Schizophrenic Disorders
...s, the evidence indicates more and more strongly that schizophrenia is a severe disturbance of the brain's functioning. Dr. Nancy Andreasen states “The current evidence concerning the causes of schizophrenia is a mosaic. It is quite clear that multiple factors are involved. These include changes in the chemistry of the brain, changes in the structure of the brain, and Schizophrenic Disorders 4 genetic factors. Viral infections and head injuries may also play a role. There are billions of nerve cells in the brain. Each nerve cell has branches that transmit and receive messages from other nerve cells. The branches release chemicals, called neurotransmitters, which carry the messages from the end of one nerve branch to the cell body of another. In the brain afflicted with schizophrenia, something goes wrong in this communication system.” Many families of people with schizophrenia have found comparing the brain to a telephone switchboard very helpful in understanding the disease. Maryellen Walsh states “In most people the brain's switching system works well. Incoming perceptions are sent along appropriate signal paths, the switching process goes off without a hitch, and appropriate feelings, thoughts, and actions go back out again to the world....in the brain afflicted with schizophrenia...perceptions come in but get routed along the wrong path or get jammed or end up at the wrong destination.” Approximately 1 percent of the population develops schizophrenia during their lifetime , more than 2 million Americans suffer from the illness in a given year. Although schizophrenia affects men and women with equal frequency, the disorder often appears earlier in men, usually in the late teens or early twenties, than in women, who are generally affected in the twenties to early thirties. People with schizophrenia often suffer terrifying symptoms such as hearing internal voices not heard by others, or believing that other people are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts, or plotting to harm Schizophrenic Disorders 5 them. These symptoms may leave them fearful and withdrawn (NIH 1999). There are five recognized types of schizophrenia: catatonic, paranoid, disorganized, undifferentiated, and residual. Features of schizophrenia include its typical onset before the age of 45, continuous presence of symptoms for six months or more, and deterioration from a prior level of social and occupational functioning. People with schizophrenia can have a variety of symptoms. Usually the illness develops slowly over months or even years. At first, the symptoms may not be noticed. They become isolated and withdrawn, and they do not make or keep friends (A.D.A.M 2002). The catatonic type include motor disturbances, negativism, and rigidness. Paranoid type include anxiety ,anger ,and violent behavior. Disorganized type include hallucinations, mannerisms, and regressive behavior. Undifferentiated type don’t include specific actions, but may have symptoms of more than one subtype of schizophrenia. With residual the prominent symptoms of the illness have abated but some features, such as hallucinations and flat affect, may remain. (A.D.A.M2002) Five major symptoms are found in schizophrenic disorder. First, is incoherent thinking. The person may be mentally disorganized and confused, there on a different wave length than normal people. A second symptom is the presence of delusions, delusions are false beliefs that often accompany schizophrenia and other psychotic episodes (Kassin p.538). The third symptom is the presence of hallucinations, which are sensory experiences that occur in the absence of actual stimulation. The fourth symptom is a disturbance of affect, which is emotional experience. The last and final symptom is bizarre behavior. Positive Symptoms Percentage Delusions Hallucinations Thought Disorders Bizarre Behavior Negative Symptoms 84 69 43 26 Percentage Apathy Flattened Affect Social Withdrawal Inattention Slowed or No Speech 90 88 88 66 53 Schizophrenic Disorders 6 People who have schizophrenia, unfortunately can not be cured. Though schizophrenia is not curable it is a highly treatable and manageable illness. However, people may stop treatment because of medication side effects, disorganized thinking, or because they feel the medication is no longer working. People with schizophrenia who stop taking prescribed medication are at a high risk of relapse into an acute psychotic episode (NAMI2004).Acute and transient psychotic disorders are similar in appearance to acute episodes of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is treated with Antipsychotic medications have been available since the mid-1950s. They have greatly improved the outlook for individual patients. These medications reduce the psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia and usually allow the patient to function more effectively and appropriately. Antipsychotic drugs are the best treatment now available, but they do not “cure” schizophrenia or ensure that there will be no further psychotic episodes. The choice and dosage of medication can be made only by a qualified physician who is well trained in the medical treatment of mental disorders. The dosage of medication is individualized for each patient, since people may vary a great deal in t...