Schizophrenia Flashcards
What is schizophrenia?
A type of psychosis characterised by a profound disruption of cognition and emotion
What is the basic nature of schizophrenia?
- A severe mental disorder in which thoughts and emotions are impaired so much that contact is lost with external reality
- Most often diagnosed between 15 and 35
- Typically experience delusions and hallucinations
What are the 2 types of symptoms of schizophrenia?
Positive and Negative
What is a positive symptom?
(refers to an addition to behaviour, not beneficial/good symptoms), appear to reflect an excess or distortion of normal functioning
What is a negative symptom?
Appear to reflect a loss of normal functioning
What are 5 common negative symptoms?
- Social/Occupational Dysfunction
- Avolition
- Alogia/Speech Poverty
- Affective Flattening
- Anhedonia
What is meant by avolition?
The reduction, difficulty or inability to persist in goal-directed behaviour, often mistaken for apparent disinterest
What is meant by the term ‘delusions’?
Firmly held erratic beliefs that are caused by distortions of reasoning, or misinterpretation of experiences
How might delusions be characterised for a schizophrenic person?
- They may experience delusions of paranoia, such as the belief they are being followed or spied upon
- They may experience delusions of grandeur, such as inflated beliefs about their power or importance
- They may experience delusions of reference, when they believe events in the environment are directly related to them, for example personal messages being communicated through the TV
What is meant by hallucinations?
Distortions or exaggerations of perception in any of the senses. They are most commonly in auditory form; with the patient believing someone is telling them to do something
What are 4 common positive symptoms?
- Hallucinations
- Delusions
- Catatonic Behaviour
- Disorganised thinking
What is meant by speech poverty?
The lessening of speech fluency and productivity, which reflects slowing or blocked thoughts.
How are diagnoses of schizophrenia most commonly made in the UK?
A diagnosis is made using diagnostic material such as the DSM-V
What are the 3 criterion for classification of schizophrenia by the DSM-V?
Criterion A: Two or more of the pos/neg symptoms (delusions, abolition, hallucinations)
Criterion B: Noticable dysfunction in work, interpersonal relations and self care.
Criterion C: Duration; continuous disturbance for at least 6 months, including 1 month of symptoms from Criterion A
What is disorganised speech?
The individual has problems organising thoughts and this shows up in their speech
e.g) flitting from topic to topic in a conversation
