Psychotic Disorders: Schizophrenia

PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS: SCHIZOPHRENIA

Health Psychology

Abstract

The goal of this paper is to examine the case of schizophrenia. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV), schizophrenia belongs to Axis I: Clinical disorders. Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder whose major symptoms are hallucinations, delusions, disorganized behavior, thinking and speech. Onset of this disorder is earlier in men than in women and it affects around 24 million people in the world. Treatment includes both medication and psychiatric and psychological support. We are particularly interested in examining this disorder because even though medical science has progressed, causes behind schizophrenia have not been clearly understood. In addition, we believe this topic is interesting regarding those that are in the immediate social environment of people suffering from schizophrenia. It is not uncommon that parents or siblings also become caretakers of these individuals.

Psychotic Disorders: Schizophrenia

Psychotic Disorders

In general, psychotic disorders are mental disorders that affect the way a person perceives reality. It affects the mind and as a consequence the behavior of the person. People with schizophrenia are unable to distinguish what is real and what is not. Once schizophrenia comes on the surface, they start to become distant and often lose touch with reality. Psychotic disorders can affect a person’s everyday life and if it is not treated it may be fatal for the person (CDC, 2011). The two main symptoms that characterized psychotic disorders are hallucination and delusions. Below are explained the differences of the two.

Hallucinations versus Delusions

Hallucinations happen when a person hears, sees, tastes, smells, or feels things that are actually not there. A more scientific description given by the American Psychiatric Association (2008) is the hallucinations is an abnormality of perception, as they are responsible for "creating" perceptions responsive to external stimuli that are actually not present in reality. There are several types of hallucinations but the main ones include visual hallucinations which is seeing things that do not exist, auditory which is hearing voices, noises or music which are not real, olfactory which is when you smell an odor that is not present, tactile which is the feeling of touch and gustatory which is the perception of taste without a stimulus (APA, 2008; Teeple, Caplan, & Stern, 2009).

Delusions