Analyzing Psychological Disorders
Introduction
Many people do not realize how biology can play a role in psychological activities and disorders. Biology is a key aspect of psychology. Understanding the role of biology in behavior and cognitive abilities will create a better understanding of the disorder a person may have.
Part A: Schizophrenia
“Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disorder that has affected people throughout history. About one percent of Americans have this illness” (National Institute of Mental Health, 2009). This illness affects a large portion of the brain and is known to be associated with wide spread brain damage. The first studies of the brains affected by schizophrenia reported a reduced brain size. Other studies have shown widespread neuron loss and abnormalities of neuron structure and circuitry in several parts of the brain (Pinel, 2011). Schizophrenic is such a complex disorder and it has many different symptoms. Symptoms related to this disorder include hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thoughts and incoherent speech, and odd behavior; these symptoms are known as positive symptoms. Negative symptoms of this disorder include a reduction or lack of emotional expression, lack of speech, lack of motivation, and the inability to experience pleasure (Pinel, 2011). Because this illness has so many symptoms that are also associated with other disorders, it has been difficult to accurately define the illness and identify the exact source of the illness. As schizophrenia has been deeply researched several causal factors have come to light. For example, with only one percent of the American population has developed this illness, it has been found that the chance of schizophrenia occurring in a close biological relative of someone who suffers from this disorder is only about ten percent. This shows that although genetics are a factor in the disorder, they are not the primary cause of it. It has also been discovered that the concordance rates for schizophrenia are higher in identical twins than in fraternal twins, because of these numbers it is assumed that experience, or nurture, has a significant effect in the development of schizophrenia. The cause of schizophrenia is viewed to be the combination of both genetics and experience. Although someone may be born with the genetic factors of schizophrenia, the experiences the individual goes through is what would trigger the illness. This disorder can be treated with antipsychotic medications such as Thorazine, Haldol, Etrafon, Prolixin, Risperdal, Zyprexa, Abilify, and Invega. The medications will help alleviate the symptoms of schizophrenia and provide the opportunity for the patient to lead a fairly normal life.
Part B: Drug Abuse
Ron suffers from an alcohol addiction. There could be many causes of his addiction. First there is a biological possibility that Ron may have inherited addiction from his family. Many people inherit this trait and find it difficult to resist drugs. Another possibility is the experiences Ron has gone through, and the people Ron spends time with. If Ron has experienced a difficult past and has witnessed alcoholism, then he may repeat the cycle to avoid his problems. Many people drink to escape the reality of life and to “let loose”, some people use alcohol as a permanent escape for their problems and cause more issues for themselves in the process. If Ron has inherited his addiction, it may be harder for him to overcome it, which would explain why he has relapsed many times. This could lead to the necessity of pharmaceutical intervention. If Ron has not inherited the addiction, then the problem could be from the people he spends time with. If he is not surrounded by supportive people, he could easily relapse into his old patterns; this would also lead to possible pharmaceutical intervention. Because Ron has already tried rehabilitation centers and has relapsed more than once, I would lean more towards the drug intervention, but would combine counseling with it. There are three drugs that are currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. First, there is Campral which is the most recent medication to be approved for the treatment of alcoholism. Next, there is Naltrexon which is an opioid receptor. This drug is primarily used for both alcohol and opioid addiction. Finally there is Antabuse which was the first medicine to be used to fight alcohol addiction (About.com). The medication will assist Ron in fighting the cravings for alcohol and ultimately help him overcome his addiction. The negative side effect that is associated with medications such as these is that the user may become violently ill if they were to consume alcohol while using the medication. This can help Ron, however, as he will no longer associate alcohol with anything positive and will be repulsed by it. With counseling Ron will be able to identify the underlying cause of his drinking, and we can create positive approaches to these issues. Ron can learn to face his obstacles in a healthy manner without alcohol to be used as a barrier from reality.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a common psychological reaction to stress. When anxiety persists for more and becomes so severe that it interrupts a person’s ability to function normally, it becomes a disorder. Tom appears to struggle with generalized anxiety disorder. He is happily married, has a great job, and has beautiful healthy children. There appears to be no significant trigger for him to feel anxiety. The first thing I would look at is Tom’s family’s medical history; if he has any close relatives that suffer from anxiety there is a chance his disorder is genetic. Tom has also begun to stress about his health, although his check-ups show no problems. This makes me question his upbringing. Did his family focus on the importance of good health? Were they strict in diet and activity? If Tom grew up in a home where health was a primary focus, if he has strayed from his childhood habits, it could be a source to his new obsession and worry in regards to his health. Another factor could be if there was a recent death in his family that was due to a medical reason. If so, he could be experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder which would explain his anxiety. With Tom just recently experiencing anxiety, I am leaning more towards his experiences being the cause of his anxiety. To help Tom treat his anxiety, I would first try counseling. This would give me the opportunity to see exactly what worries him, to find out more about his childhood, and to find out about any recent loss that could have affected his psychological well-being. This also gives Tom the opportunity to discuss what it is that is bothering him, and could help him possibly overcome his anxiety by working through his worries. If the anxiety persists after counseling I would then look at appropriate drugs that could help. Pharmaceutical options include three categories of drugs. First there is Benzodiazepines which include Valium and Librium. They are commonly used to treat anxiety as they induce sleep, act as an anti-convulsant, and are muscle relaxers. The negative side of this drug is that it is highly addictive (Pinel, 2011). Another appropriate option would be a serotonin agonist, which includes Buspirone. This is also commonly used in anxiety as it creates an anti-anxiety effect and does so without the side effects of Benzodiazepines. The final option would be anti-depressants. Anti-depressants could help Tom respond to stress more appropriately which would help take away his symptoms of muscle tension, headaches, hot flashes, and nausea. My preference would be to place Tom on the Buspirone as it provides anti-anxiety effects without the negative side effects.
Conclusion
Everyone has challenges in life, some are overwhelmed by those challenges and some take them with a grain of salt. Those who are easily overwhelmed are likely fighting an internal battle of a mood disorder or psychological illness. As a psychologist it is important to understand the biology of the issues so that one could take appropriate action. Very few understand the reasons behind disorders, but through this course I have learned the many different factors that affect the way a person behaves. I have learned that biology does play a large role in many cases, but it is not always the primary factor as it is also accompanied by the experiences and individual faces.

References
About.com. Medical Treatments for Alcoholism. Retrieved from http://alcoholism.about.com/od/meds/
National Institute of Mental Health. (2009). Schizophrenia. Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/schizophrenia/index.shtml#pub7
Pinel, J. (2011). Biopsychology (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Allyn & Bacon.