Schizophrenia

What Is Schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is a psychological disorder
It is classified separately from other disorders because it
is not easily categorized as an anxiety or mood disorder
Schizophrenia is characterized by the inability to
separate reality from and a non-reality
Schizophrenia patients often experience non-existent
stimuli that create perceptions of things that do not exist,
such as voices
Symptoms may include: flat effect (exhibiting no
emotion), delusions, hallucinations, or disorganized
thinking
 Causes of Schizophrenia
No one knows the exact cause of schizophrenia, but
multiple possible factors have been discovered
Genetics appear to play a part; someone is more likely to
develop schizophrenia if they have an identical twin
with schizophrenia than if they have a fraternal twin
with schizophrenia
Women infected with the influenza virus during their
pregnancy are more likely to give birth to children who
will develop the disorder
Schizophrenics brains also contain larger fluid-filled
areas than their healthy brain counterparts
 Johan and Ad van Bennekom are
identical twins, both diagnosed
with schizophrenia.

The left brain is diagnosed

with schizophrenia. The brain
on the right is healthy. The
schizophrenics fluid-filled
areas are larger.
 Types of Schizophrenia
There are five types of schizophrenia:
Catatonic little to no movement, possibly a vegetative state
Disorganized common archetype of schizophrenia;
disorganized thinking, flat effect, inappropriate emotions or
behavior
Paranoid common archetype of schizophrenia; delusions,
hallucinations, false beliefs of grandeur
Residual long-term schizophrenia where most symptoms have
disappeared, negative symptoms (detractions from normal
behavior) often remain such as flat effect or a refusal to talk
Undifferentiated does not fit in one of the above categories
because the patient suffers from symptoms of multiple types
 Schizophrenic Delusions
A delusion is a false belief
Some common schizophrenic delusions include:
Being cheated
Being harassed
Being poisoned
Being spied upon
Being plotted against
Most delusions are very grandiose and involve the
patient at the center of some large plot or scheme
 Schizophrenic Hallucinations
A hallucination is a nonexistent stimulus that is perceived
as real
The most common schizophrenic hallucination is hearing
voices, however the patient may also have visual
hallucinations where they see a person or object that
does not exist
Hallucinated voices often interact with the patient:
By commenting on their behavior
By ordering them to do things
By warning of impending dangers
By talking to other voices about the patient
 Treating Schizophrenia
Antipsychotic drugs have been effective in treating the
symptoms of schizophrenia
Unfortunately, these drugs can also have some mild side
effects including drowsiness, weight gain, jitters,
movement problems, and muscle contractions
A possible long-term side effect of antipsychotic drugs is
a condition called tardive dyskinesia where patients will
develop uncontrollable movements
Another treatment is atypical antipsychotic drugs which
have less side effects and can better treat patients not
treated effectively by the normal drugs
Therapy and counseling are also effective in improving
behavior as well as creating a system of support for the
 How Do People Live With Schizophrenia?
Many people diagnosed with schizophrenia are still able
to live normal, happy lives
For those diagnosed with the disorder, it is very
important that they continue to take their medication
and abstain from drugs and drinking
One man diagnosed with schizophrenia presents this
optimistic picture of living with his disorder:
"Those early years when you are first diagnosed are very hard. Many
people are very surprised by the illness and don't know what to do.
Many refuse medicines. But as time goes on, most people learn what
works. They find their best medication. They find a way to live that is
satisfying and doesn't stress them too much. They learn not to drink too
much alcohol, and to take care of themselves. The find a good doctor,
and often others help them, such as friends, priest, or counselor. People
make a decent life for themselves. They find love, ,they find work....it
 Famous People With Schizophrenia

John Nash Nobel Prize Syd Barret guitarist for

winner Mary Todd Lincoln
Pink Floyd
wife of Abraham
Lincoln
 A Beautiful Mind
The movie, A Beautiful Mind, was created based on the life of
schizophrenic John Nash
The movie drew the audience into Nashs delusions, with the
imagined people and conspiracies seeming to be completely real
Half-way through the movie, Nash is diagnosed with schizophrenia
and his delusions are revealed to the audience
The movie then documents Nashs struggles with his disorder and
his coming to terms with it
In the end, Nash is able to live with his schizophrenia and becomes
a professor at Princeton as well as the recipient of a Nobel Prize for
one of his economic theories
The movie creates a decent portrayal of schizophrenia and helps
viewers understand how reality can become so mixed up in the
mind of a schizophrenic
Nashs two main
delusions as seen in
the movie
 Schizophrenia Trivia
Schizophrenia, along with depression, is one of the only
disorders known to exist in every culture and society
around the world
Schizophrenia affects men and women equally, but it is
usually diagnosed earlier in men
Schizophrenia has received a significant stigma in
history and in modern society, further facilitating social
withdrawal among schizophrenics
Although seemingly primitive, electroconvulsive
therapy has proven to be safe and effective in treating
sever cases of schizophrenia
 Bibliography
Psychology, 8th Edition by David Meyers
https://health.google.com/health/ref/Schizophrenia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schizophrenia
http://schizophrenia.emedtv.com/schizophrenia/types-
of-schizophrenia.html
http://www.schizophrenia.com/family/FAQgen.htm#pro
gnosis
http://www.disabled-
world.com/artman/publish/famous-schizophrenia.shtml
A Beautiful Mind