Schizophrenia essay

Schizophrenia literally translated means “ split mind. ” Split mind refers not to a multiple-personality split, but rather a split from reality that shows itself in disorganized thinking; disturb perceptions, and inappropriate emotions and actions. The schizophrenia victim experiences an altered world. Minute stimuli, such as the grooves on a brick or the reflections of a voice, may distract attention from the whole scene or from the speaker’s meaning.

Worse, the person may perceive things that are not there. Such hallucinations are (sensory experiences without sensory stimulation) usually auditory. The person may hear voices that seem to come from outside the head and that make insulting statements or give orders. The voices may tell that patient that she is bad or that he must burn himself with a cigarette lighter or even commit murder. Less commonly, people see, feel, taste, or smell things that are nonexistent. Such hallucinations have been compared to dreams breaking into waking consciousness (Kestenbaum, 2001). When the unreal seems real, the resulting perceptions are at best bizarre and at worst terrifying. Schizophrenia is not only the most dreaded psychological disorder but also one of the most heavily researched.

Some important new discoveries link schizophrenia with biological factors, such as brain abnormalities and genetic predispositions. Schizophrenia is one of the most heavily researched psychological disorders. Several factors have been proposed as causes of schizophrenia, from biochemical imbalances in the brain to faulty family relationships and socioeconomic environment. Although a great deal of interesting research has been carried out, to date no single factor has been isolated as the cause of schizophrenia (Andreasen, 2000). This paper scrutinizes the current trends in diagnosis and treatment for Schizophrenic disorder. II. Discussion A. Psychiatric Treatment There are two general types of psychiatric treatment: psychotherapy and somtotherapy.

A patient may receive both kinds of treatment. Psychotherapy, or psychological treatment, in its broadest definition includes all techniques that depend on interpersonal relationships and emotional reeducation, rather than on chemical or physical treatment. Psychotherapy is used mainly for mental illness that is diagnosed as psychological in origin: It includes: a. Psychoanalysis, a form of psychotherapy based on the theory of personality developed by Sigmund Freud. It consists of individual treatment by a psychiatrist called a psychoanalyst, who helps the patient discover, understand, and deal with inner motives and conflicts.

Modified forms of psychoanalysis are also practiced, and psychoanalytic methods are used in various types of psychological counseling (Smith, 2003). b. Hypnotherapy, the use of hypnosis as an adjunct to other psychotherapy. Hypnoanalysis is a form of hypnotherapy, combining psychoanalysis with hypnotic techniques.

c. Group Therapy, the treatment of mental patients as a group, under the direction of a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist. By talking to one another about mutual problems, and interacting to one another emotionally under skillful guidance, patients are often helped more quickly than when treated individually. One type group therapy is psychodrama, in which create and act out roles with spontaneous dialogue. Play therapy is a type of group treatment for young children whose problems are more easily acted out in play fantasy than discussed. Play therapy may also be a form of individual psychotherapy, in which the child plays alone while observed by a therapist (Smith, 2003).

Somatotherapy, includes all types of physical and chemical treatment. Among somatotherapeutic techniques used for mental patients are: a. Chemotherapy, the use of drugs to alter the functions of body organs. This form of treatment is usually combined with psychotherapy. Narcoanalysis, or narcosynthesis, is a form of chemotherapy in which sleep-producing drugs are used to relax the patient and help in diagnosing and treating his problems.

Sedatives and tranquilizers are used for some types of mental disturbances to help relieved the patient’s anxiety or agitated behavior while he is under psychotherapy (Andreasen, 2000). b. Physical Methods of therapy include electroshock therapy and brain surgery.

Electroshock treatment consists of passing electric currents through the brain, producing convulsion and coma. Brain surgery is performed by scalped, electric needle, or ultrasonic radiation. Its purpose in psychiatry is to relieve extreme forms of psychotic disorders which do not show improvement under the kinds of treatment. This type of brain surgery is rarely used because it impairs many of the higher brain functions (Andreasen, 2000). III. Conclusion In conclusion, schizophrenia sufferers must not be condemned but need assistance from their love ones. The most common psychosis is schizophrenia, which usually appears first in childhood or adolescence. There are several types of schizophrenia, with symptoms ranging from excited and sometimes aggressive behavior to complete withdrawal into stupor.

Contrary to popular belief, a schizophrenic does not have a “ split personality”; this notion may have developed from the fact that episodes of the illness may be separated by periods of completely normal behavior. Many psychiatrists believe there is an organic basis for schizophrenia—that it is only partly psychogenic or not psychogenic at all—and that it may be hereditary.