Schizophrenia is a chronic mental illness that handicaps one’s perception of reality, emotional responses, sagacity, thinking processes and communication competence. With a prevalence of about one percent in America and an equal sex ratio, Schizophrenia subjects its victims to a state of hearing voices not perceptible by the ears of other people around them (Haycock and Shaya 53). In most cases, the victims apart from envisioning harm plotted against them by others, believe that other people are reading or controlling their minds or thoughts warranting the victims fearfully agitated and staggeringly withdrawn (NIMH 2; Haycock and Shaya 59). Characterized by a number of recognizable symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions (Beck, Rector, Stolar and Grant 258), Schizophrenia is a treatable disease of the mind is, at times, not manifested in its victims until they speak out of what they are feeling.
The causation of schizophrenia has for a long time believed to be multifaceted (NIMH 6). The principal causes of schizophrenia are genes, environment, and structure and chemistry of the brain (NIMH 6). Genes, though not yet aptly proven, have an extraordinarily strong linkage to incidences of schizophrenia (Haycock and Shaya 16). Again, scientists have not been able to pin point specific genes responsible for the causation of schizophrenia. It is only known that schizophrenic parents expose their children to the risk of suffering from schizophrenia. For example, if both parents are schizophrenic, there is a 46% probability that their children will be schizophrenic (Haycock and Shaya 17). Environmental factors such as malnutrition before birth and birth problems are possible causes of schizophrenia (NIMH 7).
The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health categorizes schizophrenic symptoms into three broad categories; cognitive symptoms, positive symptoms and negative symptoms (NIMH 2). Characteristically, cognitive symptoms are decidedly hard to recognize- the symptoms can only be ascertained through carrying out tests on the suspected victim. Cognitive symptoms encompass indicants like wretched executive functioning (particularly with regards to one ability to understand information), difficulty in paying attention, as well as trouble applying learned information in solving day to day problems (NIMH 4). On the other hand, positive symptoms are overly related to psychotic behaviors indiscernible in healthy individuals. As noted by NIMH, schizophrenia patients a prone to hallucinations; behavior that can go for a long time before being noticed by the people around these patients (NIMH 2; Haycock and Shaya 53). According to Haycock and Shaya, the victims predominately experience two types of hallucinations; hypnagogic and hypnopompic with the overriding difference between these two types of hallucinations being that they are experienced while the victim is a sleep and while waking up respectively (55). Again, as mentioned earlier, the victims oft experience delusions presented as beliefs that other people a platting evil against them. Conspicuous unconventional exhibition of delusion involves the conception that other people are controlling them using magnetic waves. Negative symptoms according to NIMH pertains to the disruption of the normal emotional functioning of the victims of schizophrenia (3). Because of the close relationship between negative symptoms and depression and other related conditions, deciding that as person exhibiting these symptoms is suffering from schizophrenia is extremely hard without the help of diagnostic tests. Negative symptoms come in the form of keeping quiet for long periods and avoidance of conversations, flat face, apathy, and lack of ability to maintain daily activities (NIHM 4). On their part, Haycock and Shaya attest four “A” negative symptoms; Alogia, Affective flattening, Avolition, and Anhedonia (57). The four “A” words describe the four symptoms asseverated by NIMH respectively.
There are a number of treatment models in existence to aid in the melioration of schizophrenia. The use of antipsychotic drugs is perhaps the most commonly espoused mode of treatment of schizophrenia. However, it is notable that patients respond to antipsychotic drugs differently hence rendering this method rather trial and error (Haycock and Shaya 98). Antipsychotic drugs, for instance haloperidol, pimozide and mesoridazine (Haycock and Shaya 103; Beck, Rector, Stolar and Grant 18; Noll 15), are possible candidates for this mode of treatment. The antipsychotic drugs essentially suppress the symptoms of schizophrenia hence allowing the patients time to thinks of the best cause of action. It is worth noting that the success of this mode treatment depends of the precise presentation of the symptoms by the patient and the doctors’ ability to decide on the right drug (Haycock and Shaya 99).
Therapeutic treatment models conventionally known as psychosocial treatments methods are also utile in the treatment of schizophrenia. NIMH maintains that psychosocial treatments are preferable for use after a patient’s condition has been stabilized with antipsychotic drugs (11). Cognitive behavioral therapy is one method of psychosocial treatment methods that works to equip the patient with the ability to test the reality of their thoughts (NIMH 13). Insulin coma (or shock) therapy excogitated by Manfred Joshua Sakel in the 1930s is yet another possible treatment method for schizophrenia. The therapy draws in relevance in the treatment of schizophrenia from the ability of insulin to lowers the blood sugar level hence depriving the brain of the much-needed energy required for its normal functioning (Haycock and Shaya 11). Further, Haycock and Shaya present that that lobotomy was a possible melioration method for schizophrenia but was quick to be disapproved on grounds that it was only leading to brain damage rather than treat schizophrenia (12).
It is worth noting that currently there are mostly antipsychotic drug based. However, recently U.S.A. enacted a policy that governs the prescription of antipsychotic drugs. The law requires that medical practitioners seek authorization before prescribing new antipsychotic drug to their patients. National Institute for Health &Clinical Excellence in an article dubbed “The Nice Guideline on Core Interventions in the Treatment and Management of Schizophrenia in Adults in Primary and Secondary” give a comprehensive guideline on the management of Schizophrenia.
Works Cited
Beck, Aaron T., Rector, Neil A., Stolar, Neal, and Grant, Paul. Schizophrenia: Cognitive Theory, Research, and Therapy. New York, NY: The Guilford Press, 2009. Print.
Haycock, Dean A., Shaya, K. Elias. The Everything Health Guide to Schizophrenia. Avon:
Adams Media Inc., 2009. Print.
National Institute for Health &Clinical Excellence. The Nice Guideline on Core Interventions in the Treatment and Management of Schizophrenia in Adults in Primary and Secondary. The British Psychological Society and the Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2009. Web. 5 Mar. 2012.< http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/11786/43607/43607.pdf>
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Schizophrenia. U.S. Department of Health And Human Services, 2009. Web. 5 March 2012.
Noll, Richard. The Encyclopedia of Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders. New
York: Fact On File Inc., 2007. Print.
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