SLIDE 1:

Even though schizophrenia can be interpreted to mean “splitting of the mind”, it does not refer to
a split personality, like some media sources might portray, but rather schizophrenia
---Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder in which people interpret reality abnormally.
CAUSE:
The exact cause of schizophrenia is unknown. But like cancer and diabetes, schizophrenia is a
real illness with a biological basis, researchers believe that a combination of genetics, brain
chemistry and environment contributes to development of the disorder.
Genetics:
Scientists recognize that the disorder tends to run in families and that a person inherits a
tendency to develop the disease.
Biochemical factors.
Involves dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. Excessive dopamine activity is
linked to hallucinations, agitation, and delusion. High norepinephrine is linked to positive
symptoms of schizophrenia. Complications during pregnancy or birth that cause structural
damage to the brain may also be involved.
Environment:
Things like viral infections, exposure to toxins like marijuana, or highly stressful situations may
trigger schizophrenia in people whose genes make them more likely to get the disorder.
Schizophrenia more often surfaces when the body is having hormonal and physical changes,
like those that happen during the teen and young adult years.
Stress- is well recognized that stressful incidents often precede the onset of schizophrenia.
These may act as precipitating events in vulnerable people. People with schizophrenia often
become anxious, irritable and unable to concentrate before any acute symptoms are evident.
It is not, therefore, always clear whether stress is a cause or a result of schizophrenia.
Alcohol and other drug use
Harmful alcohol and other drug use, particularly cannabis and amphetamine use, may trigger
psychosis in people who are vulnerable to developing schizophrenia. While substance use does
not cause schizophrenia, it is strongly related to relapse.
Other factors include structural brain abnormalities (e.g. enlarged ventricles), developmental
(e.g. faulty neuronal connections), and other possible causes (e.g. maternal influenza during
second trimester of pregnancy, epilepsy of the temporal lobe, head injury, etc.)

 A defect in certain chemicals in the brain that control thinking and understanding.
 A defect in how the brain forms a person's personality.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS:

POSITIVE

 Hallucinations- False sensory perceptions or perceptual experiences that do not

exist in reality
 Delusions- Fixed false beliefs that have no basis in reality.
 Disorganized speech- Disorganized thinking is inferred from disorganized
speech. Effective communication can be impaired, and answers to questions
may be partially or completely unrelated.
NEGATIVE:

 Alogia: Tendency to speak little or to convey little substance of meaning (poverty

of speech)
 Anhedonia: Feeling no joy or pleasure from life or any activities or relationships
 Apathy: Feelings of indifference toward people, activities, and events
 Flat affect: Absence of any facial expression that would indicate emotions or
mood
 Avolition: Absence of will, ambition, or drive to take action or accomplish tasks

COGNITIVE SYMPTOMS:
(Reflect the patient’s abnormal thinking, poor decision-making skills, poor problem-
solving skills, and ability to communicate and his strange behavior.)

 Thought disorder is characterized by confused thinking and speech (e.g.,

incoherent ramblings, loose association, word salad, wandering).
 Bizarre behavior includes childlike silliness, laughing or giggling, agitation,
inappropriate appearance, hygiene, and conduct.

DIAGNOSIS:
DSM 5 is the standard reference book for recognized mental illnesses. According to the
DSM-5, a diagnosis of schizophrenia is made if a person has two or more core
symptoms, one of which must be hallucinations, delusions, or disorganized speech for
at least one month. The other core symptoms are gross disorganization and diminished
emotional expression. Other DSM-5 criteria for a diagnosis of schizophrenia include:

 Level of work, interpersoanl relations or self-care is significantly below what it

was before the start of symptoms.
 Signs of disturbance that have lasted at least 6 months.
 Schizoaffective disorder and depressive or bipolar disorder with psychotic
symptoms have been ruled out.
 The disturbance is not caused by substance abuse or another medical condition.

MGNT:

ECT-  For adults with schizophrenia who do not respond to drug therapy, seems to cause
changes in brain chemistry that can quickly reverse symptoms of certain mental health
conditions.
TYPES OF SCHIZO:
Paranoid schizophrenia is characterized by predominantly positive symptoms of schizophrenia,
including delusions and hallucinations. These debilitating symptoms blur the line between what
is real and what isn’t, making it difficult for the person to lead a typical life.