Galvan,1

JulianaGalvan
Mr.Price
APEnglish
8December2015
Schizophrenia
Imagineapersonwhogetordersfromtheirmother,whoisinanotherroom,todothe
laundry.Theyhearher,buttheycantseeher.Theyblowheroffbecausetheyknowthatthey
canclosethedoortotheirroom,putheadphoneson,andblastmusictoblockouthervoice.Now
theyareaSchizophrenic.Theyhearsomeoneinanotherroom,buttheyarehomealone.Theyget
scared,buttheyblowitoffandblasttheirmusic.Theyhearavoice,eventhroughtheirmusic,
likethereissomeonerightnexttothem,butthereisnoonethere.Theydecidetotakeawalk
outsidetokeeptheirmindoffofwhathappenedintheirhouse.Astheywalkdownthedeserted
street,theyseeamanwalkinghisdogintheirdirectionontheoppositesidewalk.Theygeta
suddenimpulsethatthemanisfollowingthemandwatchesthemeveryday.Theythinkthathe
hassetupcamerasintheirhouseandit'swhatmakesthemhearvoices.Theyhearthevoices
again,buttheonlythingthatisdifferentisthattheyareoutside.Thevoicestellthemthatthe
manwilltrytokillthemandiftheydontkillthemselvesfirstthenthemanwillkilltheirfamily.
Schizophreniaisachronicpsychosisthatconsistsofhallucinations,inabilityto
distinguishbetweenrealityandfantasy,symptomsofParanoia,anddisturbancesofemotional
andanalyticalthoughts.Thismentalillnesshasnospecificcause.Scientistsarestilltryingto
figureoutwhatcausesthismajordisorder,buttheydoknowthatishastodowithanimbalance
ofchemicalsinthebrain.Manypeoplebelievethatschizophreniacausesonetohavemultiple

Galvan,2

personalities,oracommitmenttoanimaginaryworld.Therearemanymentalillnessesthat
makeothersdothesameexactthingandtheydonotunderstandhowuniqueschizophreniareally
is.AYoutubedocumentary,Schizophrenia:stolenlivesstolenmindsstates,Schizophreniais
aboutthemostcomplicatedandfascinatingdiseasethatpeoplehavebecauseitissocomplex,it
hassomanydifferentkindsofsymptoms(Schizophrenia:Stolenminds,StolenLives).It
affectsabout1%ofthehumanpopulationbetweenthelateteenandearlyadulthood.
Schizophreniaisntadisorderthatonecanautomaticallynoticeorisascommonasautism,
OCD,ADHD,downsyndrome,tourettes,etc..Peopleshouldhavebasicknowledgeofthis
disordertobeawareofthosewhohaveschizophreniaandothermentaldisorders.Thisway,
otherswillhaveknowledgeofhowdifficultthisdisorderisforthevictimandtheirfamiliesto
livewithbeforetheyjudge.Thosewhojudgeandantagonizebeforeanypriorknowledgemakeit
harderforthevictimandfamilytocopewiththeirdisorder.
Regardlessofculture,race,sex,1outof100peopledevelopschizophrenia.Thiscan
affectpeoplefromages1530yearsold.Thismentalillnesscanhappentoanyone.
Schizophreniadoesnotmeanthatthevictimhasmadebadchoicesintheirlifeorhasunhealthy
habits.Havingthisdiseasedependsonyourgeneticmakeup,howyourbrainworks,and
inheritance.Thosewhodevelopschizophreniahavelittlecontrolovertheirsymptomsandothers
whodonotunderstandthisillnessbecomefrustratedbecausetheydonotknowwhattheyare
goingthrough.Schizophreniaisamisunderstooddisorderthatmanypeoplemistakeformultiple
personalitydisorder,pronetoviolence,causedbyfamilyrelationsordrugsandalcohol.Multiple
personalitydisorder,ordissociativeidentitydisorderiswhentherearetwoormorepersonalities
withinthesameperson.ThishasnothingtodowithSchizophrenia.Peoplethinkthisbecause

Galvan,3

sometimesthebehaviorofpeoplewithSchizophreniavariesoriserraticduetofluctuationin
symptomssuchasparanoia,depression,oranxiety(Mueser,5).Familyproblemsanddrugsare
alsomythsthatpeoplebelievecauseSchizophrenia.Schizophreniaisabiologicalillnessthatis
independentfromthetypesoffamilyenvironmentthatSchizophrenicshave.Drugscancausethe
samesymptomsofSchizophrenia,butitdoesnotcauseit.
Schizophreniaisaterribledisease.Itpullsouttherugfrompeople,psychologically
speaking,rightwhentheyareenteringthetimeoftheirlife(Schizophrenia:Stolenminds,
Stolenlives).Schizophreniaisachronicdiseasethatis,withnodoubt,lifechanging.Thosewho
developeditwereoncemostpopular,bestathletes,valedictorians,etc.,intheirlife.Oncethey
developSchizophrenia,theirlifeturnsaroundandheadsinanotherdirection.Schizophreniawill
consumeoneslifebecauseitdemandsintensivecareandtreatment.Familiessufferjustasmuch
astheirrelativeorchilddoesbecausethey,notonlyhavetotakecareofthem,buttheyhaveto
createthepatiencetocareforthemsothattheycanlivethebestlifetheycanwiththishorrible
illness.Inthebook,Diagnosis:Schizophrenia,apatientnamedGenevievedescribesherfirst
encounterwithSchizophrenia,WhileIwasworkingIthoughtpeoplewereaftermeandIwas
beingfollowed.Ithoughtmyphonewastapped.TheofficewouldcallmetotellmewhereI
wasgoingtobeworking.TheonesspyingonmewerepeopleIdidntknow,butIgavethem
names.IwenttotheofficetoquitbecauseIthoughtpeoplewerefollowingme(Miller,6).This
symptomofparanoiaisverycommoninSchizophrenia.Genevievesuffersfrompersecutory
delusions.Thesetypeofdelusionscausesomeonetohaveparanoidthoughtsthatsomeoneis
afterthemorwanttokillthem.Thesepeoplewhoarethoughttobeafterthemcanbefamily,
friends,orevenstrangers.Anotherpatient,Meredith,alsodescribesherstory,Istartedhaving

Galvan,4

strangethoughts,liketheendoftheworldwascoming.Istartedfeelingthingslikeheartbeatsin
mystomach,andIthoughtIwaspregnantwithJesusChristWeallwenttochurchandtalked
tothepriestaftermass.ItoldhimIwasgoingtohaveJesuschrist,andhetoldmyparentsto
bringmetothehospital(Miller,10).Thisisalsoacommonsymptomofstrange,unexplainable
thoughtswithnocontrolorreasonoverthem.Thisanotherformofdelusionsthatarerealtothe
person,butimpossibletothosewithoutSchizophrenia.Schizophreniacanaffectmanypeople
regardlessofwhotheyare.
TherearemanysymptomsthatcanindicateSchizophrenia.Therearenotanytwopeople
withSchizophreniawhohavethesamecombinationofsymptoms.EverySchizophrenicis
affectedandreactstosymptomsdifferently.Thereare5categoriesofsymptoms:psychotic
symptoms,negativesymptoms,cognitiveimpairment,moodproblems,andbehavioral
disturbances.Psychoticsymptomsarealsocalledpositivesymptoms.Positivesymptomsare
symptomsareaddedtoonespersonalityandaredefinedbythepresenceofpatentlyabsurdor
falsethoughts,behaviors,orfeelings(Mueser,21).HallucinationsandDelusionsarethetwo
psychoticsymptomsthatoscillateovertime.Thesesymptomscanbecomeverynoticeableand
caninvolve24/7care.Hallucinationsarefalsesensesthatthepersonexperiencesthatothersdo
notexperience.Hallucinationscanbeaudible,visual,orothers.About10%experienceother
typesofhallucinations,25%arevisual,and70%areaudible.Audiblehallucinationsareheardas
outsidevoiceandvoicescomingfromthepersonsmind.Outsidevoicescanbeheardsoclear
thatitfeelslikeapersonisrightnexttotheperson.Voicesinsideaperson'sheadcanfeellike
murmuringofmanypeopleorasifsomeoneistellingyouwhattodo.Manyareawarethatthese
voicesarenotrealandothersrefusetobelievethatandbelievethatsomeoneissendinga

Galvan,5

message.HallucinationsandDelusionsaresimilar,yetdifferent.Delusionsarefalsebeliefsthat
onedevelops.Thesebeliefsseemveryrealtothepersonwhereasothersmaythinkitis
ridiculous.Therearemanydifferenttypesofdelusion,butthesearethemostcommontypes:
persecutory,reference,control,andgrandiose.PersecutorydelusionsarealsoknownasParanoid
delusionbecausethepersonthinksthatsomeoneisafterthemandarebeingharassedorpursued.
Delusionsofreferencearemistakenbeliefsthatsomeoneorsomethingistryingtocontactthem
orsendthemamessagethatisspecificallyforthem.SuchasatheTVnewscastreferredtoher
lastnight(Mueser,23)orsomethingasunbelievableasseeingthenumber666onthelicense
plateonacarinfrontofherandbelievesitisamessagefromthedevilthatsheiscondemnedto
gotohell(Mueser,23).Delusionsofcontrolisthatsomethingorsomeonecaninfluenceand
controlsomeone'sactions.Grandiosedelusionsarebeliefsthattheyarespecialandhasunique
abilitiesthatothersdonot.
Therearealsosymptomscallednegativesymptomswhichsimplymeansthereisan
absenceofnormalbehavior.Thesearedifferentfrompositivesymptomsinthesensethatthey
aremorestable.However,itismoredifficulttorecognizethesesymptomsuntilyoubecome
familiarwiththesesymptomofthepersonoryourrelative.Bluntedeffectsisanegative
symptom.Thewordaffectisusedmymentalhealthprofessionaltodescribenoticeable
expressionofemotioninnormalbehavior.Theyalsouseflataffecttodescribethelackof
emotionexpressed.ApersonwithSchizophreniamighttellahumorousstorywithouta
humoroustoneofvoiceorfacialexpressionstoshowtheemotionofthestory.However,this
doesnotmeanthatthepersondoesnotfeeltheemotionofthestory,theyarejustnotableto
showtheemotionthattheyfeelontheinside.Alogiaisalsoanegativesymptom.Thissymptom

Galvan,6

describesthelackofspeechwhichisaverycommonsymptom.Alotoftimes,otherscan'tcarry
outconversationswithSchizophrenicswhohavethisbecausetheydonthavemuchtosay.
ApathyisanothersymptomthatcanaffectthosewhosufferfromSchizophrenia.Thisisthelack
ofmotivationtocarryoutdailyactivitiessuchasbrushingtheirhairorteeth.Anhedoniaisthe
lackofabilitytofeelemotionstoactivitiesorthingsthatusedtomakeyoufeelpleasureor
enjoyment.
CognitiveImpairmentconsistofverynoticeablesymptomsthataffectthesocialaspectof
aSchizophrenic.ThesecanaffectthethoughtprocessofsomeonewhohasSchizophrenia.They
canbedistractedbytheirsurroundingveryeasilywhencarryingoutaconversationwith
someone.Theirabilitytoreactortorespondtosomethingsaidtothemcanalsobeaffectedalong
withtheirmemoryandexecutionoffunctionthatrequireabstractreasoning(Mueser,25).
Theyalsohavenosocialperceptiontorecognizeimportantemotionsthatanotherpersonhas
duringaninteraction.Theywillalsochangethesubjectmanytimesinaconversationandalso
createtheirownwordstohaveitsownmeaningwhichconfusesothers.Theyalsocanhave
Anosognosia,whichistheinabilitytorealizethattheyhaveamentalillness.
Moodproblemsplayamajorpartinthismentalillness.Thiscanincludedepressionand
suicidality,anxiety,anger,hostility,andsuspiciousness,labilemood,inappropriateor
incongruousaffects.alotofthesecanberelatedtopsychoticorpositivesymptoms.Thereare
alsobehavioraldisturbancesarearerarewithinSchizophrenia.theycangetintoastateof
catatoniawheretheykeepthesamebodilypositionforoursoracatatonicexcitementwhichisa
purposelessmotoractivitiesnotbroughtaboutbyexternalstimuli(Mueser,28).Mutismisthe
refusaltotalkwhichisanotherbehavioraldisturbance.Therearemanysymptomsthatcanvary

Galvan,7

offofthesemainsymptomsandthisiswhyalotofpeoplegetSchizophreniaconfusedwith
otherdisorders.Schizophreniahasmanysimilardisordersthatalsobelongtoothermental
disorders.Unfortunately,thesesymptomsareaccompaniedbyothersymptomswhichis
diagnosedasSchizophrenia.
ManyfamilieswhohavearelativethatdevelopsSchizophreniawonderwhyandhow
suchacomplexmentalillnesscanform.Therearemanytheoriesthathavebeenformedoverthe
centuriesthathavethoughttobetheexplanationbehindSchizophrenia,butitonlyappliedto
certainamountsoftheSchizophrenicpopulation.Someofthesetheoriesareneurochemical,
developmental,nutritional,Endocrine,stress,obsolete,Dopamine,environmental,infectiousand
immune.Thelistoftheoriesgoeson.However,scientistshavenarroweddownthesehypothesis
todeformationsinthebrain.WhencomparingthebrainofaSchizophrenictoanormalbrain,
manythingsaredifferent.Inbrainimaging,theyhavefoundthatthereisreductionofmetabolic
activityinthefrontalcortexofthebrainwiththosewerearediagnosedwithSchizophrenia.In
addition,neuropsychologicalstudiesofhigherlevelthoughtprocessessuchasabstractionand
conceptformationindicatethatpeoplewithschizophrenia,whoperformpoorlyinbothtasks,
probablyhavereducedactivityinthefrontalcortex(Gur,21).Thisisthereasonwhymany
scientistshavemadeneurotransmittertheories.Forexample,dopaminehasbeenstudiedasarole
inSchizophreniaforalongtime,largelybecausesomeantipsychoticmedications,suchas
chlorpromazine(Thorazine),seemtoworkbyblockingdopaminereceptors,therebypreventing
dopaminefromcarryingmessagesacrosstherelevantneurons(Gur,22).Thefirsttheoryof
dopamineisexplainsthatthedopaminecircuitsareoverloadedandcausesthevoicesinone's
headandfalsebeliefsandotherpositivesymptoms.Anothertheorysaysthatthebreakdownof

Galvan,8

dopamineinotherchemicalscausesthenegativesymptoms.However,inonestudyonlyabout
twothirdsofschizophreniapatientshavebeenfoundtohaveincreasednumbersofdopamine
receptors,whichsuggeststhatdopamineoverloadisnotthesolecauseofthedisease(Gur,23).
SinceSchizophreniahasnomanycausesandnotonetheoryworksforallSchizophrenics,the
questionarises,isSchizophreniaonediseaseormanydiseases?Acasecanbemadeforthe
oppositeapproachthatmostcasesofSchizophreniamayturnouttohaveasinglemajorcause
(Torrey,133).Whiletryingtofindthecause,theyarestilltryingtofigureoutthebreakdownof
Schizophreniaandhowitshowssomanysymptomsofsomanyothermentalillnesses.
Schizophreniaisaveryinterestingmentalillness.Therearemanysignsofthisillness
thatcausesothers,whodonothaveknowledgeofthisillness,tobelievethatthepersonmultiple
personalitydisorder,angerissues,orevenbipolar.Thesymptomsvarybetweenevery
SchizophrenicandeverySchizophrenicisuniquewhichmakesithardfordoctorand
psychologiststodiagnose.Therearemanysymptomsthatpeoplemighthavethatother
Schizophrenicsdonot.Thisisverycomplexwhichisanotherreasonwhytheyhavenotfounda
causeforit.Theyhavenarroweddowntheirhypothesisandtheories,buteverythingthathas
beentestedcomesbacktoonequestion,isSchizophreniaonediseaseormanydiseases?
Everyoneshouldknowthecomplexprocessofthismentalillnesssothatwhentheyapproacha
victimofSchizophrenia,theycanunderstandthattheyhavenocontroltheirsymptomsandthe
severitycanvary.Othersalsoneedtorealizehowmuchthisillnessaffectsthefamiliesandwhat
theyhavetogothroughinordertogivetheirlovedonethebestlifethattheycanhaveinorderto
getaswellastheycan.Schizophreniaisacomplicated,fascinatingdiseasethatstealsthelivesof

Galvan,9

peoplejustastheyareentering.Peopleshouldunderstandthismentalillnesssotheydonot
judgeothersuncontrollableandpreventableillness.

Galvan,10

Citations

Miller,Rachel,andSusanElizabeth.Mason.Diagnosis:Schizophrenia:AComprehensive
ResourceforConsumers,Families,andHelpingProfessionals.NewYork:ColumbiaUP,
2011.Print.

Wylie,JohnV.DiagnosingandTreatingMentalIllness:AGuideforPhysicians,Nurses,
Patients,andTheirFamilies.Spokane,WA:Demers,2010.Print.

Gur,RaquelE.,andAnnBradenJohnson.IfYourAdolescentHasSchizophrenia:AnEssential
ResourceforParents.Oxford:OxfordUP,2006.Print.

Mueser,KimTornvall.,andSusanGingerich.TheCompleteFamilyGuidetoSchizophrenia:
HelpingYourLovedOneGettheMostoutofLife.NewYork:Guilford,2006.Print.

Schofield,Michael.JanuaryFirst:AChild'sDescentintoMadnessandHerFather'sStruggleto
saveHer.NewYork:Crown,2012.Print.

Torrey,E.Fuller.SurvivingSchizophrenia:AManualforFamilies,Consumers,andProviders.
NewYork:Quill,2001.Print.

"Schizophrenia:StolenMinds,StolenLives."YouTube.YouTube,n.d.Web.13Dec.2015.