...When most people think about the psychological disorder known as chizophrenia, many believe that this defines a person who portrays multiple personalities. However, this is not what schizophrenia is. Schizophrenia is a complex type of dementia, which means that people perceive voices and behaviors that do not necessarily exist. This research paper on schizophrenia will observe the disorder’s: symptoms, prevalence, causes and treatments. When observing a specific mental illness, the first step is to always investigate its symptoms. The symptoms of a mental illness are basic signs that a person with the disorder portrays. In schizophrenia, there are two main types of symptoms (and each of these types has a sub-type). The first are positive symptoms, in which a person is not aware of reality. These symptoms are easily distinguishable. The second are negative symptoms. Unlike positive symptoms, negative symptoms are harder to recognize for other people. These symptoms are simply emotions and behaviors that are absent in schizophrenic individuals, that are common in other people. The first sub-type of positive symptoms are hallucinations. This positive symptom characterizes an individual who hears, smells or feels something that is not actually there. The most common type of hallucination that people with schizophrenia experience is “voices”. These voices are heard in schizophrenic people’s imagination and are different from the internal voice that most people perceive. Unlike...
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...genetics has a strong link to the cause ADHD as well as the psychotropics being prescribed by Mental Health Professionals to assist in the management of ADHD. However, data supports in the past decade there has been an explosion with ADHD individuals, specifically children being treated by the pharmacological modality rather than the behavioral modification or family psychotherapy. The old analogy of take two pills and call your doctor in the morning is becoming the norm in today’s society. This Reflective Paper will provide a multi-systemic approach which addresses the following topics: (1) the genetic link to ADHD, (2) population trends of psychotropic use, (3) concerns for the safety and efficacy of children have risen due to the lack of studies. The Genetic Link to ADHD Several decades of study has shown Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) to be a neurobiological disorder. Research has shown other contributing causes of ADHD can be caused by environmental (home, school etc.), brain dysfunction and toxins found in food additives, yet strong supporting data can be found in genetic studies too. Researchers have concluded the phenotypic display of ADHD is attributed by the abnormal amounts of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) and dopamine which controls, sleep, learning, mood and attention (Faraone, & Asherson, P, 2005). Link between ADHD ...
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...There are two types of antipsychotics, the first being typical antipsychotics and the second being atypical antipsychotics. The drug Haloperidol, a typical antipsychotic, has been studied relatively considerably and it has proven to be beneficial in decreasing maladaptive behaviors such as temper tantrums and hyperactivity that are associated with autistic disorder. Although it has shown these beneficial behaviors, it has also been noted that 1/3 of patients in this study testing Haloperidol developed dyskinesias (impaired voluntary movement). Atypical antipsychotics have also been tested as a treatment of autism. A case study was performed using three individuals with autistic disorder where a 200 mg/day dose of the atypical antipsychotic, Clozapine was administered. Clozapine revealed improvements in hyperactivity, aggression, and socialbility among children with autism. The side effects of this drug were sedation and enuresis (involuntary urinating). Another form of an atypical antipsychotic is Risperidone, which has been researched extensively for a treatment of autism. This medication treats the aggressive behaviors and irritability in autism, and it is also the only drug to have been approved by the FDA for autism. A study was done concerning...
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...Olanzapine is an efficacious and well-tolerated atypical antipsychotic indicated for the symptomatic treatment and management of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a chronic, often debilitating and relapsing mental illness that impairs the functioning of a person’s mental and social ability (Gupta & Kulhara, 2010, p. 21). Schizophrenia remains one of the most abtruse and costliest mental disorders, affecting around 1% of the general population and is equally common in men and women (Van Os & Kapur, 2009, p. 635). This chronic psychosis disrupts the person’s life as well as the lives of their family and friends often making it difficult to cope (Van Os & Kapur, 2009, p. 635). Currently, there is no cure for schizophrenia, but the illness can be successfully treated and managed. Antipsychotic drugs remain the pharmacological choice in treating the symptoms of schizophrenia, in particular the atypical antipsychotic olanzapine (Neal, 2009, p. 141). Reports suggest that a chemical transmitter imbalance could explain the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. This imbalance involves anomalies within the synaptic dopamine neurotransmission (Neal, 2009, p. 142). The mesocorticolimbic pathway which has an association with the control of behaviour and emotions reveals elevated dopaminergic activity (Bullock & Hales, 2013, p. 321). This particular pathway starts in the midbrain and connects to different areas of the limbic system and cerebral cortex. It also involves the parahippocampal...
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...Schizophrenia * * * Introduction In the following paper I go in depth explaining what schizophrenia is. I discuss how you can live with schizophrenia and its challenges. There are three different types of treatments that is discussed in the reading such as hospitalizations, medications and psychotherapy treatment. Thesis Statement Due to society individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia often are told they are not able to neither live independently nor take care of themselves. What is schizophrenia? Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disorder that has affected people throughout history. Individuals that are diagnosed with schizophrenia have mental disorders that have in common such symptoms as hallucinations, delusions, blunted emotions, disordered thinking, and a withdrawal from reality. ("Schizophrenia (psychology) | Encyclopedia Britannica," 2014) Individuals with schizophrenia may not make any sense when they talk. They may sit for a considerable length of time without moving or talking. At times individuals with schizophrenia appear to be flawlessly fine until they discuss what they are truly thinking. Schizophrenia is the single largest cause of admissions to mental hospitals and accounts for an even larger proportion of the permanent populations of such institutions. Causes No single reason for schizophrenia has been secured or even recognized; be that as it may, there is solid proof that a blend of hereditary and natural components...
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...Research Paper Psychological disorders have always grabbed my interest because when I was younger seeing how narrowly exaggerated shows and movies portrayed the mentally ill made me wonder ‘wow are they really like that?’ and then seeing how some of their cases are uniquely different in person made me wonder how come? So the psychological disorder I chose to write about is schizophrenia because I admire how the human mind works. There are many different opinions on what schizophrenia is or might be for example, a science fiction author named Philip K. Dick believes the disorder is ‘‘not being able to fully comprehend a person’s universe…’’ while that might be true to some, the popular and less abstract belief, is that schizophrenia is a psychological...
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...combination therapy concluded an antipsychotic plus lithium is superior to lithium monotherapy for acute mania.34 Olanzapine plus fluoxetine is approved for BPD.38 The APA has recommended combination therapy for severe acute mania since 2002.39 For relapse prevention, lithium plus valproate has also been shown to be superior to valproate monotherapy.36 When monotherapy is partially effective or non-effective, combination therapy may have a theoretical advantage in efficacy where complementary mechanisms of action might have a synergistic, potentiating therapeutic effect, imparting some ability to treat a greater spectrum of symptoms.31,34 A potential safety advantage may be gained by allowing lower dosages that may be better-tolerated, though the introduction of multiple drugs generally increases risk of safety...
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... PSY 326 Research Methods Instructor: Keisha Keith 11/23/2015 Schizophrenia Introduction Schizophrenia is a serious brain disorder that gives a misleading or false account of the way a person thinks, behave, communicate their feelings, realize or understand, and relates to others. Schizophrenia has been considered as one of many chronic and disabling conditions for people that suffers with a major mental illness. People with schizophrenia often have problems fulfilling a task in the general population, at work, at school, and in relationships leaving an individual not wanting to communicate with other people and frightened. Schizophrenia suffers will live with it the rest of their life, it cannot be cured but treatments are available and controllable with proper and advance treatments. Contrary to popular belief, schizophrenia is not a split or multiple personality. Schizophrenia is a psychosis, a type of mental illness in which a person cannot tell what is real from what is imagined. In writing this paper on Schizophrenia I will show how popular belief, has an antithesis of what is really Schizophrenia? Is it really a split or multiple personality or a psychosis considered by popular belief? I will introduce why Schizophrenia was chosen as my research topic, and the field...
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...Schizophrenia Disrupts Brain Development Monica Jones Behavioral Science and Research Method Southern University and A&M College Lionel Jolla, MSW, LMSW – Professor November 18, 2015 Abstract I embarked on this project because I am interested in how schizophrenia affects the brain and what researchers have discovered as far as medicine for this condition. I am looking for a phenomenon that explains why this disorder is destroying brain volume and how this process can be stopped. Schizophrenia is a baffling disorder that reduces brain volume. When and how does schizophrenia begin is one of my concerns. It is hard to figure out when, why and how schizophrenia begins because it can occur as early as the neonate stage of life and as late as the geriatric stage in life. When schizophrenia starts to decrease brain volume, is the brain fully developed is another one of my concerns. Brain volume decreases in schizophrenia patients naturally, but the antipsychotic medication is a contributing factor also. The antipsychotic medication has been known to have adverse side effects on the brain volume. Have researchers found a medication that has a less severe effect on schizophrenia patient’s brain volume, is another question I am interested in finding the answer too. Schizophrenia is an unexplainable disorder that offers no specific answer to how it occurs. In this study I am hoping to find that specific answer to this brain crippling disorder. MRI scans have been the...
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...patient, but the patients loved ones as well. Having to watch the patient go through a life which isn’t real can be hard to go through. In this paper I will be talking about the process of gaining schizophrenia, the symptoms, treatments, and the life of a schizophrenic. Process of Gaining Schizophrenia There are several factors that contribute to the risk of developing schizophrenia....
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...schizophrenia are very serious and dangerous. Some not as obvious as others, but equally as harmful. Finally, there are not very many treatment options for people with schizophrenia. They can take medications and also receive psychosocial treatments. Since there is no discovered cure, most schizophrenics are prescribed a considerably large amount of medications. Most of these medications will be antipsychotics. Antipsychotic medications have been around since the mid-1950’s. The older types are called "typical" antipsychotics. In the 1990's, new antipsychotic medications were made. These new medications are called "atypical" antipsychotics. Some of these antipsychotics may include Chlorpromazine (Thorazine), Haloperidol (Haldol), Perphenazine (Etrafon, Trilafon), Fluphenazine (Prolixin), Risperidone (Risperdal), Olanzapine (Zyprexa), Quetiapine (Seroquel), Ziprasidone (Geodon), Aripiprazole (Abilify), and Paliperidone (Invega) (Insel). Psychosocial treatments are also available for schizophrenics. These treatments help people with schizophrenia who are already stabilized on some sort of antipsychotic medication. Psychosocial treatments help these patients deal with and focus on everyday challenges of the illness, such as self-care, work, communication, and making and keeping relationships. Learning and using coping mechanisms to address these problems allows schizophrenics to have a social life as well as attend school and work normally. People with schizophrenia who have regular psychosocial...
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...Bipolar Disorder Research Paper Jazz Bipolar disorder, formally known as manic-depressive illness, is a mental illness which is primarily characterized by extreme shifts in mood, energy level, judgement, concentration, and sleep patterns. According to a study conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health (2005), “as many as 5.7 million Americans will be diagnosed with a form of bipolar disorder per year,” debunking the popular myth that bipolar disorder is a rare illness only affecting few. Typically, someone affected by this disorder would experience periodic shifts between intense emotional states, referred as “mood episodes.” In these episodes, one may experience a manic episode, a hypomanic episode, a depressive episode,...
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...further to identify the developmental periods as childhood and adolescence, early childhood, middle adulthood, and late adulthood. At this point in time, it is formal to simplify various terminologies that relation to human development. This is because they will feature constantly in the preceding sections. First and foremost is development. This is simply a change characterized by movement from one state to another. Usually, development leads to transitions. Development, as will be used in this paper, will refer to growth, and progression through certain stages, commonly termed as “maturity.” Another term of significance is stage. This refers to sections that differentiate the various phases of growth. The phases involve changes which are either physical or intellectual and their subsequent impact on life events and experiences. This paper examines the wider field of lifespan development. It begins by exploring the stages of human development. As regards, the stages, the paper focuses on seven main stages i.e. the infancy stage, early childhood, middle childhood, Adolescence, early adulthood, middle...
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...Disorders: Causes, Effects and Treatments In today’s society, people seem to have a lot of problems that are classified as mental disorders. These disorders include: depression, schizophrenia, bipolar, and even seasonal affective disorder (SAD). The immediate stigma that is placed on most if not all mood disorders is that they are sicknesses. In the case of depression, this is not to confuse depression, a normal emotion with biological depression, an illness. Further along this line of irrational thought is the belief that they are not treatable and the person affected is in some way, shape or form disconnected from civilization as we know it. In this research paper, we will attempt to destroy these unfair stereotypes on this subject, attempt to rationalize the behaviors, and shed light on treatments for the various disorders. The research gathered will attempt to understand and answer these questions: 1. What are mood disorders and their symptoms? 2. What are the causes? 3. How can the stigma of mood disorders be removed? 4. What forms of treatment are the most successful? What Are Mood Disorders And Their Symptoms? In order to get a good idea of what causes mood disorders, we first must attempt to categorize what various classes of disorders there are. Our text, Psychology: A Journey (2008 p. 500), defined mood disorders as major disturbances in mood or emotion, such as depression...
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...Thomas Wallace Dementia Praecox Mental Deterioration at an Early Age Introduction to Psychology Laura McCormick, Professor February 15, 2014 Thomas Wallace Dementia Praecox Mental Deterioration at an Early Age Introduction to Psychology Laura McCormick, Professor February 15, 2014 Abstract Schizophrenia, a classification of psychological disorders considered to be one of the most extreme in terms of psychological dysfunction and breakdown (Carson and Butcher, 1992). This disorder can result in a complete breakdown or alteration of reality. Schizophrenia is often termed psychotic in order to separate it from other disorders that are much milder in nature, such as Mood and Anxiety disorders. It is the goal of this paper to provide an overview of some of the issues and debates regarding this difficult and oft misunderstood disorder. What is Schizophrenia? Dementia Praecox, otherwise known as Schizophrenia, has been regarded as a uniquely distinct disease for well over a 100 years. This disease affects those areas that control how a person functions. It manipulates the individual’s thoughts, distorts their perceptions and causes hallucinations, particularly auditory. The person becomes delusional believing others can read their mind and thoughts of others are being placed in their head. According to the criteria for Schizophrenia described by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013)...
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