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Research Paper On Schizophrenia
Research Paper On Schizophrenia
Research Paper On Schizophrenia
Bernadette Perez
ComSki2-P1B
12 Mar 2010
rare condition. But it is actually not rare; in fact each person has a risk of developing it
within their lifetime. It is most common to psychoses, and half of the inpatients in mental
hospitals are Schizophrenics. It is a brain disorder that can happen to anyone occurring
in any culture, affecting men and women equally and all areas of functioning, including
mental health problem that can affect people from all walks of life.
factors. Biological interpretations have dominated in past studies. But twin and adoption
determinant, and there is no assurance that one will ensure if he will or will not develop
Schizophrenia.
Problems associated with Schizophrenia as a disorder
Schizophrenia not only affects the person with the disease but also their
relationships with the people around them. Schizophrenics often withdraw and isolate
themselves, thus, developing paranoia and creating difficulties within their relationships.
Their paranoia causes them to form absurd and suspicious beliefs about their family or
friends. And it is hard to reason with them because they are incapable to think rationally.
The common signs and symptoms they have are grandiose delusional thoughts, anger,
tendency to argue, intensity when interacting with others and violent behavior. A
schizophrenic accuses everyone around him of lying or somehow trying to hurt him. And
it would just be normal for all the people who love him and deal with him to feel
frustrated and run out of ways to respond anymore. Usually they would feel irritated and
confront them. And these arguments destroy the relationship, if not, close to giving up
on it.
Schizophrenics are unable to carry out routine daily activities; this is due to the
delusions, hallucinations and fantasies they experience which confuse them to focus on
their tasks, even simple ones like eating meals and taking baths. They behave quite silly
and have troubles of taking care of themselves. Other signs and symptoms include
indifference and infantile behavior. Because of these, they lose touch on how they are
supposed to carry out their duties for the day. There are also cases when the diagnosed
people with schizophrenia (Dworkin 2001). And it also complicates the course and
frequently abuse other substances as well. They probably use alcohol and other drugs
for many of the same reasons as others in society, but it could also be an attempt to
and the psychiatrists say they can't help a patient if they have an active substance
abuse problem.
Schizophrenics are most likely to attempt suicide, and a few of them succeed in
doing it. It is more likely to happen in upswing of the disorder, when the symptoms have
abated a little and the person sees reality more clearly. They often keep their thoughts
private, so any suicidal talk, threats, or gestures should be taken very seriously.
developing the disorder, as opposed to the 1 percent chance of the general population
(Beebe 2003). But Schizophrenia is only influenced by genetics, and not determined by
it. While Schizophrenia runs in families, about 60% of Schizophrenics have no family
members with the disorder. Furthermore, individuals who are genetically predisposed to
Schizophrenia don’t always develop the disease, which shows that biology is not
destiny.
that some people inherit a tendency to Schizophrenia. In fact, the disorder tends to “run”
in families, but only among blood relatives. People who have family members with
Schizophrenia may be more likely to get the disease themselves. Nader Bechara points
out that if both biologic parents have Schizophrenia, there is nearly a 40% chance that
their child will get it, too (48). This happens even if the child is adopted and raised by
mentally healthy adults. In people who have an identical twin with Schizophrenia, the
biological parents are mentally healthy – even if their adoptive parents have
Schizophrenia – have about a 1% chance of getting the disease. Some studies have
shown that influenza infection or improper nutrition during pregnancy and complications
during birth may increase the risk that the baby will develop Schizophrenia later in life.
degree responsible for the onset of Schizophrenia. In addition to the dopamine factor
however, specific stressors and genetic factors may also be important. “In the area of
factors from research is a liability for research and clinical efforts because
1997, p. 109). The research conducted by Farmer and Pandurangi suggests that while
dopamine may be a factor, there may be a tendency to inherit the specific levels of
dopamine and how they function in a person’s brain. In other words, some people may
be predisposed to chemical imbalances in the brain. The two researchers state very
clearly though that the disease itself is not inherited but the vulnerability for the disease
can be inherited.
Twin and adoption studies suggest that inherited genes make a person
trigger the disorder. As for the environmental factors involved, more and more research
levels during birth (from prolonged labor or premature birth), exposure to a virus during
play a role in schizophrenia. Enlarged brain ventricles are seen in some Schizophrenics,
indicating a deficit in the volume of brain tissue. There is also evidence of abnormally
low activity in the frontal lobe, the area of the brain responsible for planning, reasoning,
and decision-making. Some studies also suggest that abnormalities in the temporal
symptoms. But despite the evidence of brain abnormalities, it is highly unlikely that
Schizophrenia is the result of any one problem in any one region of the brain.
Schizophrenia can be a bewildering and destructive force, not only to those who
suffer from it, but also to their friends and relatives. The families of people with
schizophrenia often struggle with a wide range of difficult emotions, including fear, guilt,
anger, frustration, and helplessness. Worried about the stigma of mental illness or
members may also try to hide their loved one’s illness from others.
Coping Mechanism
causes in the home. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the families
who deal most successfully with Schizophrenia are those that come to accept the illness
and its difficulties, are realistic in what they expect of the ill person and themselves, and
maintain a sense of humor. Keeping a positive outlook is much easier when you have
others to turn to for support. Like a loved one with schizophrenia, support,
get them into treatment and help them stick with it. Often, the first challenge of
treatment is convincing the ill relative to see a doctor. To people experiencing delusions,
hallucinations, and paranoia, there is no need for medical intervention because the
voices and conspiracy theories are real. Once a family member is in treatment, careful
monitoring can ensure that he or she is staying on track and getting the most out of
medication. Medication monitoring involves dealing with side effects, encouraging loved
ones to take medications regularly, avoiding drug interactions, and tracking medication
response. Many people stop taking their Schizophrenia medication because of side
effects, so one must pay attention to any drug complaints. Antipsychotic medications
can cause unpleasant and dangerous side effects when combined with other
vitamins, and herbs. Help a family member avoid any problems by giving the doctor a
complete list of the drugs and supplements he or she is taking. Mixing alcohol or illegal
drugs with Schizophrenia medication is also harmful, so talk to the doctor if a relative
has a substance abuse problem. One can help the doctor track treatment progress by
a person to tell the difference between real and unreal experiences, to think logically, to
have normal emotional responses to other, and to behave normally in social situations.
People with schizophrenia may also have difficulty in remembering, talking, and
behaving appropriately.
The literature reviewed for this paper is definitely clear that Schizophrenia is the
most complicated of all the psychiatric conditions to understand and treat. The research
on the dopamine theory states that the dopamine levels in the brain are one of the
central factors in the development of schizophrenia. However, as this paper has noted,
that body of research is still unclear as to why some people have a problem with
dopamine levels. At least one piece of research suggests that schizophrenia may
structure and monotony, whereas low dopamine activity appears in those personalities
schizophrenia and creativity. In the Dopamine theory, it is stated that people who have
There could be genetic factors at work. In addition to genetic factors, there are
psychosocial factors that must be considered such as stress or a traumatic event which
could be part of the reason why some people become ‘schizophrenic’. Generally, both
the genetic factors and the environment are the aspects which create the predisposition
towards schizophrenia.
Many questions regarding Schizophrenia remain unanswered. The one fact that
we do know is that the development of newer antipsychotics have been able to provide
people who suffer with schizophrenia at least some measure of relief and the ability to
live their lives. However, these drugs can often cause a broad range of side effects
which can also be disabling to the individual. In addition to the drugs, people with this
condition are definitely in need of strong supports including professional counseling and
other community support services. Most people with schizophrenia will live with the
condition their entire lives. Many will require several periods of hospitalization. Some will
react well to the drugs but some do not. There are also many people who do well on the
drugs and then come off in the belief that the condition has been cured, only to find they
relapse.
brain. This fact means that the dopamine theory may be an oversimplification of what is
likely to be a far more complex connection than research has yet to uncover. However,
even though we do not yet fully understand the connection (or all the connections)
The unfortunate truth is that there is no cure for schizophrenia. There is only the
constant need to keep researching and understanding this complex condition in greater
depth and provide the people who suffer with it a healthy and complete life.
Works Cited
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Nader, K., Bechara, An., & van der Kooy, D. (1997). Neurobiological