Schizophrenia: Psychiatry and Treatment
Schizophrenia is a major mental illness which can be identified through signs and symptoms that can be categorized into positive and negative symptoms. This essay will identify what signs and symptoms go under each category and discuss in detail different care and pharmacological treatments available for people suffering from schizophrenia. Treatment and care requirements under the NSW Mental Health Act 2007 will also be discussed along with my own opinion on the Australian community’s attitudes towards schizophrenia.
This essay will begin by including a brief introduction into the major mental illness schizophrenia. Mosby’s Dictionary of medicine, nursing and health professions defines schizophrenia as ‘a complex mental disorder with active symptoms of psychosis,’ (Harris, P & Nagy, S & Vardaxis, N, p. 1549). Schizophrenia is diagnosed on the basis of the person’s symptoms. The symptoms of schizophrenia can be categorized into two different types, positive and negative symptoms. Positive symptoms include hallucinations related to seeing, smelling, feeling and the most common hallucination hearing things that aren 't there. Other positive symptoms include delusions of fixed false beliefs that are uncompromised to the person’s cultural religious background. Types of delusions include paranoid, grandiose (the individual believes they are superior to others), religious, jealousy and nihilistic. Another positive symptom is thought disorders and bizarre behaviour. Negative symptoms are associated with a lack in normal individual behaviours and emotions. These include a lack of range in expressing emotions, alogia (reduced speech), lack of motivation to perform everyday tasks, social withdrawal, affective behaviour, content of thought and formal thought disorder. Other types of symptoms relate to cognitive which include disorganised thinking, social withdrawal, lack of thought formations and concentration. People living with schizophrenia will start to
This essay will begin by including a brief introduction into the major mental illness schizophrenia. Mosby’s Dictionary of medicine, nursing and health professions defines schizophrenia as ‘a complex mental disorder with active symptoms of psychosis,’ (Harris, P & Nagy, S & Vardaxis, N, p. 1549). Schizophrenia is diagnosed on the basis of the person’s symptoms. The symptoms of schizophrenia can be categorized into two different types, positive and negative symptoms. Positive symptoms include hallucinations related to seeing, smelling, feeling and the most common hallucination hearing things that aren 't there. Other positive symptoms include delusions of fixed false beliefs that are uncompromised to the person’s cultural religious background. Types of delusions include paranoid, grandiose (the individual believes they are superior to others), religious, jealousy and nihilistic. Another positive symptom is thought disorders and bizarre behaviour. Negative symptoms are associated with a lack in normal individual behaviours and emotions. These include a lack of range in expressing emotions, alogia (reduced speech), lack of motivation to perform everyday tasks, social withdrawal, affective behaviour, content of thought and formal thought disorder. Other types of symptoms relate to cognitive which include disorganised thinking, social withdrawal, lack of thought formations and concentration. People living with schizophrenia will start to
References: Athealth, 2010, Expert consensus treatment guidelines for schizophrenia: a guide for patients and families, viewed 25/09/2012, http://www.athealth.com/Consumer/disorders/schizophreniaguide.html. Dale, A, 2012, schizophrenia final presentation, PowerPoint presentation, Kalparin, Kanahooka. Boyd, M, 2008, Psychiatric nursing contemporary practice fourth edition, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia. Elder, R & Evans, K & Nizette, D, 2012, Psychiatric and mental health nursing, Elsevier, Chatswood. Harris, P & Nagy, S & Vardaxis, N, 2010, Mosby’s dictionary of medicine, nursing & health professions, Elsevier, Chatswood. Mental health Coordinating Council, 2011, part 4 section D: Compulsory treatment n hospital under the mental health act 2007 (NSW), viewed 24/09/2012, http://mhrm.mhcc.org.au/chapter-4/4d.aspx#4|D|3.