With Reference to a Topic of Your Choice, Outline What Can Happen When the Brain Goes Wrong.
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Schizophrenia is one of the most confusing and unusual of all the psychological disorders, it is incurable, but a highly treatable disorder. Schizophrenia was first defined by a Swiss psychiatrist called Eugen Bleuler and it means split mind, not to be confused with split personality which it is widely mistaken for. The disorder affects approximately 1.1% of the worlds population are diagnosed with schizophrenia (
Typical behaviour of schizophrenics include lack of social contact, their communication is altered as there is usually no structure to their sentences and they also make up words and use words out of context. Their emotional responses are also strange as in times of normal emotional happiness they can be hostile and in times of normal emotional sadness and despair schizophrenics might react by laughing. One of the most observable characteristics of the schizophrenic is their delusions. Two types of delusion are most common; delusions of persecution for example, the schizophrenic convincing themselves that people are out there to get them, which causes them to be very paranoid and erratic. Delusions of grandeur on the other hand are where the patient thinks they are in a position of great power and importance, for example Dr. Schreber felt that enormous numbers of female nerves have already passed over into his body, and out of them a new race of men will proceed, through a process of direct impregnation by God (Freud 1962), Schrebers delusions were that he was above all humans, god like and that he was the chosen one to be impregnated by god.
Schizophrenics feel as if the disorder keeps them trapped inside their own head without control of their body or thoughts. Schizophrenic characteristics are classed into three main groups. The first of these are negative symptoms, visible in the first five years. These negative symptoms include, placid emotional reactions, lack of motivation to do tasks, social retardation and dysfunction in speech. The next to appear is the cognitive symptoms, these are an extension of the negative symptoms as both abnormalities are found in the same brain functions. These symptoms include a decreased speed in movement for example in the hands, legs and arms. Other symptoms are attention deficits, poor abstract and logical thinking and decreased performance in the memory system. The final symptoms to appear are the positive symptoms. These only come when the disorder fully establishes itself in the human. Positive symptoms are the more extreme of all the symptoms as they are delusions of the mind, altered language, disorganised thoughts; whereas a normal person can think logically a schizophrenic will lose reality for delusion. Hallucinations are another positive symptom where the schizophrenic will experience stimuli that is not there, the most common is auditory hallucinations by where they will hear voices in their heads. Also visual hallucinations can occur, this is where the schizophrenic will see people and shadows that are not actually there, visual hallucinations are usually accompanied by auditory ones, also hallucinations can by experienced by any of the senses.
There are four variations of schizophrenia within the disorder. Each variation has its own characteristics, and different approaches to treat it. The first is paranoid schizophrenia, this is where the schizophrenic experiences delusions more prominently such as the delusions of grandeur and the delusions of persecution. Hallucinations are also a feature in this variation, and in their delusions, feelings of hostility, anxiety and unrest are produced. Confusion and incoherence are the main features in disorganised schizophrenia. This type shows a further decent from social contact, and a decline in hygiene and well being. Their behaviour emotionally and mentally transcends into child like behaviours, and they find difficulties in communication. People with this type of schizophrenia are usually unable to look after themselves, therefore they need to be in a care unit, or have carers to look after their needs.
Catatonic schizophrenics have characteristics of muscular dysfunction, as people with this variation experience muscular repetitive movements