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The devastating illness entitled Schizophrenia is a disorder that can be incapacitating on both an individual’s mind and body. It is categorized as an illness correlating to diverse symptoms of the mind and has been documented to affect over one percent of people on the entire Earth. It seems to affect both women and men equally, but women have shown to be diagnosed later than in men. In adults, Schizophrenia is differentiated in that it can result by both negative and positive indicators that are exhibited through the actions and reactions of the person affected. This illness is usually initially predicted and diagnosed through a clinician or psychiatrist that may use a variety of methodologies to identify particular indicators through careful regular meetings and conversations as well as medical tests that enable them to come up with a final diagnosis. After a detailed observation and diagnostic period of assessing the individual, the specialist can then come up with a plan for treatment which may involve a range of various treatment options depending on the person and the severity of their illness.
Schizophrenia was first named approximately a hundred years ago. The illness however was initially officially discovered and identified in 1887 by Dr. Emile Kraepelin. Even though it was officially diagnosed a hundred years ago it is believed by many researchers to have shown signs in people way before that time
. “Written documents that identify Schizophrenia can be traced to the old Pharaonic Egypt, as far back as the second millennium before Christ. Depression, dementia, as well as thought disturbances that are typical in schizophrenia are described in detail in the Book of Hearts. The Heart and the mind seem to have been synonymous in ancient
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Egypt. The physical illnesses were regarded as symptoms of the heart and the uterus and originating from the blood vessels or from purulence, fecal matter, a poison or demons” (The History of Schizophrenia, 1996).
During one point in history all individuals who showed signs of any kind of mental illness were seen as similar and therefore when it came to treatment for the patient, most of the methodologies utilized were the same.
There are an array of symptoms that one can exhibited by a patient that might lead a doctor to come to the conclusion that they may have Schizophrenia. Symptoms can include anything from having hallucinations, exhibiting paranoid delusions, and hearing voices. These are sometimes seen as positive symptoms. There are negative symptoms that are also a part of this illness and often a part of successfully diagnosing it. Many individuals will depict a loss of interest in life, pleasure or even a will to live. This often results in a type of social anxiety that can lead to the person withdrawing from family and friends almost completely. “At the mild level, the clinician is simply asked to see whether the symptom is present at a mild degree. The severe levels require the symptoms to be present and be affecting the person’s lifestyle” (Andreasen & Flaum, 1991).
Treatments have come a long way since 1887. Clinicians often use a mixture of medication and therapy in cognitive behavior to provide the patient with a balanced and comprehensive plan to enable them to begin to show improvements in regards to their particular symptoms. When it comes to medications, “Such antipsychotic medications as Clozaril, Risperdal, and Zyprexa, most of which were introduced in the 1990s, appear to ameliorate symptoms by affecting the function of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin” (Lilienfeld & Arkowitz, 2010).
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As stated above, schizophrenia even in adults can have a detrimental effect on not only their daily lives but the lives of those they love such as family and friends. “In some European communities, for example, 50 to 60% of patients are able to return to at least part-time work, while in the U.S. this number is closer to 15%” (Karpov, 2004). Schizophrenia does not just effect a person’s vocation, it can also be devastating personally on the patient in the way they view and value life. In fact, “an estimated 20% to 40% of those with schizophrenia attempt and commit suicide; a risk at least 10 times that of the general public” (Pies, 2016). This is why many researchers are determined to find better treatments and educate the public about schizophrenia so that the negative connotation that has become associated with the illness can be transformed to allow people to see it and treat those afflicted with an open mind.
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It is evident that schizophrenia is an overwhelming and sometimes life shattering disorder that can be damaging on an individual’s mental ability and the way they function socially. These detriments often interrupt and unsettle their daily life. This can then lead to a disruption in their personal connections with friends and family. Physicians including psychiatrists are pertinent in providing the patient with an effective and positive treatment plan so they can begin to build back those synaptic correlations that are so important in a healthy person’s life. They should be encouraging, understanding, and instill the person with the coping skills as well as provide them with medical interventions that will offer them a balanced approach to concentrate on the many different aspects of the illness.
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References
Andreasen, N. C., & Flaum, M. (1991). Schizophrenia: The Characteristic Symptoms.
Schizophrenia Bulletin, 17(1), 27-49. doi:10.1093/schbul/17.1.27
Karpov, V. A. (2004, March 1). The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Forensic
Psychiatry: The Clinician’s Guide. Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the
Law Online, 33(1), 143-144. Retrieved July 25, 2016, from
http://www.jaapl.org/content/33/1/143.full.pdf html
Lilienfeld, S. O., & Arkowitz, H. (2010, March 1). Living with Schizophrenia. Retrieved July 25,
2016, from
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/living-with-schizophernia/
Pies, R. W. (2016, June 1). How Antipsychotic Medication May Save Lives. Retrieved July 25,
2016, from http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/schizophrenia/how-antipsychotic-medication-
may-save-lives
The History of Schizophrenia. (1996). Retrieved July 25, 2016, from
http://schizophrenia.com/history.htm
