Schizophrenia and Psychosis (Case Study #3) Flashcards
What is schizophrenia?
- Complex and debilitating neurological disorder
- Can affect all cultures, genders, socioeconomic groups
- Sensory and cognitive disturbances
- Not preventable/no cure
Describe the onset of schizophrenia as it differs between genders:
MALES: Late teens to early 20’s
FEMALES: Late 20’s to early 30’s
Describe the different etiology of schizophrenia:
- Biochemistry (high levels dopamine, low serotonin, genetic predisposition)
- Cerebral Blood Flow
- Molecular Biology
- Genetic Predisposition
- Stress (especially violence, crime, etc. in childhood; does not cause schizophrenia, but can cause symptoms to worsen or present itself earlier)
- Drug-Induced
- Nutritional Theories
What are positive symptoms of schizophrenia?
- Symptoms that ADD to the person
- Hallucinations
- Delusions
- Bizarre behaviors
- Disorganized thoughts/speech
- Agitation
- Catatonic behaviors
What are negative symptoms of schizophrenia?
- Apathy
- Symptoms that TAKE AWAY from the person; should be there, but isn’t
- Lack of motivation/spontaneity
- Blunted affect
- Lack of emotional warmth
- Impaired social skills
- Impaired abstract thinking ability
- Impaired concentration
What are the three phases of schizophrenia development?
PHASE 1: Prodromal
PHASE 2: Acute
PHASE 3: Recovery
Describe the prodromal stage of schizophrenia development:
- As illness is being developed; start seeing changes in the individual
- Can include social isolation, impaired social skills, paranoia, delusions/hallucinations are present but subtle
- Can last 3-5 years
Describe the acute stage of schizophrenia development:
- Impaired functioning and thought processes
- Positive symptoms begin to really manifest (hallucinations, delusions, odd behavior, etc.)
- Patients often cycle back and forth between this phase and the third phase (recovery)
Describe the recovery stage of schizophrenia:
- Regaining a level of functioning where the individual can have the highest quality of life (ex. social interactions, taking medications, self-care, returning to work, etc.)
- Patient’s who have acute episodes (stage 2) always have a permanent loss of functioning afterwards, and never full recover
What are the cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia?
- Impaired memory
- Inattention
- Inability to follow instructions
- Impaired executive functioning
- Poverty of thought
- Avolition
- Autistic thinking
- Perseveration
- Loose associations
What are the depressive symptoms of schizophrenia?
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Dysphoria (anguish)
- Suicidality
- Drug dependence
- Medical conditions (skin conditions, obesity, bed sores, meds causing diabetes, etc.)
What are other disorders related to schizophrenia?
- Schizoaffective disorder (thought AND mood disorder; severe mood swings and psychotic symptoms)
- Delusional disorder (fixed delusions that are bizarre and not plausible)
What is psychosis?
- A SYMPTOM of mental illness, NOT an illness itself!
- Rush of dopamine in the brain, causing abnormality in thought and behavior, and loss of contact with reality
- Can be present in bipolar disorder, depression, schizo, PTSD, delusional disorder, substance induced, dementia, and psychosis NOS (not otherwise specified)
Describe the epidemiology of psychosis:
- Can occur in all cultures and socioeconomic groups
- Affects males and females equally
- 3% of the population will have at least one episode of psychosis
- Generally develops in late teens-mid 20
- Significant impact on the health care system
What are the risk factors for psychosis?
- Genetic predisposition
- Pregnancy with birth complications
- Developmental delay
- Stressful life events
- Abuse/Trauma
- Drug use
- Immigration (i.e. huge social stress)
- City living
