...of consciousness.” Imagine having to hear voices or screams coming from invisible bodies. This is what individuals who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia have to deal with every day. Schizophrenia is a severe mental disease characterized by unpredictable disturbances in thinking. The word “schizophrenia” comes from the Greek words meaning “split” and “mind.” It refers to the characteristic schizophrenic behavior of withdrawing from reality and thinking in illogical and confused patterns. The thought problems associated with schizophrenia are described as psychosis. Many people with schizophrenia develop delusions and behave as though they live in a fantasy world. They may hear “voices” that others cannot hear and they believe that these “voices” carry messages from important people, such as God. Schizophrenics often suffer from disturbances in mood and behavior. Some patients may be unresponsive or withdrawn and may have difficulty expressing normal emotions in social situations. Over the last few decades, schizophrenia has become embedded in mainstream vernacular as any behavior or emotional response that is out of touch with reality. However, even with its attention heightened through movies and headline news stories, schizophrenia is still one of the most enigmatic and least understood disorders of the brain. With current research focused on the role of neurobiology and functioning on a cellular level, investigative analysis has merited new innovations towards its source...
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...process can take a different path than most people when a psychological disorder is involved. In this report a look at the relationship between human development, socialization, and schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is defined as a psychological disorder where splitting of physic function occur (Pinel, 2007). The symptoms of schizophrenia include delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, and disorganized or catatonic behavior (Shiraev & Levy, 2010). Schizophrenia is found in about 1% of the world’s population and the symptoms seem to be the same in every culture. If a family member has schizophrenia there is a 10% greater chance for another family member to develop the disorder as well (US Government, 2009). Genetics therefore play a part in this disorder. The studies have shown that genes are responsible for the development of schizophrenia. There are theories that the gene important in the making of certain chemicals in the brain are not working properly. Abnormal levels of Dopamine are common in schizophrenic patients. There are also theories that link schizophrenia to the environment. Studies have shown that malnutrition before birth, problems during birth exposure to virus, and other not yet known psychosocial factors can all play a part in the development of schizophrenia (US Government, 2009). Studies have shown that enlarged cerebral ventricles or smaller cerebral cortex can...
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...tremendously. Although he is able to carry on the basic everyday tasks such as taking care of personal hygiene and eating, he is not able to differentiate the real world from his imaginary world. Eventually, the situation gets to be so extreme that he is placed in a mental institution for a certain period of time, undergoing shock and insulin therapies in order to “treat” his condition. Professor Nash’s case is a very straightforward and meets the criteria for Paranoid Schizophrenia. To be clear Schizophrenia is not the same thing as multiple personality disorder, because Schizophrenics don’t have problems with a split personality but instead a split mind. Hence the Latin derivation “Schitz”Split and “phrenic” meaning mind. Mind in the sense of what is actually real and what is not. Historically, people who behave differently than the general population or established “usual” have been deemed “abnormal” and therefore pathological (diseased, disordered, or even demonic, especially in earlier times and in primitive or remote social cultures), by their patterns of emotion (a subjective feeling that includes arousal [cerebral, autonomic, and...
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...Explanations and Treatment of Abnormal Behaviour Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a type of abnormal psychology. Abnormality can be defined in three ways as a deviation from statistical norm, a deviation from the social norms and cultural relativism. However there are problems with defining abnormalities in terms of a system that relies on subjective judgment of a person’s behaviour. For example, someone experiencing hallucinations in Puerto Rico would be attributed to external forces (e.g. Spiritual visitations). However in the western world, the same hallucinations would be considered abnormal (Berry et al 1992). Mental Disorders are classified today by using, The Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria 295.40 (Schizophrenia), and the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision(IDC-10) are used to aid in the psychiatric diagnosis of the disorder. Introduction The term ‘Schizophrenia’ was first used in 1911 by Swiss psychiatrist, Eugen Bleuler, and literally means ‘split mind’. He used the term to describe a general class of disorders that are characterised by a number of similar symptoms. These were: * Disorganised thought processes. * A split between intellect and emotion. * A split between intellect and external reality Schizophrenia typically begins in early adulthood; between the ages of 15 and 25. Men tend to get develop schizophrenia somewhat earlier than women; whereas most males...
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...How do dreams differ in people with schizophrenia to from those without the disorder? Kristin Staub Brookfield High School Dreaming is a vital part in sleeping, yet in some individuals it interferes in their waking state. For example, schizophrenics have hallucinatory images while they’re not sleeping causing some psychologists to speculate why this happens. People without the disorder and other people with other disorders have been found to dream while they’re in REM sleep which is a major mental process that allows people to dream. The following articles, “Sleep Fantasy in Normal and Schizophrenic Persons,” “An Extension of Freud and Jung’s Theory of Relation of Dream States to Schizophrenia,” “The Neurochemistry of Waking and Sleeping Mental Activity: The Disinhibition-Dopamine Hypothesis,” “Dream Content of Schizophrenics, Nonschizophrenic Mentally Ill, and community Control Adolescents,” “Sleep Disturbance in Schizophrenia” “Rorschach Responses Subsequent to REM Deprivation in Schizophrenic and Nonschizophrenic Patients,” attempt to explain the problem statement: How do dreams differ in people with schizophrenia to those without the disorder, through REM sleep in normal individuals and schizophrenics. Dream content will also be investigated to answer the problem statement and certain sleep habits. In addition Jung’s and Freud’s theory attempt to explain how dreaming is connected with schizophrenia in their conscious state rather than in their sleeping state through...
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...| Abnormal Psychology 2810 Term Paper| | Case Study: Brian| | | | Ashley Allen Due: 12/5/2011 Ashley Allen Case Study: Brian Schizophrenia is a severe brain disorder that has affected many people all over the world. It is a term that many people have heard but few understand the true meaning. When described, those with schizophrenia involve abnormal changes in their behaviors, thoughts, feelings, and views on the world. Those with schizophrenia are considered to have their behavior disturbed in particular way along with having difficulty with reality. With a remarkable amount of evaluation on the client, Brian, he has shown a pattern that leads to the diagnosis of Schizophrenia. There are a number of factors that play an important role when considering one with abnormal behavior (Beidel et al, 2010). By acknowledging particular factors such as gender, age, ethnicity, family & health history, work & health status, social relationships, drug & alcohol history, and various behavioral habits, it is easier to fully understand Brian’s behavioral influences. Hyman (2006) explains that schizophrenia affects both men and women equally though men tend to experience symptoms at a younger age than women do. Schizophrenic symptoms often develop in late adolescence to early twenties for males and given that Brian is a 25 years old male, he falls into the appropriate age of onset for schizophrenia. It is important acknowledge that at 19 years old, Brian has experienced...
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...Schizophrenia is characterized by a broad range of unusual behaviors that cause profound disruption in the lives of people suffering from the condition, as well as in the lives of the people around them. Schizophrenia strikes without regard to gender, race, social class or culture. Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, disabling mental disorder typically characterized by a separation between the thought processes and the emotions (Torrey). Schizophrenia is a common disorder, striking one person in every hundred (Schizophrenia). For most people, young adulthood means leaving home, starting a job and starting a family. For most schizophrenics, young adulthood means first admission to a psychiatric hospital. An unfortunate reality for young schizophrenics is the need for hospitalization during their most vibrant and productive time. The age of the first admission is younger for men than women, early twenties for males and mid-twenties for women. The reasoning behind this variation is not exactly known but there is speculation. One biological theory that exists is the help of the female sex hormones. Scientists speculate that these hormones may help delay the horrifying symptoms that afflict schizophrenics. Another question raised is who gets schizophrenia more commonly, men or women? Studies have shown there is no great variation in the numbers but in the severity of the symptoms. Men seem to suffer more severely. Scientists have attempted to explain this through differences...
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...Running Head: Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Team C PSY 300 June 14, 2014 Angelique Grady Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Psychology is a scientific investigation of mental processes and behavior (Kowalski & Westen,2011). Normal and Abnormal Psychology share a common similarity which is sharing involvement with mental processes and behaviors. Normal Psychology studies normal behaviors that do not affect mental processing. Abnormal psychology studies abnormal mental process and behaviors. Mental disorders have the potential to be very serious and debilitating. Four examples of mental disorders include ADD and ADHD, Schizophrenia, OCD, and Bipolar disorder. It is important to recognize common symptoms, prevalence, contributing factors, and possible treatments for these disorders. ADD is attention deficit disorder, which is described as the inability to concentrate. ADHD is attention deficit hyperactive disorder, characterized by behaviors that are excessive, long-term, and pervasive energy that keeps an individual hyperactive. Schizophrenia may include the presence of hallucinations and delusions. OCD is often characterized by obsession of impulses that occur repeatedly. Bipolar is a disorder that touches on periods of mania and possible depression. These disorders can be treated by medicine and other therapies. A common question surrounding these disorders involves contributing factors, are these disorders influenced through heredity...
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...that are a great asset in assisting to diagnose schizophrenia. These systems have bettered the accuracy for diagnosing schizophrenia (“Schizophrenia Diagnosis”). The following symptoms are criteria for diagnosing schizophrenia: delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech and behavior, and negative symptoms. It is required that an individual possess two or more of these symptoms and that of those symptoms, one of them has to be hallucinations, disorganized speech, or delusions (“Schizophrenia”). There are a total of five subtypes for schizophrenia: paranoid, disorganized, catatonic, undifferentiated, and residual. Each of these subtypes have their own unique effect on an individual. Paranoid schizophrenia revolves around hallucinations and delusions. The hallucinations and delusions an individual experiences are based on a constant topic. Paranoid schizophrenics show no signs of bizarre behavior or thinking, which is why it is very difficult to realize an individual who has schizophrenia. Next is disorganized schizophrenia. Disorganized schizophrenia are the unorganized thought processes of an individual in which the results are emotional disturbances and trouble communicating. Disorganized schizophrenics often find themselves having trouble following through with routine tasks such as dressing themselves or maintaining their overall hygiene. Catatonic schizophrenia, the rarest of the subtypes, is an upheaval in movements that varies from a decrease in consciousness to a sudden...
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...affects a person’s overall thinking and behavior. Often times, sufferers of schizophrenia seem to have lost touch with reality, caused by the disabling symptoms of the disorder. Schizophrenia has a variety of treatments, both medical and psychological. Because this illness affects people is many different ways, there are many subtypes to schizophrenia. Although there is no known cause for schizophrenia, there is a range of theories that suggest causes; from genetics and biology to a viral infection and immune disorder. The symptoms of schizophrenia can be categorized into two main groups: positive symptoms and negative symptoms. Positive...
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...Mental Illness and Schizophrenia Mental illness has been acknowledged for thousands of years. Those who were different, or acted different from what main stream society felt was the norm; those who committed adultery, those pregnant out of wedlock, or even those who were mentally different, were all singled out, treated the same, and considered abnormal. Abnormal behavior cannot simply be defined into a single definition, with no definite line that can be crossed which separates whether someone on one side of the line has abnormal tendencies, with someone on the other side which is considered normal behavior. This paper focuses on Schizophrenia, a major mental illness, and will discuss and evaluate the symptoms, causes, and treatments which are currently being used. The human mind can be fragile, and there are many diseases and disorders that can affect it. Some may be serious while others are minor and barely recognizable. Schizophrenia is just one of those diseases which can encompass being both minor and serious. The definition for a mental illness is an illness that affects a person's mind, thoughts, emotions, personality, or behavior. Just like a physical illness, mental illness also shows symptoms that make it possible for the mental disorder or illness to be identified. Some of the recognizable symptoms can be extreme moods, sadness, anxiety, and inability to think clearly, or remember well. It does not mean, that just because a person may experience some of these symptoms...
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...Introduction What is thought when hearing the word schizophrenia? People think it’s simply the other voices or the numerous personalities a person diagnosed face but they are absolutely wrong. They don’t know the turmoil that is encountered by the individual who has the illness or even by the family members of that person. Understanding schizophrenia is the first step to know the difficulties faced. Schizophrenia is the most chronic and disabling of the severe mental disorders. It is associated with abnormalities of brain structure and function, disorganized speech and behavior, emotional disorder, and hallucinations. It is sometimes called a psychotic disorder or a psychosis. For family members to care for schizophrenic relative it is extremely hard to deal with and for schizophrenic people to have children it is even harder. Family life can be dramatically affected when one or more family members are diagnosed with schizophrenia. It can change the entire way of life within a household through the emotional and financial issues that may occur and as such, persons who suffer from Schizophrenia should not be allowed to have children as this may assist in the control of the disease. Some reasons schizophrenia people should not be allowed to reproduce are genes and hereditary factors, inability to maintain a child, the psychological effects that may occur, Hereditary One of the main reasons why individuals with schizophrenia should not be allowed to have children are the genetics...
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...before Christ (The Internet Mental Health Initiative, 2012). There are many myths associated with the disease. In the early 1900’s people believed that schizophrenia was a form of demonic possession and praying could cure the illness. Some were believed to be witches or they had a curse on them. Some believed that they were blessed by god and talking to angels. The most common myth is schizophrenia means a person has a split personality. The term schizophrenia does mean split mind, however the term is used to define the mental breakdown of a person’s mind. Split personality disorder does exist however it is referred to as dissociative identity disorder and is considered an entirely different mental disorder. Many people believe that schizophrenic people are violent and incurable. These are misconceptions of the disease. Not all people with the disease are violent. In fact some are very submissive in their nature. Some symptoms of schizophrenia can be cured such as hallucinations, hearing voices, or excessive agitation in some instances can be stabilized with medication. Past...
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...psychiatric disease that affects the neural basis of the brain. Discussion of the symptoms, the causes and drug therapies for schizophrenic patients will be discussed and covered. Schizophrenia is a mental illness that is yet completely understood. The areas of the brain affected in schizophrenia can not be named by one specific region of the brain. There are a number of regions of the brain that are affected by schizophrenia. Changes reported in the parahippocampal gurus may arise from abnormal neuronal development during formation of the cortex. Additionally, changes have been implicated in the basal region of the temporal lobe, the cerebellum and the mesolimbic system. There are also several regions of the brain that show altered level of function is schizophrenic patients. FMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) studies Is this essay helpful? Join OPPapers to read more and access more than 470,000 just like it! get better grades show reduced blood flow to the frontal cortex, dorsolateral pre prefrontal cortex and par limbic region, and increased blood flow to the anterior prefrontal cortex. The hippocampus shows higher than normal resting blood flow, but no increase in blood flow during cognitive tasks. The temporal, parietal and parahippocampal cortices are involved in regulating inner speech, and they may be involved in the "voices" which schizophrenics hear. Schizophrenia is a group of severe brain disorders that cause people with the disease to interpret reality abnormally...
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...Mental illness has been acknowledged for thousands of years. Those who were different, or acted different from what main stream society felt was the norm; those who committed adultery, those pregnant out of wedlock, or even those who were mentally different, were all singled out, treated the same, and considered abnormal. Abnormal behavior cannot simply be defined into a single definition, with no definite line that can be crossed which separates whether someone on one side of the line has abnormal tendencies, with someone on the other side which is considered normal behavior. This paper focuses on Schizophrenia, a major mental illness, and will discuss and evaluate the symptoms, causes, and treatments which are currently being used. The human mind can be fragile, and there are many diseases and disorders that can affect it. Some may be serious while others are minor and barely recognizable. Schizophrenia is just one of those diseases which can encompass being both minor and serious. The definition for a mental illness is an illness that affects a person's mind, thoughts, emotions, personality, or behavior. Just like a physical illness, mental illness also shows symptoms that make it possible for the mental disorder or illness to be identified. Some of the recognizable symptoms can be extreme moods, sadness, anxiety, and inability to think clearly, or remember well. It does not mean, that just because a person may experience some of these symptoms, that she or he is suffering...
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