Hektor Favela

Fernando Gonzalez
Isaiah Gonzalez

Schizophrenia

1. Schizophrenia ​is a serious disorder which affects how a person thinks, feels and acts.
Someone with schizophrenia may have difficulty distinguishing between what is real and what is
imaginary; may be unresponsive or withdrawn; and may have difficulty expressing normal
emotions in social situations. ​“​Positive” symptoms are psychotic behaviors not generally seen in
healthy people. People with positive symptoms may “lose touch” with some aspects of reality.
Symptoms include:

● Hallucinations
● Delusions
● Thought disorders (unusual or dysfunctional ways of thinking)
● Movement disorders (agitated body movements)
● Schizophrenia is a severe, psychotic mental illness that is characterized by impairment in
the ability to think clearly, manage emotions, make decisions, and relate to others.
Additionally, it causes the affected individual to experience an abnormal interpretation of
reality.

2. Negative symptoms:​ ​“Negative” symptoms are associated with disruptions to normal

emotions and behaviors. Symptoms include:

● “Flat affect” (reduced expression of emotions via facial expression or voice tone)
● Reduced feelings of pleasure in everyday life
● Difficulty beginning and sustaining activities
● Reduced speaking

Cognitive symptoms:​ For some patients, the cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia are subtle,
but for others, they are more severe and patients may notice changes in their memory or other
aspects of thinking. Symptoms include:

● Poor “executive functioning” (the ability to understand information and use it to make
decisions)
● Trouble focusing or paying attention
● Problems with “working memory” (the ability to use information immediately after
learning it)
 ● http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/schizophrenia/symptoms-causes/dxc-202
53198

3. Causes

It's not known what causes schizophrenia, but researchers believe that a combination of genetics,
brain chemistry and environment contributes to development of the disorder.

Problems with certain naturally occurring brain chemicals, including neurotransmitters called
dopamine and glutamate, may contribute to schizophrenia. Neuroimaging studies show
differences in the brain structure and central nervous system of people with schizophrenia. While
researchers aren't certain about the significance of these changes, they indicate that schizophrenia
is a brain disease.

3a. Risk factors

Although the precise cause of schizophrenia isn't known, certain factors seem to increase the risk
of developing or triggering schizophrenia, including:

● Having a family history of schizophrenia.

● Increased immune system activation, such as from inflammation or autoimmune
diseases.
● Older age of the father.
● Some pregnancy and birth complications, such as malnutrition or exposure to toxins
or viruses that may impact brain development.
● Taking mind-altering (psychoactive or psychotropic) drugs during teen years and
young adulthood.
● http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/schizophrenia/symptoms-causes/dx
c-20253198

4. Is it curable?
Antipsychotic medications are the most commonly prescribed drugs. They're thought to control
symptoms by affecting the brain neurotransmitter dopamine.
The goal of treatment with antipsychotic medications is to effectively manage signs and
symptoms at the lowest possible dose.

Second-generation antipsychotics

These newer, second-generation medications are generally preferred because they pose a lower
risk of serious side effects than do first-generation antipsychotics.

Once psychosis recedes, in addition to continuing on medication, psychological and social

(psychosocial) interventions are important. These may include:

● Individual therapy.​ Psychotherapy may help to normalize thought patterns. Also,

learning to cope with stress and identify early warning signs of relapse can help
people with schizophrenia manage their illness.
● Social skills training.​ This focuses on improving communication and social
interactions and improving the ability to participate in daily activities.
● Family therapy.​ This​ ​provides support and education to families dealing with
schizophrenia.
● Vocational rehabilitation and supported employment.​ This focuses on helping
people with schizophrenia prepare for, find and keep jobs.
Hospitalization

During crisis periods or times of severe symptoms, hospitalization may be necessary to ensure
safety, proper nutrition, adequate sleep and basic hygiene.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/schizophrenia/diagnosis-treatment/treatment/txc-
20253211

5. Statistics
More commonly the incidence (rate of diagnosis) of new cases of schizophrenia increases in the
teen years, reaching a peak of vulnerability between the ages of 16 and 25 years. Men and
women show different patterns of susceptibility for developing schizophrenic symptoms. Males
reach a single peak of vulnerability for developing schizophrenia between the ages of 18 and 25
years. In contrast, female vulnerability peaks twice; first between 25 and 30 years, and then again
around 40 years of age.

https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/schizophrenia-symptoms-patterns-and-statistics-and-patterns
/

6. Resources for Schizophrenia

National Institute of Mental Health

National Alliance on Mental Illness

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

American Psychiatric Association

Brain and Behavior Research Foundation

7. Interesting Facts

-Albert Einstein's son was diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 20. ​During his youth Eduard
wanted to be a psychoanalyst but was began showing signs of schizophrenia by the age of 20.
This led to him to be institutionalized several times. He died in an asylum at age 55 and his
family lineage has been used to raise public awareness of schizophrenia.

- Vincent Van Gogh age of diagnoses of schizophrenia was unknown. Among the most famous
schizophrenic people is world renowned artist Vincent Van Gogh.The talented artist lived in a
time when schizophrenia had not yet been identified as a disorder, but many medical
professionals today believe the famous artist and painter suffered from it. He suffered from
unstable moods and a very eccentric personality that led 150 doctors to hypothesize a
posthumous diagnoses. Van Gogh had recurrent psychotic episodes in the last two years of his
life, and at age 37, he committed suicide by shooting himself in the chest with a revolver.

Brian Wilson (member of Beach boys): was diagnosed in his 30’s . Brian Douglas Wilson was
born in June, 1942 and became an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer
best known for being the co-founder of the Beach Boys. He formed the band in 1961 and had a
long string of hits.His childhood was tumultuous which led to years of battling drug and alcohol
abuse and mental illness. After his father died in 1973, his addiction and mental illness took a
turn for the worse and he spent nearly two years secluded in the chauffeur’s quarters of his
home; sleeping, abusing alcohol, taking drugs (including heroin), overeating, and exhibiting
self-destructive behavior. He attempted to drive his vehicle off a cliff, and at another time,
demanded that he be pushed and buried into a grave he had dug in his backyard. During this
period, his voice deteriorated significantly as a result of his mass consumption of cocaine and
incessant chain smoking. He also admitted to having auditory hallucinations, meaning he hears
voices, and has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Wilson revived his career and released
several solo albums in the 1990s. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988,
and was honored by the Kennedy Center in 2007 for lifetime contribution to the performing arts.

http://www.online-psychology-degrees.org/20-famous-people-with-schizophrenia/

8. How can I help?

● Taking care of yourself isn’t being selfish. In fact, it’s just as important for your loved
one with schizophrenia that you look after your own health needs. Schizophrenia can
place an incredible amount of stress on the family. It can take over your life and burn you
out. And if you’re stressed, you’ll make the person with schizophrenia stressed and
trigger or exacerbate their symptoms.
● To better support and care for someone with schizophrenia, you need to find help,
encouragement, and understanding from others. The more support you have, the better it
will be for both you and your loved one.
● Encouraging treatment and self-help is a cornerstone of helping a loved one with
schizophrenia. While medication is an important element of schizophrenia treatment,
your loved one’s recovery depends on other factors as well. Self-help strategies such as
changing to a healthy diet, managing stress, exercising, and seeking social support can
have a profound effect on your loved one’s symptoms, feelings, and self-esteem. And the
more someone does for themselves, the less hopeless and helpless they’ll feel, and the
more likely their doctor will be able to reduce their medication. Your encouragement and
support can be crucial to your loved one starting and continuing a program of self-help.
● Once in treatment, careful monitoring can ensure that your loved one stays on track and
gets the most out of medication.
 ● Stopping medication is the most frequent cause of relapse in schizophrenia, so it’s
extremely important that your family member continues to take all medication as
directed. While relapse can occur even if a person is taking medication as prescribed, you
may be able to prevent a full-blown crisis by recognizing the warning signs and taking
immediate steps.

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