Mental_Illness

Diagnosis and Treatment Yo’Reshea M. Whorton BEH/225 May 20, 2012 Professor Jeff Kuykendall A psychological disorder, also known as a mental disorder is a pattern of behavioral or psychological symptoms that impact multiple life areas or create distress for the person experiencing these symptoms. Schizophrenic disorders are chronic, severe and disabling brain disorders that have afftected people throughout history. Those who suffer from these illnesses may experience hallucinations, false sensory perceptions that usually take the form of hearing voices that are not there. They also experience delusions false beliefs about reality with no factual bases-that distort their relationships with their surrounding and with people. Morris, C.G and Maisto, A.A (2010) Understanding Psychology pp. 415. Schizophrenia affects families and society because those who have it may have difficulty holding down a job or caring for themselves. Schizophrenia may present itself different from person to person. Those with disorganized schizophrenia may express bizarre symptoms that may seem to relate to those of young children, they often giggle or make faces and may have trouble with controlling their bodily functions. People who are diagnosed as catatonic schizophrenics mimic robotic like behavior, they are usually mute and can sit for hours without moving. Paranoid schizophrenics believe that someone is always out to harm them; they are always suspicious which can sometimes cause them to become hostile or aggressive. They may experience delusions, hallucinations or incoherence and can seem perfectly normal until they begin to express what they are thinking. Those who may express delusions and hallucinations, but do not show the typical symptoms of any other subtype of the disorder are classified as having undifferentiated schizophrenia. (Maisto and Morris, 2010). Schizophrenia affects men and women equally and occurs at similar rates in all ethnic groups. Symptoms of the illness usually begin to manifest themselves between the ages of 16 and 30, with men experiencing the symptoms a little earlier than women. It may be difficult to diagnose the illness in teenagers because the first signs of schizophrenia in the age group are often behaviors that are typical in teenagers and may include a drop in grades, sleep issues, change of friends and irritability. People with schizophrenia are not usually violent, but those with the illness attempt suicide at a higher rate than others. (2012) Schizophrenia. National Institute of mental illness retrieved from http://www.schizophrenia/nimi Experts believe that schizophrenia is caused by several factors, with genetics being at the forefront, those who have the illness are more likely to have children with schizophrenia, even when those children have lived with adoptive parents since early life. (Maisto and Morris, 2010). Other recent studies suggest that schizophrenia may result in part when a gene that is key to making important brain chemicals malfunction. “There is no blood test or brain scan to diagnose schizophrenia, only someone with special training to diagnose mental illness can make an accurate diagnose schizophrenia, a doctor will perform a variety of interviews and psychological test to determine that patient’s current belief and symptoms as well as the history of the patient.” Harrison, C. (Nov. 30, 2007) How is Schizophrenia diagnosed' Retrieved from http://www.about.com/od/whatisschizophrenia/f/schiz_diagnosis. Because the causes for schizophrenia cannot be linked to one cause; treatments for the illness usually tend to focus on eliminating the symptoms of the disease. Certain conditions may produce symptoms that can be mistaken for schizophrenia, and they must be ruled out before a diagnosis of schizophrenia can be made. Drug abuse, epilepsy, brain tumor, encephalitis, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are just some of the conditions that are ruled out. The progression and symptoms of this illness can vary in patients so treatment has to be an individual diagnosis. Antipsychotic medication has been around since the mid 1950’s and has tremendously improved the symptoms of the illness, the drugs work by blocking receptors in the brain of the chemical dopamine, which is thought to play a major role in schizophrenia. Since 1990, there has been a number of new medication that have been introduced to help treat symptoms as well. A typical drugs work in different areas of the brain, people with the illness often have an imbalance in chemicals in the brain. Atypical medications help restore the brains usual chemical imbalance to reduce symptoms. Other medications that are frequently used to treat the illness would be antidepressants- which may help with the relapse of schizophrenic symptoms and antiepileptic drugs which help those who are violent and tend not to respond to other medications. Psychotherapy is also helpful when trying to treat mental illnesses, it should be used along with the proper medications prescribed to an individual because together they show long-term improvement in patients. A session with a psychologist or psychiatrist may focus on pre-existing issues, thoughts, feelings and relationships which can help patients come to terms with what is real and what is fictional. Along with these trends for treating the illness it is important that patients have the support of family, it is sometimes difficult for those with schizophrenia to perform the same duties and those of us who are considered sane. Patients with the support and love of family improve in these areas and are able to live life as normal as possible. References Morris, C.G. and Maisto, A.A (2010) Understanding Psychology pp.415 Slowick.G (Apr.24, 2012) how is Schizophrenia treated' http://www.ehealthmd.com/content/how-schizophrenia-treated Harrison.C, (Nov.30, 2007) How is Schizophrenia diagnosed Retrieved from http://www.about.com/od/whatisschizophrenia/f/schiz_diagnosis (2009), Antipsychotic Medication. retrieved from http://www.itsallright.org/pdf/0902_info_antipsychotic.pdf.