of the symptoms that make up the spectrum of schizophrenia include hallucinations, invalid or illogical beliefs or thought processes, and abnormal social expression. It is worth noting that schizophrenia does not mean multiple personality disorder but rather a separating of mental function and is also rarely diagnosed separately but along with other conditions, such as depression, mania, and anxiety disorders. As to the causes of schizophrenia, both genetic [1] and environmental factors [2] have been found to influence the progress of schizophrenia, but there is still much which is unknown

Schizophrenia is not unheard of; there have been many groups that raised the awareness for the disease and institutions that set up clinical trials for people with schizophrenia. Many individuals are affected by it, and they had lived a compromised life. This mental disorder continues to make patients suffer, along with their family and friends. Despite the relevance of this mental disorder in our society, many people have little or no knowledge of it or have many misconceptions about the disorder. As such, this disease will be the topic of interest in this paper. This paper will take into light a recent study regarding schizophrenia that had successfully provided hope that this mental disorder will be cured in the future. The

Experts think that there could be genetic predisposition that can be triggered by early life experiences and environmental factors (Everyday Health). The disorder occurs in 1% of the general population, but in 10% of people who have a 1st degree relative with the illness. There are many environmental and behavioral risk factors believed to be associated with schizophrenia (Psychology Today). These risk factors include childhood exposure to lead and X-rays, or certain viruses in utero or as an infant. Another risk factor believed to be connected to the illness is childhood isolation. Alcohol and substance abuse along with tobacco use are also presumed to be risk factors (Everyday Health). “If schizophrenia and substance abuse disorders share genetic underpinnings, then this strongly challenges the rigid diagnostic boundaries that separate these psychiatric disorders and might have clinical implications.” (BBR

There are many disorders throughout the world that affect people on a daily basis. They are life altering and life changing. They affect how a person can function on a normal level of life.I know, you’re thinking who defines what is normal in life anyway? But for the purpose of understanding schizophrenia; normal is anything that deviates from the socially accepted way of conducting one’s self. The person affected by this disorder is drifting away from reality and, at the same time, drifting away from who they have been their whole life.

Studies have also proved that “having a first-degree relative with schizophrenia increases the risk developing schizophrenia to almost 10%” (Varcarolis & Halter, 2014). The pathophysiology of schizophrenia is complicated, including inherited gene abnormalities in combination with environmental factors. Interactions between specific genes on different chromosomes result in malfunctioning dopaminergic, glutamatergic and GABAergic communication pathways in the brain – making one vulnerable to this disorder (Deng & Dean, 2014). “Deficits in acetylcholine muscarinic receptors… and inflammation has also been found to play a major role in the development and exacerbation of psychotic symptoms in schizophrenia” (Deng & Dean, 2014, p.3). Environmental factors possibly promoting brain inflammation and adding to the advancement of the disease in susceptible persons are pregnancy or birth complications, increased cortisol levels, childhood sexual abuse, exposure to adversity or psychological trauma, toxins – specifically tetrachloroethylene (Varcarolis & Halter,

Clearly, this is a very serious disorder, which is often utterly incapacitating. Therefore, individuals urgently require efficacious treatment, both for survival and for quality of life, and many different kinds of treatment and therapy are used. This paper will examine the use of two of these, cognitive behavioral therapy and drug therapy, and evaluate which one is better. It will take the position that drug therapy is a more effective therapy for treating schizophrenia than is cognitive behavioral therapy.

Schizophrenia is perhaps the least understood and most frightening of the mental disorders. One percent of the world population is affected by it and the World Health Organisation has ranked it as the seventh greatest cause of disability worldwide (Frangou, 2008). On average it takes one to one and half decades off the sufferers life and is a greater cause of mortality than many cancers and physical illnesses (van Os & Kapur, 2009). This paper will present an out of hospital case study and compare both its presentation and management with what is known about schizophrenia and what is considered best practise management.