Psychotic Disorders P.2 Flashcards
What is schizophrenia?
Chronic and severe mental disorder: schizophrenia is a long-term and debilitating condition that significantly impairs an individual’s cognitive, emotional and behavioral functioning.
Disrupted thought processes: Individuals with schizophrenia often experience distorted perceptions, delusions, hallucinations and disorganized thinking, which can lead to difficulty in distinguishing between reality and their internal experiences.
Impaired emotional and social functioning: Schizophrenia can affect an individual’s ability to regulate emptions, form meaningful realtionships and engage in social activities which can further contribute to social isolation and difficulties in daily life.
Positive symptoms of schizophrenia
Delusions: False beliefs that are not based in reality.
Hallucinations: Seeing, hearing or feeling things that are not real.
Disorganized speech: difficulty in expressing thoughts coherently, with speech that may be difficult to understand or jump between unrelated topics.
Disorganized behaviour: difficulty in performing daily tasks or activities, such as difficulty in getting dressed or maintaining personal hygiene.
Lack of Motivation: Decreased motivation to participate in activities or engage in social interactions, which can lead to social withdrawal and isolation.
Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Flat affect: Reduced emotional expression and lack of facial expressions or vocal intonations.
Avolition: Reduced motivation and lack of goal-directed behaviour, leading to difficulty in completing tasks.
Anhedonia: Decreased ability to experience pleasure from activities.
Social withdrawal: reduced social interaction and withdrawal from interpersonal relationships.
Causes of Schizophrenia
Genetic Factors: Schizophrenia is believed to have a strong genetic component, with increased risk for individuals with a close relative who has the disorder.
Environmental Factors: Exposure to certain environmental factors such as prenatal infections, maternal stress and drug abuse may contribute to development of schizophrenia.
Neurological Factors: Imbalances in certain neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin as well as structural/funcitonal abnormalities in the brain have been associated with schizophrenia
Treatment for Schizophrenia
Medication: Antipsychotic medications are the primary treatment for schizophrenia. They work by regulating the neurotransmitters in the brain that are imbalanced. Common antipsychotics include olanzapine, risperidone and clozapine
Psychotherapy: Cognitive-behavioural therapy and family therapy can help individuals manage their symptoms and develop coping strategies. Psychotherapy aims to address the psychological and social aspects of the disorder.
Social Support: support groups, community based services and rehabilitation programs can help individuals improve their social functioning, independent living skills and integrate into the community. These support systems can also provide emional/practical assistance to their families.
The Impact of Schizophrenia
Percentage of individuals with schizophrenia experiencing various levels of functional impairment:
Severe impairment in self care: 35%
Severe impairment in social functioning: 55%
Severe impairment in work/school performance: 45%
Moderate impairment in overall quality of life: 65%
