Schizophrenia - A Vague Guide
Why do people always misunderstand it as having an alternate personality? This guide explains Schizophrenia very vaguely (as it is a deep, complex and differing disorder). It also contains references to help further study if interested. What is Schizophrenia? Schizophrenia is when people "experience hallucinations (seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling or tasting something that does not exist, as if it were real). Hearing voices is the most common hallucination experienced with schizophrenia. "The patient "may hold false and often unusual beliefs with unshakeable conviction. For example, someone might fear that he or she is being watched or followed by another who wants to control or do them harm. These beliefs are called delusions" and "show little emotion or if he or she does express any it may appear out of context, for example crying at a joke. They may become withdrawn, avoiding the company of friends and family and staying in their room." Another possible symptom is "saying very little and rarely initiate a conversation. They may speak in a way that will seem muddled and illogical, conveying little meaning. They may think or act in a way that cannot easily be understood. He or she may become uncharacteristically hostile to members of the family." 1 Statistics * Nearly 1 in 100 people will experience Schizophrenia in their lifetime * After a first episode of
Issues with the Classification of Schizophrenia
Issues with classification of schizophrenia (8+16marks) There are many issues with the current classification system which in turn undermines the reliability and validity of the diagnosis of schizophrenia. This then consequently affects the validity and reliability of treatment options and limits the ability to validly compare schizophrenic research due to the ambiguity in recognising it. In order for the classification to both be reliable and valid characteristics should be adhere to many assumptions. Deviations from this ideal diagnostic system weaken the classification. Ideally characteristics should be mutually exclusive and jointly exhaustible categories. The advantage of valid and reliable diagnosis means aetiologies, treatment and prognosis are accurate. However, if the diagnosis lacks reliability, misdiagnosis, assumptions of categories and labelling effect may occur. One of the main issues is that there is no object test that can measure schizophrenia and a great deal of emphasis is placed on patient’s ability to report the symptoms which may not always be accurately described hindering reliability of the diagnosis. Despite no object tests there are diagnostic manuals that highlight the clinical characteristics of the disorder that clinicians can use to inform their diagnosis in attempt to objectify schizophrenia. However, discrepancies exist between the two
Critically evaluate studies relating to social class and schizophrenia
Rakesh Kumar SO 532 Critically evaluate studies relating to social class and schizophrenia Introduction There have been various studies relating to social class and schizophrenia, a good place to start would be to narrow the question down and begin on a more general level making clear our understanding of social class to do this I will describe how in the UK the present class system is formed and then go onto schizophrenia. Then further going into detail of studies relating to social class and schizophrenia by listing some of the main studies then critically evaluating them, these will include Phelan who has put together forty years of work in medical sociology, Nettleton and Burrows show how "mortgage debt and insecure home ownership, Faris and Dunham where they studied the patients that came into a Chicago hospital, Lapouse et al. and Hollingshead and Redlitch concerning social drift, Phillips reporting of negative experiences with no positive experiences to buffer against, Wiggins et al the link between common psychiatric symptoms and work, Macintyre, Ellaway and Cummins show that in many cities there is a social difference, Ross and the effects peoples mental health in poor cities, and also take into consideration tying in with the previous studies mentioned like social class, there are studies of social class that clearly establish a link between social class and
Schizophrenia: Is it preventable? How symptoms are derived from underlying defects:
Schizophrenia: Is it preventable Schizophrenia can be defined as the most severe psychiatric disorder which causes bizarre behavior, withdrawal from the reality, emotional instability and disorganized speech and thinking. Schizophrenia is a widespread issue because it does not only affect the individual itself but rather the family taking care of the person as well. Due to the fact that the person tend to suffer from disordered thoughts with the disease, they become ineffective in communicating with others. Schizophrenia is not dominant in any race or a particular sex in the population. It usually strikes the individual around the ages of fifteen and forty years which has a great impact on youth but never before fifteen or after the age of forty. Symptoms: Just like symptoms in other illnesses, there are also some in schizophrenia. The symptoms can vary among individuals. One of the key factors to recognize the onset of schizophrenia is personality changes. At first, it may be unnoticed but the symptoms may get obvious after a period of time. Delusion may cause a person to believe that they are being controlled by external forces such as aliens, cops etc. Hallucination results in a person seeing, believing, smelling , talking and hearing things that do not really exist to others around them. Strange behavior may develop including laughing without a cause, talking to
Family Models of Schizophrenia
Family models Early theories: based on observations- not supported well by research Double bind theory (Bateso '56): child has repeated experiences with family members in which receives contradictory messages e.g. 'looks sleepy, go to bed now"-shows concern for welfare of child but hostility and desire to get child out of the way suggested by body language/tone Repeated exposure to contradictory messages ›child resorts to self deceptions communication problems etc. These interactions prevent the development of internally coherent construction of reality, and in the long run, this manifests itself as schizophrenic symptoms (e.g. flattened affect and withdrawal). R.D. Laing schizophrenia reasonable response to an insane world. Research before 1970's = view that dysfunctional families = most common schizophrenia HOWEVER = family interaction only studied after diagnosis of schizophrenia rarely involved proper control groups Hence Recent research = based on expressed emotion; originally by Brown ('72) then lower showed patients with schizophrenia relapse higher than in homes with high expressed emotions. Characteristics of high expressed emotions include: hostility, criticism and over concern. Patients' recall maybe affected by their schizophrenia. Other studies are less supportive. Hall and Levin ('80) analysed data various previous studies no difference families with
There are four types of schizophrenia; disorganized type, catatonic type, paranoid type, and undifferentiated type. What are the causes of Schizophrenia? What are the treatments? When discussing schizophrenia
Schizophrenia Introduction It is necessary to take a closer look at schizophrenia because of its importance with the effects it takes with individuals, families, and even society. Each year it is estimated that 2.2 million Americans are infected with the brain disease Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a brutal brain disease that causes delusions, hallucinations, and paranoia. There are four types of schizophrenia; disorganized type, catatonic type, paranoid type, and undifferentiated type. What are the causes of Schizophrenia? What are the treatments? When discussing schizophrenia it is important to consider the different types of schizophrenia, the causes, and different treatments to prove that there are successful ways of managing severe symptoms of schizophrenia. Symptoms There are two groups of symptoms - positive and negative. Symptoms are divided in this way according to their impact on treatment and diagnosis (Turner, 1999). Positive symptoms are caused by normal functions superfluity or distortion. They are: Delusions. It is fallacious inflexible beliefs that appear as a result of exaggerations or distortions of reasoning and false interpretation of things taking place. For example, one can think that some book was written especially for him/her. Hallucinations. It is exaggerations or distortions of senses. The most widely distributed are auditory
Is Schizophrenia inherited?
Portfolio Presentation Student No : 01156365 Unit: PSYC3028 Psychological Disorders Is Schizophrenia inherited? For this portfolio presentation I have chosen to look at the mental illness 'Schizophrenia'. My presentation in particular will concentrate on the nature/nurture debate. Whether Schizophrenia is caused by hereditary causes, or by environmental causes. Schizophrenia still remains a partically comprehended illness, with no one single cause (Website 1). I have read a great deal of literature from academics which will be discussed later, but I wanted to do my own field research, and discover first hand what the public thought of schizophrenia, whether they thought it was hereditary or environmentally caused. So I completed a questionnaire, I was able to gain 38 respondents to the questionnaire, of the public's awareness and thoughts of Schizophrenia. I felt this would help me to actually see what the public thoughts and ideas were, other than the academics ideas. I actually got a sense of what people that live day to day life have experienced when it comes to Schizophrenia, and actually how much they know about the illness. Details obtained from this questionnaire will be discussed later on. Schizophrenia is a common psychotic disorder. It is truly puzzling. At times, people with Schizophrenia communicate clearly, have accurate views of reality, and
Describe two research studies into the causes of schizophrenia. Evaluate them in terms of whether schizophrenia is a genetic or social illness.
Chyrise cox 6/03/2009 Psychology of Individual Differences: Assignment Three Describe two research studies into the causes of schizophrenia. Evaluate them in terms of whether schizophrenia is a genetic or social illness. Schizophrenia is a psychological illness that has been intensely researched for a number a years. There have been many theories that all claim to have found the cause and reasons why schizophrenia occurs. Genetic or social influences are the two main argued points in this psychological debate. In this assignment I will look at the two main theories which provide some substantial evidence for each explanation. Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disorder that has been recognized throughout recorded history. People with schizophrenia may hear voices other people don't hear or they may believe that others are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts, or plotting to harm them. These experiences are terrifying and can cause fearfulness, withdrawal, or extreme agitation. People with schizophrenia may not make sense when they talk, may sit for hours without moving or talking much, or may seem perfectly fine until they talk about what they are really thinking. Because many people with schizophrenia have difficulty holding a job or caring for themselves, the burden on their families and society is significant as well. Available
Critically evaluate the diagnostic model of mental health, with specific reference to the concept of schizophrenia
Critically evaluate the diagnostic model of mental health, with specific reference to the concept of schizophrenia. Fundamental to critically evaluating the diagnostic model of mental health, with specific reference to the concept of schizophrenia is the importance one must first place on its provenance. This is central to any diagnostic model evaluation for inferring schizophrenia because the earlier structural approaches continue to corporate the basis for describing and diagnosing the disorder of today. This essay will therefore firstly begin by briefly discussing Kraepelin, Bleuler, and Schneider's work to the concept of schizophrenia then secondly argue how the implications of Kraepelin's idea of 'psychiatric classification' has resulted in much controversy surrounding issues of diagnostic reliability and validity. Emil Kraepelin (1856-1926) assumed that there was a discrete and discoverable number of psychiatric disorders. His idea's of 'psychiatric classification' was published in a series of texts between 1896 and 1913 where assumed that mental illnesses fell into a small number of discoverable types which could be readily identified by studying symptoms on direct observation (Bentall, 2003). Upon recognising that some symptoms could occur in more than one disorder, Kraepelin began establishing exactly how many different types there were. Working with a large
Category - Simple Schizophrenia - appears during late adolescence.
Psychology Assignment ) Mental Illness - SCHIZOPHRENIA Category - Simple Schizophrenia - appears during late adolescence. Symptoms include increasing apathy, decline in academic or work performance and gradual social withdrawal. The sufferer may be regarded by others as idle, or a drifter. Diagnosis depends on establishing the gradual progression and worsening of these symptoms. Hallucinations and delusions are not usually manifest. I choose this mental illness because I want to become a children's nurse and I thought it would be a good idea to know about the mental aspect of children's illness. 2) Schizophrenia itself comes under DSM-IV but the sub-category simple schizophrenia comes under ICD-10; because it does not prescribe what exactly should be in the diagnosis; people with simple schizophrenia may manifest a variety of symptoms. These may vary from one individual to another. (There are no set symptoms for diagnosis). 3) Cognitive Theory - is about how we perceive and process information and how it affects our behavior. People with Simple Schizophrenia will have negative thoughts patterns, which will affect their behavior. They may probably have "set rules" for living which they have developed while growing up. These are based on what we learn from other people and our own experiences. They may be realistic or unrealistic, helpful or unhelpful. For example
