Schizophrenia: Reality Distorted

1375 Words3 Pages

Schizophrenia: Reality Distorted

Insanity, then, is inordinate or irregular, or impaired action of the mind, of the instincts, sentiments, intellectual, or perceptive powers, depending upon and produced by an organic change in the brain.

---W.A.F. Browne, MD, 18371

Schizophrenia is considered a disease of the brain, a physical disorder that, thanks to modern technology, is able to be visualized. Schizophrenia, along with other diseases of the brain, such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and multiple sclerosis, are all brain diseases which alter both functionality and structure of the brain. Schizophrenia has been called a cruel disease, one that impairs life greatly in a degenerative fashion, altering emotions and various abilities greatly. This unfortunate disease is quite common, effecting about one to two percent of the World's population. About two to four percent of the population suffer from less severe yet still debilitating and disturbing schizophrenic-like symptoms. An estimated sixty five billion a dollars per year is spent on this disorder in the United States.(2) It is estimated that over two million Americans suffer from schizophrenia in their lifetime..

There is a definite biological basis for this disease, although it is not totally understood. For a long time schizophrenia was a mystery to doctors and scientists. Virtually any patient with a psychological disorder used to be placed under the expansive umbrella that defined the disease. Poor parenting was a misleading, early excuse for the troubles caused by what is now known to be substantially based in genetics. The most current idea of origin is that this disorder occurs during the crucial beginning months of life, those spent within the womb. Neither ...

... middle of paper ...

... from it and their friends and family.

Internet Sources

1) a href=http://www.schizophrenia.com/newsletter/buckets/intro.html

2) a href= http://www.powerpak.com/ce/PsychDisorders/lesson.htm

3) http://www.schizophrenia.com/ami/diagnosis/nbd%20intro.html

4) http://www.powerpak.com/ce/PsychDisorders/lesson.htm

5) http://www.schizophrenia.com,/newsletter/1296/1296usnews.htm

6) http://www.nejm.org/content/1999/0340/0008/0645.asp

7) http://www.powerpak.com/ce/PsychDisorders/lesson.htm

8) Goodman&Gilman's CD-Rom The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 9th edition

9) http://www.schizophrenia.com/newsletter/buckets/hypo.html

10) http://www.powerpak.com/ce/PsychDisorders/lesson.htm

11) http://www.schizophrenia.com/newsletter/buckets/intro.html

12) Goodman&Gilman's CD-Rom The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 9th edition

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