Transcript Paranoid Schizophrenia

SCHIZOPHRENIA
Literally means “Split or Broken Mind”
 The split is from Reality
 It is a severe form of psychopathology in
which the person seems to disintegrate from
reality
 The person’s develops a distorted view of
the world around them.
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Schizophrenia
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This is the disorder people most commonly
associate with behavior disorders
 People usually have this disorder in mind
when they think in the terms of
– “madness’
– “psychotic”
– “insanity”
Possible Causes of
Schizophrenia
– Nature
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Dopamine
– Interference with Receptors can reduce symptoms
– Stimulation of production can cause symptoms
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Deficiencies in the neurotransmitter glutamate can lead to
symptoms
– Nurture
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Closer the relationship with some one who has schizophrenia
the more likely the chances of developing schizophrenia
One study found that a healthy family environment can reduce
the risk of schizophrenia in adopted children of parents who
had schizophrenia (1987)
Causes of Schizophrenia
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Schizophrenia requires biological predisposition
plus some unknown environmental agent to “turn
on” the disease.
– This agent could be
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Drugs
Stress
Remember it is usually an interaction of
biological, cognitive & environmental elements
that would cause schizophrenia to develop in a
person.
Victims of Schizophrenia
The mind can be be “twisted” in terrible ways
 The world may become
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– Bleak
– Devoid of meaning
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Or the world could become
– Filled with sensations that it overwhelms the brain
– Confusing to the person as multiple layers of reality
become stacked on top of each other
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Leads to hallucinations or delusions
Statistics of Schizophrenia
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In a lifetime 1 out of every 100 Americans
will be afflicted with some form of
schizophrenia (over 2 million)
 Usually appears in men before they are 25
 In women between 25 and 45
Caring for Schizophrenia
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For years schizophrenia was the primary diagnosis
for patients admitted to mental care facilities
– 40% of all casess
– Schizophrenic patients occupy almost half of the
population in mental care facilities
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Require prolong & recurrent care
1/3 of all schizophrenic patients will never fully
recover (no matter how good the care & treatment)
Schizophrenia
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Sufferers will often have
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Emotions become blunted
Bizarre thoughts
Strange language or communication patterns known
as ‘Word Salad”
Memory becomes fragmented
Schizophrenia breaks the unity of the mind
– Leads to mental “detours”
Disorganized Schizophrenia
Represents everyone’s image of mental
illness
 Disorganized Speech – (Word Salad)
 Disorganized Behavior
 Talks to imaginary people
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Paranoid Schizophrenia
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Hallucinations
– False sensory experiences
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Hearing voices
Seeing things that are not there
Delusions
– Extreme disorders of thinking
– Persistent false beliefs
– Usually delusions are of
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Persecution – Some one is out to get them
Grandiosity – Highly exaggerated self importance
Thoughts are illogical and not organized
Catatonic Schizophrenia
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Involves a spectrum of motor dysfunctions
 Appears in two forms mostly
– Most commonly are those who seem to be in a “Stupor” and
will remain motionless for hours or in some cases days.
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Appear to be statues
Mute / Will not talk
Resistance to be moved
– The second form is called Catatonic Excitement
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Excessive Motor Activity
Hyperactivity
Easily agitated
Undifferentiated
Schizophrenia
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This serves as a catchall category for
schizophrenia when symptoms do not
clearly meet the requirements for any other
category.
Residual Schizophrenia
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This is the diagnosis for individuals who have
suffered from a schizophrenic episode in the past
but currently have no major symptoms
 Thinking is only mildly disturbed
 Emotional lives are impoverished
 This diagnosis could mean that the schizophrenia
is in remission or becoming dormant
– Remember the doctors who had entered themselves into
a care facility – this is what they were diagnosed with
when they left
Schizophrenia Today
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Because of the hodgepodge of symptoms
displayed by those with schizophrenia most
clinicians simply identify symptoms into
positive or negative categories
– Positive
 Active processes
– Delusions
– Hallucinations
– Negative
 Passive processes & deficiencies
– Social withdrawl
– No emotional responses