Diagnosis and classification

Question 1

What is schizophrenia?

Answer 1

A severe mental illness where contact with reality and insight are impared

Question 2

What books are used to classify schizophrenia?

Answer 2

The DSM V (uk) or the IDC (Europe)

Question 3

What is needed for schizophrenia to be diagnosed

Answer 3

Criterion C - Continuous signs of disturbance for 6 months with at least one month of criterion A

Question 4

What is criterion A in the diagnosis of schizophrenia?

Answer 4

Symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, disorganised speech, grossly disorganised or catatonic behaviour, negative symptoms.

Question 5

What is criterion B in the diagnosis of schizophrenia?

Answer 5

Social/Occupational dysfunction
For a significant amount of time one or more social areas are not functioning successfully, such as work (eg always being late) and interpersonal relationships (eg not socialising) and self care (eg not washing)

Question 6

What are the two types of symptoms in schizophrenia and what are they defined as?

Answer 6

Positive and Negative
Positive symptoms are symptoms that add something to typical behaviour, they reflect an excess or distortion of normal function
Negative symptoms are symptoms that take away something from typical behaviour, they reflect a diminution or loss of normal function

Question 7

Examples of positive symptoms and what they are?

Answer 7

Hallucinations - bizarre, unreal perceptions which may or may not be related to events in the environment - They’re usually auditory (hearing voices) but can be visual (seeing lights, objects or faces), olfactory (smelling things) or tactile (feeling that bugs are crawling over/under the skin)

Delusions - bizarre beliefs that seem real to the person but are not real

• -They are PARANOID when the person is fearful of persecution
• -Or GRANDIOSE which are inflated beliefs and importance about themselves (eg i can fly, i am jesus, i can read minds)
• -Or of BEING CONTROLLED - that their behaviour, thoughts and feelings are behing controlled by an external force
• —————OTHERS——————
• Experiences of control (^^^)
• Distorted thinking - the feeling that thoughts have been inserted or withdrawn from their mind
• Disorganised behaviour - unpredictable, sudden and unexpected behaviour

Question 8

Examples of negative symptoms and what they are?

Answer 8

Alogia - speech poverty or absence of speech that is thought to reflect slowing or blooked thought

Avolition - finding it difficult to engage or continue with goal directed behaviour. Signs include poor hygiene, lack or persistence in work and lack of energy

————OTHERS————
Affective flattening - a reduction in the range and intensity of emotional expression, voice tone, eye contact and body language
Catatonic behaviour - refers to unusual body movements and include waxy flexibility