ASSIGNMENT 3

ED208

STUDY OF EXCEPTIONAL INDIVIDUALS

 Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a serious brain disorder. It is a disease that makes it difficult for a person to tell the difference
between real and unreal experiences, to think logically, to have normal emotional responses to other, and to
behave normally in social situations. People with schizophrenia may also have difficulty in remembering, talking,
and behaving appropriately. Schizophrenia is the cause of more hospitalizations than almost any other illness.
Schizophrenia most commonly begins between the ages of 15 and 25. Although it strikes men and women
equally, the symptoms may appear later in women than in men. Very rarely, the symptoms of schizophrenia can
appear before the age of 12. Childhood schizophrenia has a more chronic disease course and involves poor
early language development. People with schizophrenia can have a variety of symptoms. Sometimes, these
symptoms come on suddenly. Usually, though, the illness develops slowly over months or even years. At first,
the symptoms may not be noticed or may be confused with those of other conditions. For example, people with
schizophrenia may feel tense, be unable to concentrate, or have trouble sleeping. They often become
increasingly isolated and withdrawn as their grip on reality loosens. They do not make or keep friends. They may
stop caring about the way they look. Dropping out of school or doing badly at work are other early signs of
schizophrenia. As the illness progresses, symptoms of psychosis develop. The person starts to act
strangely and talk nonsensically. People with schizophrenia may develop paranoid delusions. Examples of this
would be that they might see, feel, smell or hear things that are not really there. They may have physical
symptoms, like frowning or unusual movements, and may stand or sit in strange positions. Some people become
almost motionless. Others move around constantly.The severity of symptoms will vary from one person to
another. The symptoms also tend to worsen and improve. When the symptoms are improved, the person may
appear to behave relatively normally, but usually there will be repeated episodes of the illness that will cause
symptoms to reappear. Schizophrenia is a complex and puzzling illness. Even the experts are not sure exactly
what causes it. Some doctors think that the brain may not be able to process information correctly. People
without schizophrenia usually can filter out unneeded information: for example, the sound of a train whistle in the
background or a dog barking next door. People with schizophrenia, however, cannot always filter out this extra
information. One possible cause of schizophrenia may be heredity, or genetics. Experts think that some people
inherit a tendency to schizophrenia. In fact, the disordertends to "run" in families, but only among blood relatives.
People who have family members with schizophrenia may be more likely to get the disease -+themselves. If both
biologic parents have schizophrenia, there is nearly a 40%
chance that their child will get it, too. This happens even if the child is
adopted and raised by mentally healthy adults. In people who have an
identical twin with schizophrenia, the chance of schizophrenia developing is
almost 50%. In contrast, children whose biological parents are mentally
healthy – even if their adoptive parents have schizophrenia – have about a
1% chance of getting the disease. That is about the same risk as for the
general population of the United States. Some researchers believe that events
in a person"s environment trigger schizophrenia. Some studies have shown
that influenza infection or improper nutrition during pregnancy and
complications during birth may increase the risk that the baby will develop
schizophrenia later in life. Many believe that schizophrenia is likely caused by
a complex combination of genetic and environmental factors. Certain people
are born with a tendency to develop the disease. But the disease only
appears if these people are exposed to unusual stresses or traumas.
Schizophrenia is usually treated with antipsychotic medication. Some people
with schizophrenia also benefit from counseling and rehabilitation. They may
need to go to the hospital during an acute attack. The goal of treatment is to
reduce symptoms during acute attacks and to help prevent relapses. At this
time, there is no cure for schizophrenia. Antipsychotic medications are very
effective in controlling the symptoms of schizophrenia. These medications first
became available in the mid-1950"s. They have greatly improved the lives of
thousands of people. Before that time, people with schizophrenia spent most
of their lives in crowded hospitals. With antipsychotic medication, however,
many people with schizophrenia are able to live in the outside world. Because
each person with schizophrenia has a unique mix of symptoms, no single
medication works best for all people. The ideal medication for one person
may not be the best choice for another. Although antipsychotic medications
do not cure the disease, they can reduce hallucinations and delusions and help
people with schizophrenia regain their grip on reality. Medication also
reduces the risk of they symptoms returning. If the person does have a
relapse of symptoms, medications may make the symptoms less severe.
People with schizophrenia can have a hard time communicating with other
people and carrying out ordinary tasks. Counseling and rehabilitation can help
people with schizophrenia build the skills they need to function outside the
sheltered setting of a hospital. However, these treatments are not very helpful
during acute attacks. Rehabilitation programs may help people with
schizophrenia develop skills such as money management, cooking, and
personal grooming, for example, needed for ordinary life. They may also
prepare the person to go or return to work. Individual psychotherapy may
help person with schizophrenia learn to sort out the real from the unreal.
Group therapy may help them learn to get along with others. Self-help groups
may help persons with schizophrenia feel that others share their problems.
The best way to prevent relapses is to continue to take the prescribed
medication. People with schizophrenia may stop taking their medications for
several reasons. Side effects are one of the most important reasons that
people with schizophrenia stop taking their medication. It is hard for people
to put up with unpleasant side effects for months or years. It is especially hard
when the person feels well. It is very important to find the medication that
controls symptoms without causing side effects. Convenience is also
important. Some medications need to be taken two, three, or even four times
a day. Others may be taken just once a day. People are more likely to
remember to take a medication once a day than several times a day. Some
people profer to get injections every month of long-lasting medication. Taking
medications regularly is the best way to prevent repeated illness and
hospitalization.

Schizophrenia is defined as: a group of psychoses characterized by confused and

disconnected thoughts, emotions, and perceptions. (Gromly,526) Schizophrenia is a brain
disorder, which is identified by specific concrete symptoms. Schizophrenia is not a split
personality, or multi-personality. It has been proven that schizophrenia is not caused by childhood
trauma, bad parenting, or poverty. Schizophrenia is not the result of any action or personal failure
by the individual afflicted with this terrible mental disorder. Schizophrenia is marked by extreme
thought disorder, and is usually treatable with medication. Given proper support, many people
with schizophrenia can learn how to deal with their symptoms, and lead reasonably comfortable
and productive lives. (Schizophrenia)
 Schizophrenia is a very common disorder, which affects 1 out of 100 people in the world.
(Schizophrenia) Schizophrenia can affect people of any age. Schizophrenia usually strikes young
people between the ages of 16 and 25. It can also appear later in adulthood however, onset is less
common after age 30, and rare after age 40. Although rare, there is a childhood form of the
illness, it can be found in children as young as the age of 5. Schizophrenia does not discriminate.
The disease affects men and women with equal frequency, the only difference is the common age
that the onslaught of schizophrenia begins. For men, the age of onset for schizophrenia is often
between the ages of 16 to 20 years of age. For women, the age of onset is usually later in life, on
average between the ages of 20 to 30 years of age. (Schizophrenia)

While researchers do not know what directly causes schizophrenia, many pieces of the
puzzle are becoming clearer. (Schizophrenia) People with schizophrenia appear to have a
neurochemical imbalance. Researchers study neurotransmitters, the substances that allow
communication between nerve cells. Modern antipsychotic medications, now target three different
neurotransmitter systems (dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine.).

With modern brain imaging techniques (PET scans), researchers can identify areas that are
activated when the brain is engaged in processing information. People with schizophrenia appear
to have difficulty coordinating activity between different areas of the brain. For example, when
thinking or speaking, most people show increased activity in their frontal lobes, and a lessening of
activity in the area of the brain used for listening. People with schizophrenia show the same
increase in frontal lobe activity, but there is no decrease of activity ("dampening" or "filtering") in
the other area. (Schizophrenia)

Genetic research continues, but has not identified a hereditary gene for schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia does appear more regularly in some families. If you have one grandparent with
schizophrenia, your risk of getting the illness increases to about 3%. If you have one parent with
schizophrenia, your risk is about 10%. When both parents have schizophrenia, the risk percentage
rises to approximately 40%. (Schizophrenia)

Just as other diseases have signs or symptoms, so does schizophrenia. Symptoms are not
identical for everyone. Some people may have only one episode of schizophrenia in their lifetime,
while others may have recurring episodes, but lead relatively normal lives in between. However
others may have severe symptoms for a lifetime. Schizophrenia always involves a change in ability
and personality. The person with schizophrenia will usually show a decline in work or academic
activities, relationships with others, personal care, and hygiene. To diagnose and treat
schizophrenia more effectively, psychiatrists try to classify it into different types. Classifications
are based on experience and on various symptoms described by patients and observed by family
members, nurses, and clinicians. Symptoms common to schizophrenia, can in fact, be caused by
other diseases or illnesses, so it is very important to seek medical attention early. There are at
least six types of schizophrenia:

Disorganized type (also referred to as "hebephrenic" type).

Early symptoms: poor concentration, moodiness, confusion, and strange ideas. Speech
frequently incoherent, difficult to understand, and rambling. Delusions or false beliefs. Lack of
emotion, or inappropriate emotion (i.e., silly giddy laughter for no reason).

Paranoid type
 Characterized by delusions and/or hallucinations about persecution, or an exaggerated
sense of self-importance, or both. Other features include anxiety for no apparent reason, anger,
argumentiveness, jealousy, and occasionally, violence.

Catatonic type:

Diagnostic criteria include: Catatonic stupor (marked decrease in reactions) or mutism (no
speech), motionless resistance to all instructions or attempts to be physically move. Maintenance
of a rigid or bizarre posture, and excited physical activity which seems purposeless, not influenced
by environment.

Undifferentiated type:

Sometimes major psychotic symptoms cannot be classified into any particular category, or
they may match criteria for more than one type of schizophrenia.

Residual type:

This term is used when there is at least one recognizable episode of schizophrenia but no
ongoing obvious psychotic symptoms. Less florid signs of the illness may continue -- social
withdrawal, eccentric behavior, inappropriate emotions, illogical thinking, etc. (Schizophrenics)

Schizophrenia is a very sad, and devastating disorder. With proper diagnosis, and
treatment, schizophrenics can, and do go on to live a normal and healthy life. Many do not go on
to live a normal life, they live in metal institutions. Hopefully through further research, a cure for
schizophrenia may be found. The cure will help millions of people to reclaim their lives wrongfully
taken from them by schizophrenia. I hope this paper has help to shed a little more light on
schizophrenia.

Gormly, Carter, and others. Understanding Psychology. New York, Glenco, 1992.

Schizophrenia. http://www.mentalhealth.com/book/p40-sc02.html#Head_3

Schizophrenics. http://www.it.rtc.edu/psy/schizophrenics