Treatments For Schizophrenia Flashcards
What are the two types of treatment for schizophrenia?
Chemotherapy and cbt
How does chemotherapym aim to treat schizophrenia?
Assumes schizophrenia is caused by an imbalance of the biochemical dopamine, meaning an individual has excessive levels of dopamine, and therefore aims to rebalance this imbalance
What is a conventional anti-psychotic?
E.g chlorpromazine combat positive symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions and thought disturbances. Positive symptoms are the result of an overactive dopamine system. Therefore conventional psychotics work by reducing dopamine levels by stimulating receptors and blocking their action
What is an atypical antipsychotic?
Combats both positive and negative symptoms by acting on dopamine and serotonin. KAPUR&REMINGTON suggest atypical temporarily occupy receptors and rapidly disassociate which is why atypical drugs have less side effects compared to conventional
Explain why davis supports this
He gave schiz’ placebo drug and a control group retained anti-p’s. Placebo had a relapse rate of 55% compared to the control who relapsed 19%.
How do ross and read refute davis?
Pointed out that 45% on placebo didn’t relapse suggesting other, environmental causes
What did ross and read also argue? (Self fulfilling prophecy)
Argue that being given medication reinforces the idea that “something is wrong with you”. This creates a self fulfilling prophecy paradigm and stops the individual addressing other causes e.g life history, current circumstances
What is another refuting factor for anti-p’s (side effects)
Causes horrific side effects like tardrive dsykensia. About 30% of people who take them develop this condition and it is irreversible in 75% of people.
Who supports low side effects of a-typical anti-p’s? (Clue- sounds like what a king had to make him laugh)
Jeste found low side effect rates for a-typical of 5%
What is an alternative threapy for schiz’?
Cbt, believes that abnormal behavior is caused by irrational/unhelpful thoughts and thinking patterns. Therefore aims to rationalize thoughts using cognitive strategies
What does NICE say about CBT?
Recommends cbt for a range of mental illnesses e.g depression and schiz’. Since delusions are thought to be a result from faulty interpretation of events CBT aims to address and correct these interpretations
What do Schizophrenics tend to do and therefore what does CBT aim to do?
Jump to conclusions, they will draw negative conclusions without the facts to support it. This is often a form of paranoid delusions. CBT aims to challenge these conclusions and encourage schiz’ to test them
What is a concluding point for CBT?
CBT is an officially recommended therapy for schiz’. CBT is effective in reducing symptoms and improving personal and social functions of patients. Especially those who dont want to take anti-ps due to the side effects, but is only available to less than 10% of patients.
What is a good conclusion for this essay?
Schizophrenia has both environmental and genetic causes, with concordance rates in MZ twins of 47% (?), therefore CBT is an effective treatment if combined with anti-p’s to address all aietiologies of schiz’
What are the two types of symptoms?
Positive and negative. What is meant by this is the greater or lesser experience of normal thoughts.
Positive - hallucinations/delusions
Negative - flattened effect, poverty of speech, loss of motivation
