SCHIZOPHRENIA (a long-term mental disorder)
Introduction
“As we know the human mind & soul to the body are just like the electricity to the electric sets , so when the electric current go wrong then that system will be out of order & may go wrong .....
Similarly the mind & the soul if they go out of order then that could lead to the disorder of the body & its system”
Mental disorder
A mental or behavioral disorder is characterized by combination of disturbance in :
Thinking
Emotions
Behaviour &
Relationships with others.
Influenced by a combination of biological, psychological & social factors such as:
Stressful life events
Difficult family background
Brain diseases
Heredity or genes
Medical problems
Examples
Schizophrenia
Depression
Bipolar Mood Disorder
Mental retardation
Disorders due to drug abuse
Symptoms
Physical symptoms
Eg – aches, sleep disturbance
Emotional symptoms
Eg- feeling sad, scared or anxious
Cognitive symptoms
Eg- difficulty in thinking, abnormal beliefs,
Memory disturbance
Behavioral symptoms
Eg- Aggressive behavior, inability to perform
daily routine functions, excessive use of substances.
Perceptual symptoms
Eg- Seeing or hearing things that others cannot.
Facts
In most cases the symptoms are associated with distress & interference with personal functions.
In most cases mental disorders can be diagnosed & treated effectively
Hard facts
People with mental disorders are some of the most neglected people...
In many communities, mental illness is not considered a real medical condition, but viewed as a weakness of character or a punishment for immoral behavior
PSYCHOSIS
Is a mental disorder, organic or functional in etiology, characterized by disturbance in behavior, mood, thoughts, perception, insight and judgement.
The term psychosis is broadly used for disorders in which the person is not in touch with reality.
Psychosis mainly includes:
Schizophrenia
Schizophreniform disorders
Schizo-affective disorders
Delusional disorders
Brief Reactive Psychosis
Organic Mental Disorder or Organic Brain syndrome
SCHIZOPHRENIA
Psychological disturbance that lasts for at least 6 months and includes minimum one month of active symptoms e.g.,
Disorganized behavior
Disorganized speech
Delusions
Hallucinations
SCHIZOPHRENIA
SYMPTOMS
Symptoms of schizophrenia are broadly classified into two groups:
Positive symptoms
Negative symptoms
Positive symptoms
Disorders of perception
Disorders of form & content of thoughts
Disorders of behavior
Lost of interest of self care
Positive symptoms - Disorders of perception
Hallucinations: Perceptual disturbances that occur even in the absence of sensory stimuli e.g. auditory, visual, tactile, olfactory.
Delusions : False illogical, firm beliefs that cannot be changed by any amount of discussion or proof to the contrary e.g. paranoid, persecutor, grandiose, religious, ideas of reference,
Delusions come in many “flavors.”
Delusions of persecution are most common in schizophrenia.
Also seen are delusions of reference, control, and grandeur.
The painting at left by an artist who was a patient in a mental hospital in 1892 was entitled “Self-Portrait as Christ.”
Delusions of
Control
Grandeur
Persecution
Reference
Types of Delusions of Control:
Believing that you are an unwilling recipient of bodily sensations imposed by an external force
Believing that your behavior is controlled by an external force
Believing that your feelings are controlled by an external force
Examples of Delusions of Control:
A 21-year-old student found that
“As I think, my thoughts leave my head
On a type of mental ticker tape.
Everyone around has only to pass the tape
Through their mind and they know my thoughts
Delusions of Grandeur:
Belief that one is a famous or powerful person from the past or present
Examples of Delusions of Grandeur:
A 35 year old woman informs her family that she is the Virgin Mary who has come to give birth to a new savior who will save the world.
Delusions of Reference:
Belief that all happenings revolve around oneself, and/or one is always the center of attention.
Examples of Delusions of Reference:
Antonio believes that the anchor on the evening T.V. news is speaking directly and personally to him. He even goes to the television station to talk to the man.
Delusions of Persecution:
Belief that one is the target of others’ mistreatment, evil plots, and or murderous intent
Examples of Delusions of Persecution:
Marry is sure that her family is planning to kidnap her and take her patrimony. She has found her husband talking on the phone in whispers and has seen her children looking at her strangely.
Hallucinations & delusions can be enormously distressing.
Catatonic schizophrenics assume unusual postures for long periods of time during which they may be mute and uncommunicative
Monica Seles was stabbed by a 38-year-old man from Germany on April 30th, 1993.
The attacker was obsessed with another tennis star, Steffi Graf, and believed that it was his responsibility to help Graf’s career by striking down her rival. Seles did not return to tennis for two years.
Some stalkers suffer from erotomanic delusions, beliefs, without any basis whatsoever, that they are loved by someone who may be a casual acquaintance or a complete stranger.
Some people with such delusions, like Graf’s pursuer, develop fantasies in which they feel driven to protect, harm, or even kill the object of their desire. Continued.................