Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia

AP 2060

Fall Semester 2016

Abstract

Schizophrenia is considered as one of the most severe mental disorders. The word “schizophrenia” was invented by a Swiss psychiatrist, named Eugen Bleuler, one hundred years ago, and it literally means “split(schizo) of the brain(phren)”. As many people incorrectly believe, the term does not actually signify a split personality; it implies how an individual with this disorder thinks, feels and behave. In this paper we will try to present the symptoms that occur, the various causes of the disease and the importance of the prognosis. Therefore, we will emphasize on the biology of schizophrenia, discussing the hypotheses about what happens inside the human brain and cause the symptoms of the disorder and, of course, how medicine is dealing with schizophrenia, due to the huge human and economic impact that arise from its presence.  

Keywords: symptoms, prognosis, physiology, hypotheses

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a chronic and serious mental illness characterized by abnormal activity and affects all spheres of both personal and social life. The word "schizophrenia" is less than 100 years old. However, the disease was first identified as a discrete mental illness by Dr. Emile Kraepelin in the 1887 and the illness itself is generally believed to have accompanied mankind through its history (Wu et al, 2005).

Approximately 1% of world’s population may suffer from the disease’s symptoms, while the majority of people with schizophrenia will display the symptoms by the age of 20 to 30, which means that they develop problems in social life while they are trying to adjust to the community. As a result, they end up in a bad condition, dealing with unemployment and usually poverty. Another issue that occurs is the economic costs, which are enormous; in 2005, it was estimated that in the year 2002 the financial cost for USA regarding schizophrenia was 22.7 billion (7 billion for outpatients, 2.8 for inpatients, 5 for drugs and 8 for long term care).

Besides the symptoms of schizophrenia that develop gradually to the patient, we have to mention the psychiatric comorbidities of the disease; the most common additional mental health problem is depression, which occurs approximately in 50% of the patients. Among the depression, other problems that they may develop are panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder and drug abuse disorder (Buckley et al, 2012).

Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Fundamental manifestations of schizophrenia are subjective indications, portrayed as experienced from a man's point of view, which demonstrate confirmation of basic psychopathology. Fundamental indications have by and large been connected to the evaluation of individuals who might be at hazard to create psychosis. In spite of the fact that fundamental indications are frequently exasperating for the individual, issues by and large don't get to be obvious to others until the individual is no more extended ready to adapt to their essential manifestations. In the prodrome to psychosis, unique fundamental side effects grow initially, trailed by more trademark essential manifestations and brief and self-constrained insane like side effects, lastly the onset of psychosis (APA, 2013).

Positive Symptoms

The 'positive symptoms' of schizophrenia comprise of psychotic phenomena (hallucinations and delusions), which are more often than not as genuine to the schizophrenia sufferer as they are unbelievable to others. Positive symptoms are typically thought to be the sign of schizophrenia, and are regularly most prominent in the early phases of the illness. They can be provoked by unpleasant circumstances, for example, surrendering to a physical sickness, breaking off a relationship, or leaving home to go to college.

Psychiatrists characterize a hallucination as 'a sense perception that emerges without a boost'. Hallucinations include hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, or feeling things that are not really there. The most widely recognized hallucinations in schizophrenia are auditory hallucinations—visualizations of sounds and voices. Voices can either address the schizophrenia sufferer (second-individual, "you" voices) or about him (third-individual, "he" voices) (NIMH,2014)

Delusions are defined as 'strongly held convictions that are not amenable to rationale and that are out of keeping with their holder's background'. Despite the fact that delusions require not really be false, the procedure by which they are arrived at is generally bizarre and strange. In schizophrenia, delusions are frequently being oppressed or controlled, in spite of the fact that they can likewise take after various different topics. (Goff et al., 2008)

Negative Symptoms 

According to APA (2013), negative symptoms are connected with disturbances to typical feelings and behaviors. These symptoms are harder to perceive as a component of the disorder and can be mixed up for depression or different conditions. These symptoms include the following: "Flat influence" (reduced articulation of feelings by facial expression or voice tone), reduced feelings of pleasure in everyday life, trouble starting and maintaining exercises and reduced talking. Individuals with negative symptoms may require help with ordinary errands. They may disregard essential individual hygiene. This may make them appear to be lazy or unwilling to help themselves, however the issues are symptoms brought on by schizophrenia.

The Causes of Schizophrenia

It's not recognized what causes schizophrenia, but rather scientists trust that a mix of genetics, brain chemistry and environment adds to development of the illness. Issues with certain naturally occurring brain chemicals, including neurotransmitters called dopamine and glutamate, may lead to schizophrenia. Neuroimaging concentrates on show contrasts in the cerebrum structure and focal sensory system of individuals with schizophrenia. While specialists aren't sure about the noteworthiness of these progressions, they show that schizophrenia is a cerebrum (ailment (Makinen, Miettunen, Isohanni, Koponen, 2008).

In spite of the fact that the exact reason for schizophrenia isn't known, certain variables appear to expand the danger of creating or activating schizophrenia, including having a family history of schizophrenia, increased immune system activation, such as from inflammation or autoimmune diseases, some pregnancy and birth difficulties, for example, hunger or introduction to toxins or viruses that may affect cerebrum development or older age of the father. Moreover, the use of mind-altering (psychoactive or psychotropic) drugs during teen year and adolescence could be the factor that triggers the disorder.