Symptoms And Treatment Of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia occurs in people from all cultures and from all walks of life. Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder that affects a small portion of the population in the world. When schizophrenia is active there are many different symptoms that can appear. Some symptoms can include delusions, hallucinations, trouble with thinking and concentration, and lack of motivation. When these symptoms are treated, most people with schizophrenia will improve over time with treatment. With the different studies we are able to see how schizophrenia works in different ways. The different ways being what is happening in the brain when a person has schizophrenia. Along with the different treatments from counseling to medication what works better.

Treatment will often include antipsychotics for the illness itself, anticholinergic drugs to help treat extrapyramidal symptoms (movement disorders), that are caused by antipsychotics, and in some cases cognitive remediation. Cognitive remediation techniques are time and labor intensive, because cognitive deficits are multiple and vary from person to person. Such techniques seem to work best when specifically tailored to each patient. ("Schizophrenia Treatment & Management: Approach Considerations, Antipsychotic Pharmacotherapy, Other Pharmacotherapy," 2018). When combined with drug therapies, cognitive remediation is successful. Drugs included in therapy are Risperidone, Clozapine, and Olanzapine, which produce their effects with reduced incidence of extrapyramidal symptoms. Clozapine has the adverse effect of dangerously depressing bone marrow function and the patient must have their blood count checked on a biweekly basis, if white blood cells drop too low, it is discontinued. (Timby & Smith, 2014) Other antipsychotics include Haloperidol, Fluphenazine, Risperidone, and Olanazapine, all of which block dopamine receptors. Common anticholinergic drugs are trihexyphenidyl and benztropine. These drugs should all be taken as prescribed and should never be stopped abruptly due to withdrawal symptoms or more severe adverse

There are a few different treatments used for schizophrenia. However, one of the most prevalent treatments for schizophrenia is the antipsychotic prescription drug. One of the

A.1- Suspicious, without just cause, of people wanting to betray, hurt or take advantage of them. (American Psychiatric Association [APA] 2013).

Initial theories thought that mental disorders were caused by demonic possession of the body, and the appropriate treatment was then exorcising these demons. Because the causes of schizophrenia are still unknown, treatments focus on getting rid of the symptoms. Treatments include antipsychotic medications and various psychological treatments, which have been used since the mid-1950’s and in the 90’s, new antipsychotic medications were developed. Other treatments include psychosocial treatments, illness management skills, and integrated treatment for co-occurring substance abuse, rehabilitation, family education, cognitive behavioral therapy, and self-help

Schizophrenia is a disorder that affects about 1% of the population at some point (Durand & Barlow, 2016). Patients with schizophrenia have a less than average life expectancy due to the fact that they are more likely to be involved in accidents and suicide (Durand & Barolow, 2016). In a case study, a man named Jim qualified for schizophrenia due to his very evident suffering from delusions and hallucinations. As such, it is important to develop a thorough recommendation treatments for Jim to ensure improvement. A potential treatment of schizophrenia for Jim is having him attend a mindfulness-based psychoeducation group program. A study for this treatment showed improvement in patients’ level of functioning, amount of psychotic symptoms,

Treatment for Schizophrenia can be classified under two categories medication and Psychosocial. Medication is the main form of treatment for Schizophrenia. Anti-psychotics are used as medicinal treatment for Schizophrenia patients Types of

Schizophrenia is described by the National Institute of Mental Health as “a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disorder that has affected people throughout history” (n.d.). The most recognizable symptoms of schizophrenia are hallucinations and delusions. Hallucinations involve experiencing sensory stimulation (hearing, seeing, feeling, etc.) when there is no stimulus present. Delusions are false beliefs. Common types of delusions experienced by people with schizophrenia are delusions of persecution, delusions of grandeur, delusions of reference, and delusions of control (Smith & Segal, 2014). Delusions of persecution involve the belief that a person or someone they love is in grave danger, or someone is out to get them. Delusions of grandeur are beliefs that someone is famous or highly important, or they possess unique powers. Delusions of reference are characterized by the belief that mundane occurrences such as a commercial or dogs barking carry a special message meant for them. Delusions of control are beliefs that a person’s thoughts or behavior are being controlled by outside sources. Other symptoms of schizophrenia include disorganized speech, disorganized behavior, and a variety of negative symptoms (Smith & Segal, 2014). Disorganized speech includes loose associations (each thought only slightly related to the next, if at all), neologisms (made-up words), clanging (unnecessary use of rhyming), and word salad (jumbled speech without an organizational pattern). Signs

People who suffered from schizophrenia were once mistaken to be “dangerous” and untreatable. For this reason, they were often institutionalized and removed from society (DiRocco). The causes of this mental psychotic disorder has been much more understood over the past decade resulting in the possibility for people with schizophrenia to live more average lives. Development of treatments, such as medication and various forms of psychotherapies, have been effective in treating symptoms and common comorbid psychological disorders like depression and anxiety.

A quick overview of schizophrenia that I learned in the class was that it is a chronic brain disorder that affects the way that person goes about life such as, the way they think, feel and behave isn’t normal. About one in one hundred Americans are diagnosed with schizophrenia. Schizophrenia affects men and women equally, usually occurs between the ages fifth- teen to thirty. People with schizophrenia withdrawal themselves from reality as in they tend to hear or see things that don’t exist and at times say things completely off the wall. Day to day life can be very challenging and difficult for them because it can be so severe; that they have to rely on other people because they have a hard time keeping a job or even caring for

The purpose of this essay is to discuss the signs and symptoms of schizophrenia, psychosocial challenges experienced and modern treatment approaches used.

Schizophrenia may be one of the most misunderstood psychological disorders by professionals and laypeople alike. The disruptions inflicted by schizophrenia are so diffuse that they may often overlap with other disease processes. Researchers and filmmakers have attempted to provide more information to the masses regarding mental illnesses. Many hope that this education will assuage some of the pejorative thoughts about those who suffer from these symptoms. Similar to physical disorders, cases of mental illness do not always fit exactly into the dimensions outlined in textbooks. A diligent healthcare provider must explore patiently and meticulously to consider multiple alternatives in their quest to discover the true etiology. Ironically, another challenge arises after a diagnosis is stated, treatment is initiated, and the patient is treated. Some patients are self-aware of their illness and begin to realize improvements over the course of treatment. This may lead some patients to discontinue their therapies as they feel that they are permanently cured. Unfortunately, unlike a bacterial infection that can be treated with an antibiotic for a short time period, some mental illnesses require lifelong treatment regimens. Certainly, being oblivious to one’s disorder can be counterproductive to successful treatment; possessing a conscious understanding of one’s sickness may present a two-edged sword. The debilitating symptoms of schizophrenia rarely affect only the person who has

One may have heard of schizophrenia, but they might not understand what it is. Schizophrenia is “one of the most serious [psychological disorders that] involves severely distorted beliefs, perceptions, and thought processes” (Hockenbury 564). People who suffer from schizophrenia do not have a good grip on reality. Unfortunately, “they become engulfed in an entirely different inner world, one that is often characterized by mental chaos, disorientation, and frustration” (Hockenbury 564). People who have schizophrenia can develop positive or negative symptoms. Positive symptoms are defined as: “extra feelings or behaviors that are usually not present”(cite). Examples of positive symptoms include: “believing that what other people are saying is not true (delusions), hearing, seeing, tasting, feeling, or smelling things that others do not experience (hallucinations), or disorganized speech and behavior.” (I moved this so that it flowed a little better instead of jumping between positive and negative). On the other hand, negative symptoms are defined as: “lack of behaviors or feelings that usually are present” (cite). Negative symptoms include “losing interest in everyday activities, feeling out of touch with other people, family, or friends, lack of feeling or emotion, having little emotion or inappropriate feelings in certain situations, and having less ability to experience pleasure” (What 1).

“Schizophrenia is characterized by delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech and behaviour, and other symptoms that cause social or occupational dysfunction. For a diagnosis, symptoms must have been present for six months and include at least one month of active symptoms” (American Psychiatric Association 2013).

Schizophrenia, unlike most disorders, is a standout amongst the most genuine of the mental disorders. It is known that one in a hundred individuals are affected by it, and starts in either youth or early adulthood. Schizophrenia brings social interruption, anguish and hardship to the individuals who experience the ill effects of it, as well as to their family. Under those circumstances, it is known to be the most devastating of all disorders. There are both negative and positive symptoms when it comes to dealing with schizophrenia. Despite the fact that there are various negative indications, the most present one is limitations or absence in thoughts and behaviours that are characteristics in normal functioning. For this