Symptoms And Treatment Of Schizophrenia - 1060 Words

Introduction Schizophrenia is a well-known emotional and mental disorder that causes hallucinations, and paranoid and delusional behaviour (Hoffer, 2004). In contrast to many other diseases, schizophrenia is mostly due to genetics and influenced by the environment. People who suffer from this disorder usually cannot differentiate from the imaginative world from the real one. Schizophrenia is often a result of stress and develops gradually (DeLisi, 2011). It is therefore, essential to start early treatment of the disorder. To better understand Schizophrenia, one must know the symptoms, the treatments, the prognosis and the effect the disease has on the schizophrenic and others around them. Symptoms There are a†¦show more content†¦However, identifying this constellation of symptoms can be difficult as some symptoms of Schizophrenia last for a relatively short period of time and may not be present at the same time as other symptoms (DeLisi, 2011), while others persist for six months at a time, or longer. In schizophrenia, problems in functioning occur in two categories of symptoms: positive and negative. The word positive here is not used in a complimentary way, rather, it designates the more alarming of the two types of schizophrenic symptoms. It refers to increased activity, excessive or distorted thought process, and actions. Positive symptoms include delusions, hallucinations, confused speech, and grossly disorganized or catatonic behaviour (Nadelson, 2005). Delusion and hallucinations fall within what psychologists call the psychotic dimension of schizophrenia. The other positive symptoms are in what s known as the disorganization dimension. Another positive symptoms of schizophrenia is persecution which is the most common delusion. When a schizophrenic student notices a group of classmates huddled in conversation, for example, and one of them turns to glance at her or him, the schizophrenic might feel paranoid (Young, 2000). Grandiosity is another kind of delusion, where the schizophrenic assumes some characteristic that make them special. Some will believe that he or she can r ead minds or control other people s action by concentration thought.