Premium Essay

Disorders, Disease, and Drugs

In:

Submitted By akluever
Words 1565
Pages 7
| Disorders, Diseases, & Drugs | | | Amber Kluever | 3/9/2014 |

In this paper you will learn about psychological disorders and diseases, the drugs used to treat those disorders and the negative side effects of those drugs being used for treatment. |

Schizophrenia is a disease most commonly associated with madness, also called “the splitting of psychic functions.” They called it that because they assumed that was the primary symptom of the disorder, meaning that the emotions, thoughts, and actions were being broke down. Schizophrenia attacks about 1 % of individuals of all races and culture groups. It usually starts when a person is an adolescence or early adulthood. The hardest part of treating schizophrenia is being able to define it and the symptoms. They symptoms overflow and are the same as some other disorders so you might think it is one disorder and find out that it is actually schizophrenia. Some positive symptoms, meaning there are symptoms that represent an excess or distortion of normal function include, delusions: delusions of being controlled, delusions of persecution, or delusions of grandeur. Hallucinations are imaginary voices telling them to do something. Failure to react with the appropriate emotion to positive or negative events is a sign of inappropriate affect. Odd behavior is when a person has a hard time performing daily tasks such as, personal hygiene, catatonia, and talking in rhymes. Some of the negative effects include, alogia, which is a reduction or absence of speech. Avolition is reduced or absence of motivation, and there is the inability to experience pleasure, referred to as anhedonia. One of the theories of schizophrenia is the dopamine theory. The theory believes that there is too much dopamine in the body. Once that theory was thought to be the reason for schizophrenia there were drugs prescribed to

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Psychiatric Disorders, Diseases, and Drugs

...Psychiatric Disorders, Diseases, and Drugs Susan Harvey Psy/240 June-8-2014 Autumn Harrell Psychiatric Disorders, Diseases, and Drugs Discuss any associated theories behind the disorders and diseases. * Schizophrenia * Depression * Mania * Anxiety Disorder * Tourette Syndrome The first disorder I am going to discuss is Schizophrenia, this is defined as “the splitting of psychic functions.” There are positive as well as negative symptoms to determining schizophrenia. Some of these symptoms include for the positive, delusions of being controlled, delusions of persecution or delusions of grandeur, hallucinations (voices), inappropriate affect “failure to react with the appropriate emotion to positive of negative events”, incoherent speech or thought, and odd behavior. The negative symptoms are, affective flattering, alogia “reduction or absence of emotional expression” avolition “lack of motivation” anhedonia “inability to experience pleasure.” The recurrence of any two of these symptoms “positive or negative” for one month is sufficient for diagnosis of schizophrenia. (Tamminga & Holcomb, 2005; Walker et al 2004) 1% of the population develops schizophrenia. If a family member has this disorder, then the parents, or siblings have a greater chance (10%) to develop the same disorder (Kendler & Gruenberg, 1984; Rosenthal et al 1980) Dopamine theory of schizophrenia is the theory that schizophrenia is caused by too much dopamine and conversely...

Words: 852 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Psychiatric Disorders, Diseases, and Drugs

...Psychiatric Disorders, Diseases, and Drugs By Stacy Davis Psych 240 Week 8 Stephanie Neuhring There are many psychological disorders and diseases that affect many people in this world and some of the people with these diseases are being treated with certain medications. Some of the disease most commonly treated is schizophrenia which means the splitting of psychic functions. Antipsychotic drugs are the cornerstone in the management of schizophrenia. Although, these medications don’t cure this disease they greatly reduce the symptoms and allow the patient to function better. The first antipsychotic drug was Thorazine, it was made by accident and was used to treat schizophrenia. The first antischizophrenic drug, chlorpromazine. Chlorpromazine was originally developed as an antihistamine. Soon after other medications such as; Haldol, Prolixin, Navanem Loxapine, Stelazine, Trilafon, and Mallaril were used also. These drugs are known as “neuroleptics” (meaning, “take the neuron”) because these treat positive symptoms they cause cognitive dulling and involuntary movements, among other side effects. The older drugs are not as effective against negative symptoms such as apathy, decreased motivation, and lack of emotional expressiveness. In 1989, new antopsychotics were developed, these were called atypical antipsycoltics, and these had fewer side effects which include, muscular rigidity, painful spasms, restlessness, and tremors. The first new drug, Clozaril is the only one shown...

Words: 792 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Psychiatric Disorders, Diseases, and Drugs

...Psychiatric Disorders, Diseases and Drugs PSY 240 Psychiatric Disorders, Diseases and Drugs There are a multitude of different psychiatric disorders and diseases that affect millions of people every year. These disorders and diseases interfere with the person sufferings everyday lives, emotions, productivity, physical well being and personal relationships. We will discuss theories associated with disorders and diseases such as schizophrenia, depression, anxiety disorder, mania, and tourettes syndrome. We will also discuss the drugs that can remedy these disorders and diseases or lessen the symptoms of them so people can live their daily lives as well as looking at the negative sides of these drugs. Schizophrenia is a very damaging mental disorder. Anyone that has this disorder can lose all sense of reality and can cause delusions, hallucinations and possible chances of extreme paranoia. The ages of those with the first signs of schizophrenia does range. According to (NIMH Schizophrenia, n.d.) males in their late teens, early twenties and women in their twenties to early thirties are the average age range of sufferers. A person suffering from schizophrenia normally makes some recovery, but will likely deal with some of the symptoms of this disorder for the rest of their lives. Many people with schizophrenia become quite suspicious of others and summon a story in their minds of paranoia, like others are out to get them. This type of behavior of paranoid schizophrenia can...

Words: 1236 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Psychiatric Disorders, Diseases, and Drugs

...Psychiatric Disorders, Diseases, and Drugs Psychiatric Disorders, Diseases, and Drugs Psychiatric disorders and diseases are those conditions defined by the presentation of abnormal behavior. Abnormal behavior is often defined by the mental health profession as behavior which is unusual or atypical. In addition, the individual suffering from a psychiatric disease or disorder may have difficulty with perception of reality or the hindered ability to interpret reality which may cause significant personal distress, self defeating behavior or otherwise dangerous behavior to oneself or others. Often times these behaviors are also socially unacceptable to ones specific culture (Nevid & Rathus, 2005). Schizophrenia is one of the most complex psychiatric diseases of all time. The disease name means “the splitting of psychic functions” (Pinel, 2007, p.481). The individual diagnosed with schizophrenia will commonly present symptoms which include bizarre delusions, inappropriate affect, hallucinations, incoherent thoughts and odd behavior with these symptoms varying in severity (Pinel, 2007). Various theories on schizophrenia have come to fruition over time. It is the belief of some researchers that schizophrenia has a genetic predisposition and that combined with experiences involving immense trauma or stress the disease can be triggered for development. In addition, those individuals with a genetic predisposition for schizophrenia who suffer hindered neurodevelopment at...

Words: 1222 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Psychiatric Disorders, Diseases, and Drugs

...Psychiatric Disorders, Diseases, and Drugs Marah Lacey-Woods PSY/240 05/05/2013 Dr. RAYMOND MC CLENEN Psychiatric Disorders, Diseases, and Drugs Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disorder that has affected people throughout history. Schizophrenia is a group of severe brain disorders in which people interpret reality abnormally. Schizophrenia may result in some combination of hallucinations, delusions, and disordered thinking and behavior. About one percent of Americans have this illness. People with the disorder may hear voices other people don't hear. Contrary to some popular belief, schizophrenia isn't split personality or multiple personality. The word "schizophrenia" does mean "split mind," but it refers to a disruption of the usual balance of emotions and thinking. They may believe other people are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts, or plotting to harm them. This can terrify people with the illness and make them withdrawn or extremely agitated. People with schizophrenia may not make sense when they talk. They may sit for hours without moving or talking. Sometimes people with schizophrenia seem perfectly fine until they talk about what they are really thinking. Families and society are affected by schizophrenia too. Many people with schizophrenia have difficulty holding a job or caring for them selves, so they rely on others for help. Treatment helps relieve many symptoms of schizophrenia, but most people who...

Words: 1389 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Psychiatric Disorders, Diseases, and Drugs

...PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS, DISEASES, AND DRUGS Assignment: Psychiatric Disorders, Diseases, and Drugs Mental illness has a detrimental effect on psychosocial functioning of individuals, but Schizophrenia is among the worst. There are many other forms of psychiatric disorders these include, depression, mania, anxiety disorders, and Tourette syndrome. Psychiatrists or clinical psychologists typically treat such disorders (Pinel, 2007, p. 481). Each disorder is unique, and symptoms vary from one individual to the next. In fact, as psychiatrists and psychologists continue to discover new facts about these disorders as they encounter different cases. This paper will discuss the serious mental illness of Schizophrenia; the symptoms, treatment, and medications. The symptoms of Schizophrenia are bizarre and frightening. Persons who suffer from Schizophrenia face a loss of reality, strange behavior, social withdrawal, hallucinations and delusions (Pinel, 2007, p. 482). MSN Encarta (2009) points out that, "A person with Schizophrenia may have difficulty telling the difference between real and unreal experiences, logical and illogical thoughts, or appropriate and inappropriate behavior." These symptoms are sometimes genetically based, which will leave the person with a possible ten per cent chance of developing the disorder is a close relative was afflicted with schizophrenia. Additionally, jumbled thinking is another symptom of Schizophrenia. The person is described as speaking in...

Words: 850 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Psychiatric Disorders, Diseases and Drugs

...Psychiatric disorders, diseases, and drugs Tylicia Bell Psy/240 Beth PepMiller 01/27/13 1 Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is characterized as a person having a split of psychic functions. It was found in the early years and is the breakdown of emotion, thought and actions. Schizophrenia is associated with madness and attacks about 1% of people. It doesn’t discriminate because it can affect all races and cultures. It starts in the early adulthood stage. Schizophrenia has positive and negative symptoms. Some positive symptoms are delusions, hallucinations, and odd behavior. Some negative symptoms include alogia (reduce of speech, and anhedonia (inability to experience pleasure). Drugs that lesson these effects are chlorpromazine, haloperidol, Prolixin, Navane. These drugs work by altering the activity of chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. They transmit signals from one brain cell to another. These drugs have side effects like many other drugs. Such side effects can include muscle spasms, tremor, dry mouth, blurred vision, and drowsiness. There are some symptoms that are more on the negative side. A person can have a long term side effect called TD (Tardive Dyskinesia). This is where a person can have involuntary movements which can affect the lips, mouth, tongue and sometimes the trunk of the body. It occurs in 15 to 20 percent of patients who are taking the old antipsychotic drugs. The symptoms are so mild...

Words: 878 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Psychiatric Disorders, Diseases, and Drugs

...Psychiatric Disorders, Diseases, and Drugs Barb Parker PSY/240 April 7, 2012 Rebecca Gazda Psychiatric disorders and neuropsychological disorders were, in the past, thought to be caused by two different abnormalities (Pinel, 2009). Now there is enough evidence to qualify both disorders as disorders of dysfunctional brains (Pinel, 2009). There are a few differences in the causes; psychiatric disorders are more influenced by experience and are harder to diagnose (Pinel, 2009). This summary will briefly describe the different theories with the psychiatric disorders of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, bulimia nervosa, and Tourette syndrome, as well as drug therapies used to treat them. Schizophrenia in itself has no clear definition because of its relationship with other brain disorders (Pinel, 2009). Because of the various symptoms produced by schizophrenia, such as delusions, hallucinations, inappropriate reactions to events, illogical thinking, and periods of catatonia, many professional refer to the disorder as schizophrenias (Pinel, 2009). There are several abstract thoughts behind the causes of schizophrenia including the developmental, genetic, and dopamine theories. The genetic theory suggests that people can be predisposed genetically to schizophrenias when certain environmental experiences interact, but it is not known how (“Schizophrenia: Current Theories”, 2011). The developmental hypothesis is based on complications occurring during...

Words: 1240 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Psychiatric Disorders, Diseases, and Drugs

...Psychiatric disorders are defined in our text as disorders of psychological function sufficiently severe to require treatment. The clinical psychologist or the psychiatrist has their work cut out for them when it comes to diagnosing psychiatric disorders. Each disorder has its own diagnosis, treatment method, and medication. Schizophrenia can make it hard to live everyday life without treatment. Schizophrenia can affect how you think, react, and just live in the world. With schizophrenia they have two categories for symptoms, positive and negative. Positive symptoms represent an excess or distortion of normal function. Negative symptoms represent a reduction or loss of normal function. Some positive symptoms include; delusions, hallucinations, inappropriate affect, incoherent speech or thought, and odd behavior. The negative symptoms include; affective flattening, alogia, avolition, and anhedonia. One way that clinical psychologist and psychiatrist determine if a person has schizophrenia is if they have any two of the symptoms occur for one month. The main symptoms that are looked for are delusions that are bizarre or an hallucination that includes voices. One of the biggest treatments for schizophrenia are antipsychotic drugs. The antipsychotic medication is effect because it changes the balance of chemicals in the brain and can help control symptoms. The negative effects of these drugs are that they are many side effects. Common side effects are; dizziness, feelings of restlessness...

Words: 973 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Substance Use and the Risks on Your Health

...AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE/COMORBIDITY | 1 | Substance Use and the Risks on Your Health Cassy L LaFave SUNY Empire State College PART I Substance use poses great dangers and can cause serious health problems ranging from heart disease and liver disease, to respiratory issues, just to name a few ("Risk of Disease with Drug Use - Alcohol Rehab," 2008). An individual who uses substances also increases their risk for contracting infectious diseases, such as, sexually transmitted infections and blood borne diseases, including Hepatitis and HIV/AIDS. These infectious diseases may be treatable conditions, or terminal illnesses (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 1999). Many people are aware that intravenous drug use and needle sharing (or sharing drug preparation equipment – “works”) can transmit blood borne diseases (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2014). What isn’t as widely known is the role substance use plays in general, contributing to the dangers involved. When an individual chooses to engage in substance use, no matter the route of administration, the substance causes a person’s immune system to be lowered. Therefore, their body is more susceptible to infections and harmful diseases ("Risk of Disease with Drug Use - Alcohol Rehab," 2008). Under the influence, a substance user lacks the ability to make sound judgements and often engages in high risk behaviors and activities. Fueled by the substance or the need for the substance, a drug user may be more...

Words: 2715 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

The Disease of Drug Addiction

...The Disease of Drug Addiction Joanne Frye HSER 340 Abstract Addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive seeking and use of addictive substances despite harmful consequences to the addicted individual and to those around him or her. Introduction Dramatic advances in science over the past 20 years have shown that drug addiction is a chronic relapsing disease that results from the prolonged effects of drugs on the brain. (Leshner, 1997) It is considered a brain disease because drugs change the brain structure and how the brain works. (Volkow and Schelbert, 2007) As with many other brain diseases, addiction has embedded behavioral and social-context aspects that are important parts of the disorder itself. Therefore, the most effective treatment approaches will include biological, behavioral, and social-context components. Recognizing addiction as a chronic, relapsing brain disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use can impact society’s overall health and social policy strategies and help diminish the health and social costs associated with drug abuse and addiction (Leshner, 1997). Addiction as a Disease For decades, the orthodox view in neuroscience and psychiatry has been that addiction is a psychiatric disease (Jellinek, 1960). In 1968 it was included in the second revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, positioning it explicitly as a mental illness for the purpose diagnosis and treatment...

Words: 1701 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Gender Identity

...Psychiatric Disorders, Diseases, and Drugs Many people suffer from some form of a psychiatric disorder, which affects a person’s ability to behave in way that is deemed normal by society. Several mental disorders have extreme effects on the mental health of those who suffer from them. It is estimated that as much of 3.3 percent of the U.S. population is found in a thirty day period to suffer from extreme psychological distress (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). Schizophrenia, depression, mania, anxiety disorder, and Tourette syndrome are the top five psychiatric disorders, and the effects of each on a person’s mental health range from mild to severe. Schizophrenia is a common psychotic disorder; however it is complicated to diagnose because some neurological disorders share the same symptoms (Pinel, J.P.J. 2009. p. 457). The symptoms that are linked to this disorder are delusions, inappropriate affect, hallucinations, incoherent thought, and odd behavior. Diagnosis is made when a person has experienced at least one or more of the indicators in a consistent time frame. People who suffer from this have trouble organizing their thoughts into logical connections (WebMD, 2012). The statistic rate for people who suffers from this disorder is extremely low; and the cause is relatively unknown. The percentage rate for the amount of people at risk is considerably low; on the other hand the probability is higher on the inheritance rate. This disorder is not curable;...

Words: 1199 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Neurotransmitters Chart

...University of Phoenix Material Neurotransmitter Chart Select four neurotransmitters. Complete a table for each neurotransmitter. |Neurotransmitter 1 |State if this neurotransmitter is inhibitory or excitatory: | |(Dopamine) | Both | | | | |What is this neurotransmitter's role on behavior? |  | | Dopamine’s role on behavior involves whether there is a decrease of dopamine or an increase. In the case that there is a decrease then there is a chance that the individuals’ behavior will | |represent an individual that id depressed. In the case that there is an increase then the individual will show behaviors of the individual feeling happy and as if they are feeling pleasure. | | ...

Words: 1130 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Addiction

...frameworks indicates that addictions may have a genetic component that leads to a predisposition to develop addiction, a disease model of addiction or as the result of self-medicating of a primary disorder. This paper will take a theoretical view of the causes of addiction as well as developing a working definition of addiction. Causes of Addiction There are numerous theories regarding addiction and the causes of addiction; however, for the purpose of this paper we will discuss three areas or models of addiction as it relates to substance and alcohol related abuse. Before delving into the causes of addiction we will develop an understanding of what addiction is and what it is not by viewing a few theories and definitions of addiction. We will also develop an understanding of what constitute a diagnosis of addiction and causes one to develop an addiction in the context of genetic predisposition, disease and the prevalence of addiction among individuals with co-occurring disorders stemming from traumatic experiences such as childhood abuse. Addiction Defining addiction is not a simplistic task as there are many theories and definitions of addiction and how addiction develops. In Drugs and addiction: an Introduction to Epigenetics, Wong, Mill, & Fernandes (2011) defines addiction as “a debilitating psychiatric disorder, with a complex etiology involving the interaction of inherited predispositions and environmental factors” (Wong, Mill...

Words: 1482 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Psychology

...Psychology Name Course Tutor Institution Psychology Discuss the rationale why each disorder applies to the patient and each AXIS that goes with each disorder. Signs and symptoms indicate that Smith is suffering from clinical disorders. All the signs and symptoms she is positive and hence indicating that she is suffering from adjustment disorder, bipolar disorder, eating disorder, major depressive disorder, borderline personality disorder and the acute stress disorder. She suffered from some form of mental retardation when she was young, mainly when her mother was harsh. She could be pushed around and forced to babysit her younger sister and brother. She argued out that her mother was both physically and emotionally abusive. Everything was messed up and this actually affected her judgment and thing and that is when she started drinking. Smith’s condition was elevated by drug abuse. The use of recreational drugs and drinking added onto the psychological problems she had. Drinking and doing drugs are known to affect and individuals thinking and judgment. A person with sound and sober mind would not use a straight-edged razor to cut herself. This indicates that she had a lot of psychological issues. Her situation worsened when she attempted suicide by taking another person’s prescription medication. Smith went back to drugs after recovering rather than adhering to her outpatient counseling. The environment that Smith was living in contributed a lot to her situation....

Words: 1511 - Pages: 7