Schizophrenia What is schizophrenia? Most disabling and chronic of all mental illnesses Psychosis: type of mental illness- cannot distinguish reality.

Schizophrenia

What is schizophrenia?

Most disabling and chronic of all mental illnesses

Psychosis: type of mental illness- cannot distinguish reality from imagination Psychotic episodes

Distorts: Thinking (may believe others are controlling their thoughts) Expression of emotions Perceptions of Reality Relationships with others

Types of Schizophrenia

1. Paranoid-type: delusions and auditory hallucinations

2. Disorganized-type: speech/behavior is unorganized/difficult to understand

3. Undifferentiated-type: combination of paranoid & disorganized schizophrenia

4. Residual-type schizophrenia: past history, but no current symptoms

Schizophrenia Misconceptions

Schizophrenics are violent/uncontrollable

Can’t lead productive lives

Schizophrenia is “split personalities”

Causes of Schizophrenia

Poorly understood

Occurs in 1% of the population, generally appearing between 16-30

Combination of genetic, environmental, and behavioral factors Physical brain abnormalities Chemical imbalances

Inheritance First degree relative with Schizophrenia= 10% Identical twin of individual with Schizophrenia= 40-65%

5 Types of Symptoms

1. Delusions

2. Hallucinations

3. Disorganized Speech

4. Disorganized Behavior

5. Negative Symptoms (absence of normal behaviors)

1. Delusions

Persecution: belief that other are out to get him or her

Reference: a neutral environmental even is believed to have a special and personal meaning

Grandeur: belief that one is a famous or important figure

Control: belief that one’s thoughts or actions are being controlled by outside, alien force

2. Hallucinations

Sounds or other sensations experienced as real when they exist only in the person’s mind

Auditory and Visual

Meaningful

Worse when alone

3. Disorganized Speech

• Loose Association – topic to topic, no connection from one thing to the next

• Neologisms – made-up words/phrases that only have meaning to patient

• Perseveration – repetition of words and statements

• Clang – Meaningless use of rhyming words

4. Disorganized Behavior

• Decline in daily functioning

• Inappropriate emotional responses

• Behaviors that appear bizarre

• Lack of inhibition and impulse control

5. Negative Symptoms

• Lack of emotional expression

• Lack of interest or enthusiasm

• Seeming lack of interest in the world

• Speech difficulties

Treatment

NO Cure

Medication and Therapy Medication treats the symptoms, not the illness

Antipsychotics

Therapy to develop social skills

Electroconvulsive Therapy