Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia means split mind – it is the most severe and most dreaded of all psychological disorders.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia means split mind – it is the most severe and most dreaded of all psychological disorders

Characteristics of Schizophrenia

Disordered thinking Delusions – false beliefs

Ex. Dialogue from Myers’ text Delusions of persecution – that people are out to get you Delusions of grandeur – the belief that you enjoy a greater

power and influence than you do. Word salad – jumping from one subject to another Why do those with schizophrenia suffer from

disordered thinking/ Many suppose it is due to a breakdown in selective attention. May fail to clear the working memory, thus many ideas

remain on the mind at once.


Disturbed perceptionHallucinations – sensory

experiences without sensory stimulation

Hallucinations are usually auditory, but schizophrenics may also see, feel, taste, or even smell things that are not actually there.

Auditory hallucinations usually give orders or are insulting

A Beautiful Mind-

beginning :58. So Far: True Story/ Best picture, Princeton after WW 2. Brilliant Mathemetician, Economic Theory, Roomate Charles (Bl. curly hair, has taken in niece into his calls him Uncle John, leaves Princeton MIT Dept of Defense hired him to break codes that the Soviets have been using to communicate to their spies within the US, William Parcher D.O.D agent (Ed Harris Radio) meets him drops off packages at abandoned building mailbox. Married to Jennifer Connolly. Earlier in movie implant a secret code into his forearm.


Inappropriate actions and emotionsEx. you cry when it is appropriate to laugh

and laugh when it is appropriate to cry.Flat affect (mood)– zombie-like state of

apathyContinuous actions – rocking back and forth

or rubbing arms repeatedly

Positive and Negative Symptoms

Positive symptoms of schizophrenia – presence of inappropriate behaviors hallucinations disorganized talk inappropriate emotions

Negative symptoms of schizophrenia – absence of appropriate behaviors toneless voice expressionless face lack of speech flat affect Talking about my schizophrenia

Prevalence of Schizophrenia

Nearly 1/100 people suffer from schizophrenia – 24 million throughout the world.

Schizophrenia is usually diagnosed at the onset of adulthood, and affects males and females equally

Young schizophrenic at her mind's mercy

Types of schizophrenia

Paranoid schizophrenia – Characteristics: delusions of grandeur or

persecution, anger, anxiety, extreme jealousyOnset is often suddenPrevalence: 40% of those with schizophrenia

and appears later in life (25 – 30)


Disorganized schizophrenia – Characteristics: delusions, hallucinations, incoherent

speech, inappropriate emotion, neglected personal hygiene, loss of bladder/bowel control

Neologisms – made up words Clang associations – stringing nonsense words that rhyme

Prevalence: 5% of those with schizophrenia and high prevalence in the homeless population

Video Clips….

The Schizophrenias – learner.org William (about 8:50?) example of

neologisms, word salad


Catatonic schizophrenia – Characteristic: disordered movement,

alternate between stupor (total immobility) and wild excitement.

Prevalence: 8% of those with schizophrenia – becoming increasingly rare in the US

Waxy flexibility – if motionless will allow their bodies to be moved into an alternative shape and will hold that pose.


Undifferentiated schizophrenia – Characteristics: patterns of disordered

behavior that do not fit into any other subtype.Prevalence: 40% of those with schizophrenia

Schizophrenia: Gerald, Part 1 - YouTube


Residual schizophrenia –Applies to people who have had prior

episodes of schizophrenia but are not currently displaying symptoms.

Explaining Schizophrenia

Dopamine hypothesis – schizophrenics have high levels of dopamineAntipsychotic drugs reduce dopamine and

decrease disordered thought and behaviorThe schizophrenias start at 25:10Extensive use of the antipsychotic drug will

cause muscle tremors Parkinson’s disease is treated by L-dopa which

increases dopamine levels – too much L-dopa and the patient will experience hallucinations

Explaining Schizophrenia

The brain and schizophreniaAbnormally low activity in the frontal lobeDuring hallucinations – high activity in the

thalamus which sends the sensory info to the cortex

Shrinkage of cortex tissue with more fluid filled areas (“enlarged brain ventricles”)

What could cause these abnormalities? Prenatal problems – low birth weight and birth complications Mid pregnancy virus Genetic predispositions

1/100 in the general population 1/10 if parent or sibling is schizophrenic 1/2 if identical twin is schizophrenic (p. 652 of quadruplets)

Nutritional deprivations Born in winter/spring and older the father

correlations. Double binds – experiencing contradictory messages

growing up. Parents tell child not to be promiscuous yet clothe her is revealing outfits. (This is the theory of the cognitive perspective.)

Home Videos of childhood and Paintings can detect The Schizophrenias 11:00 then 25:10-

27:00

Girl creates schizophrenia awareness video (mindyourmind)

Schizophrenia - YouTube

Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia means split mind – it is the most severe and most dreaded of all psychological disorders.

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