SCHIZOPHRENIA

Question 1

What is schizophrenia?

Answer 1

• A type of psychosis characterised by a profound disruption of cognition and emotion
• A severe mental disorder in which thoughts + emotions are so impaired that contact is lost with external reality

Most common psychotic disorder

Question 2

Explain the causes of schizophrenia

Answer 2

• Often diagnosed between ages of 15 and 35 - men + women affected equally
• Affects about 1% of population at some point in their lifetime

Question 3

Explain how schizophrenia is diagnosed

Answer 3

• A clinician would sue a diagnostic manual (e.g. DSM-V/Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychiatric Disorders)
  ^— is a classification + description of over 200 mental disorders (mainly used in US)
• In Europe, ICD (International Classification of Diseases) is used (currently at ICD-11 in 2018)

Question 4

Explain what is meant by the positive symptoms of schizophrenia

Answer 4

• Those that appear to reflect an excess or distortion of normal functions
• This adds something to an affected individual’s lived experiences

Question 5

List some of the positive symptoms of schizophrenia

Answer 5

• Hallucinations
• Delusions
• Disorganised speech
• Grossly disorganised or catatonic behaviour

Question 6

Outline the nature of hallucinations as a positive symptom of schizophrenia

Answer 6

• Bizarre, unreal perceptions of the environment that are usually auditory (hearing) - but may be visual, olfactory (smelling) or tactile (feeling)
• Many schizophrenics report hearing a voice or several voices telling them to do something (e.g. harm themselves or another person) or commenting on their behaviour

Question 7

Outline the nature of delusions as a positive symptom of schizophrenia

Answer 7

• Bizarre beliefs that seem real to the sufferer, but aren’t real
  ^— can be paranoid in nature (involves a belief that they are being followed or spied on - maybe believe their phone is tapped or there are hidden cameras in their home)
• May also believe they are famous or have special powers/abilities
• Delusions of reference: events in the environment appear to be directly related to them (e.g. special personal messages being communicated through the TV or radio)

Question 8

Outline the nature of disorganised speech as a positive symptom of schizophrenia

Answer 8

• The result of thought processes, where the individual has problems organising their thoughts + is present in their speech
• May slip from one topic to another (derailment) - even mid sentence
  ^— may even be complete gibberish (word salad)

Question 9

Outline the nature of grossly disorganised/catatonic behaviour as a positive symptom of schizophrenia

Answer 9

• Includes the inability or motivation to initiate a task/complete it once it’s started
  ^— leads to difficulties in daily living + can result in decreased interest in personal hygiene
• May dress/act in a bizarre way (e.g. heavy clothes on a hot summer’s day
• Catatonic behaviour - characterised by a reduced reaction to the immediate environment, rigid postures or aimless motor activity