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What causes schizophrenia
Schizophrenia and their conditions rough draft
Schizophrenia and their conditions rough draft
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Schizophrenia along with several other mental illnesses are causing people to suffer on a daily basis in our society. After watching the TED Talk titled, “A Tale of Mental Illness,” I knew I had my topic chosen. This woman, Elyn Saks, has suffered all of her life with schizophrenia. Luckily, Elyn has had wonderful treatment, along with the support of friends and family, and a workplace that is extremely supportive, but this is not the case for everyone with a mental illness. Even Elyn described a time where she was mistreated and strapped down to a bed in a hospital involuntarily. This was a part of her speech that really upset me as I am sure it does others. Elyn’s TED Talk, lead me to see how this disease has some real issues surrounding …show more content…
She made it clear and I believe it to be true also, that people are suffering and not able to receive the proper treatment. Many homeless and incarcerated people are suffering from mental illnesses and will only continue to be put into the system or stay on the street if they are not helped in the necessary ways. Elyn is such a strong woman who references a traumatic time for her, where a doctor seemed pretty abusive in attempts to strap her down to a bed and admitted her to the hospital. People who suffer from schizophrenia are humans just like you and I, and they don’t feel safe or comfortable being strapped down to a bed just like you and I wouldn’t. I can’t imagine how I would feel experiencing the horrible hallucinations and delusions that she described. The textbook goes hand in hand with what Elyn describes as her moments of psychosis. She experiences hallucinations and delusions which are described in this course in chapter 12. This chapter also addresses antipsychotic medications or drugs which play and played a large part in helping Elyn to be a productive member of society. Antipsychotic drugs can be extremely beneficial to patients and will continue to be for many
5). While Schizophrenia has been most commonly treated with the use of anti-psychotic medications for decades, cognitive therapy provides an alternative and cognitive psychologist would undoubtedly disagree with Elizabeth’s mother’s decision to medicate her. The way a cognitive psychologist would treat Elizabeth is by the use of therapy and encouraging her to talk about her behaviors and problems as they do not believe that Schizophrenia “is a biological illness that one either has or does not have” (Freeman, 2014, para. 7) and instead the symptoms such as hallucinations or delusions simply represent the patient’s thoughts and feelings (Freeman, 2014). For example, “an individual troubled by hearing voices will be helped to understand what’s triggering these voices, and to develop a more confident, empowering relationship with them” (Freeman, 2014, para.
In 1978, Susan Sheehan took an interest in Sylvia Frumkin, a schizophrenic who spent most of her life in and out of mental hospitals. For more than two years, Sheehan followed Sylvia around, observing when Sylvia talked to herself, sitting in on sessions with Sylvia’s doctors, and at times, sleeping in the same bed as Sylvia during her stay at the psychiatric centers. Through Sheehan’s intensive report on Sylvia’s life, readers are able to obtain useful information on what it’s like to live with this disorder, how impairing it can be for them, and the symptoms and causes to look out for; likewise, readers can get an inside look of how some mental hospitals are run and how a misdiagnosis can negatively impact someone’s life.
These words are the description of schizophrenia, written by a woman who was diagnosed with schizophrenia, Elyn Saks. Her book, The Center Cannot Hold is the memoir of Sak’s own life experience and her struggle with schizophrenia, or as she puts it, her journey through madness. Although her journey did not lead to a full recovery, as is the case with many individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia, Saks was able to live and maintain a life, despite her very negative prognosis. She is a living myth buster to the stereotypical beliefs that have been commonly assumed by many about schizophrenia. Common misconceptions include the inability to live independently, to work professionally, to have meaningful relationships with friends and/or significant others, and to actually be able to live normal lives. Saks was able to achieve all of these despite her struggles, her late diagnosis, and her numerous hospitalizations and relapses. This is especially encouraging considering the fact that Saks grew up in a time in which schizophrenia was even less understood than it is today. Although researches have come a long way, much is ...
The fight for improved health care for those with mental illness has been an ongoing and important struggle for advocates in the United States who are aware of the difficulties faced by the mentally ill and those who take care of them. People unfortunate enough to be inflicted with the burden of having a severe mental illness experience dramatic changes in their behavior and go through psychotic episodes severe enough to the point where they are a burden to not only themselves but also to people in their society. Mental institutions are equipped to provide specialized treatment and rehabilitative services to severely mentally ill patients, with the help of these institutions the mentally ill are able to get the care needed for them to control their illness and be rehabilitated to the point where they can become a functional part of our society. Deinstitutionalization has led to the closing down and reduction of mental institutions, which means the thousands of patients who relied on these mental institutions have now been thrown out into society on their own without any support system to help them treat their mental illness. Years after the beginning of deinstitutionalization and after observing the numerous effects of deinstitutionalization it has become very obvious as to why our nation needs to be re-institutionalized.
Forcing someone to take medication or be hospitalized against their will seems contrary to an individual’s right to refuse medical treatment, however, the issue becomes complicated when it involves individuals suffering from a mental illness. What should be done when a person has lost their grasp on reality, or if they are at a risk of harming themselves or others? Would that justify denying individuals the right to refuse treatment and issuing involuntary treatment? Numerous books and articles have been written which debates this issue and presents the recommendations of assorted experts.
Schizophrenia is a deteriorating progressive disease, consequently, it is resistant to treatment for the individual suffering schizophrenia. (Catts & O’Toole, 2016). In most cases the individuals suffering from schizophrenia, are resistive to treatment, in most cases, individuals suffering from schizophrenia, and are resistive in taking antipsychotics. (Catts & O’Toole, 2016). Jeremy doesn’t see himself as a “schizophrenic”, he states that “he’s happy naturally”, and often he’s observed playing the guitar and doing painting in his room. Weekly, he has an intramuscular medication to treat his disorder, crediting the support of his wife. It is indicated that the morality rate, in patients suffering from schizophrenia is higher, despite the considerable resources available, in Australia. New data show that in 20 countries, including Australia, only 13.5% meet the recovery criteria, which means that 1or 2 patients in every 100, will meet this criteria per year. (Catts & O’Toole, 2016). This means that there’s a decline in providing support and services to individuals like Jeremy suffering from a mental illness such as Schizophrenia. Many individuals become severely ill before they realise they need medical treatment, and when receiving treatment it is usually short-term. (Nielssen, McGorry, Castle & Galletly, 2017). The RANZCP guidelines highlights that
As science has evolved, so have treatments for mental illnesses have over time. The medical model is described as the view that psychological disorders are medical diseases with a biological origin (King, 2010, pg. 413). Abnormal behavior that categorizes some disorders can be impacted by biological factors such as genes, psychological factors such as childhood experiences, and even sociocultural factors such as gender and race (King, 2010). Treatments such as psychosurgery (lobotomy) , drug therapy (pharmaceuticals), electroconclusive therapy, and psychoanalysis are used to treat a wide range of psychological disorders. Back then, the public’s negative views on mental illnesses also went as far to associate with the people who treated it; psychiatrists. “Nunnally (1961) found that the public evaluated professionals who treated mental disorders significantly more negatively than those who treat physical disorders,” (Phelan, Link, Stueve, & Pescosolido, 2000, pg. 189). People back then didn’t see the point in “paying to be told that they were crazy”. However, in today’s society, it is now acceptable to seek help from psychiatric professionals; we are seeing more and more people seek mental health treatment. “In terms of facility-based records of utilization (Manderscheid and Henderson 1998), the data suggest that the rate of utilization of professional mental health services has at least doubled and maybe tripled, between the 1950’s and today,” (Phelan, Link, Stueve, & Pescosolido, 2000, pg. 189). In the 1950’s, neuroleptic drugs like Thorazine were introduced to treat the symptoms of schizophrenia. These drugs block a neurotransmitter called dopamine from getting to the brain, which in turn reduce schizophrenic symptoms, however there are some side effects such as substantial twitching of the neck, arms, and legs, and even dysphoria or lack of pleasure. (King, 2010, pg.
The stigma and negative associations that go with mental illness have been around as long as mental illness itself has been recognized. As society has advanced, little changes have been made to the deep-rooted ideas that go along with psychological disorders. It is clearly seen throughout history that people with mental illness are discriminated against, cast out of society, and deemed “damaged”. They are unable to escape the stigma that goes along with their illness, and are often left to defend themselves in a world that is not accepting of differences in people. Society needs to realize what it is doing, and how it is affecting these people who are affected with mental illness.
To eliminate the partial representation of mental illnesses, television media needs to focus on all sides of this illness. The media needs to show that attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) is a legitimate disorder with effective treatments.
...t she herself had never suffered from hallucinations, but that she was depressed and mentally unwell for years. She wrote this in hopes that it will help at least one woman in the same position.
Stating that an individual has a mental illness can be interpreted many ways, however it is usually defined and understood as a psychological disease or disorder. The severity of the illness determines how much of an individual’s daily functioning will be affected. The ability to care for one’s self, a home or household and the ability to maintain an intimate relationship are lost. Homeless people with mental disorders remain homeless for longer periods of time and begin to have less contact with family and friends. Mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia or severe depression, can cause a strain on family and other social relationships (Hawkins and Abrams 2007). Studies have examined what the quality of life is like after discovering that one has a mental illness, those who become homeless and other studies focus mainly on treatment options. Suffering with a mental illness makes it more di...
“Mental illness refers to a wide range of mental health conditions — disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behavior” (Mayo Clinic). Mental disorders can happen many times through one’s life, but mental illness is classified as an ongoing problem with the symptoms that can affect the ability to perform normal day to day tasks (Mayo Clinic). Many people look at those afflicted with mental disorders as being crazy or clinically insane, while the reality is a problem many people live with on a daily basis with help from medications, psychologist visits, family, friends, help groups, and many other support systems. The lack of support available to mentally ill patients, the more that will refuse treatment and refuse to find help for their disorders. Many people who were born with mental disorders grow up knowing they have a problem, but people who develop them later in age don’t understand how to cope with it.
Using narratives to gain an insight into human experience is becoming an increasingly popular method of exploration. Assuming that people are in essence narrative beings that experience every emotion and state through narrative, the value of exploring these gives us a unique understanding. Narrative is thought to act as instrument to explore how an individual constructs their own identity (Czarniawska, 1997) and explain how each individual makes sense of the world around them (Gabriel, 1998). It may also give us an understanding into individual thought processes in relation to individual decision making practices (O’Connor, 1997). It is evident from studies such as Heider and Simmel (1944), that there appears to be an instinctive nature in people to introduce plots structures and narratives into all situations, with an intention to construct meaning to all aspects of life in its entirety. The value of narrative is that it is a tool that allows us to understand what it means to be human and gives us an insight into a person’s lived experience whilst still acknowledging their cultural and social contexts. Narrative is thought to be significance as it is ‘a fruitful organizing principle to help understand the complex conduct of human beings (p.49)’ (Sarbin, 1990) The construction of a person’s narrative is thought to be dependent on each person’s individual awareness of themselves and the circumstances that surround them. However, a debate to whether a person is able to formulate a valid narrative in the face of a mental illness such as schizophrenia has emerged. Sufferer’s symptoms are often thought to interfere with their abilities to perceive within a level deemed acceptable to their society’s norms and therefore the validity ...
Brian Little, an award-winning psychology professor explains the science behind personalities in his Ted talk, “ Brian Little: Who are you really? The puzzle of personality.” He is a professor at Cambridge University and his students often describe him as, “A cross between Robin Williams and Einstein.” Brian wrote the book Me, Myself, and Us: The Science of Personality and the Art of Well-Being. Brian uses his degree in psychology and the acronym OCEAN to explain the different characteristics of personalities in his TED talk, “Brian Little: Who are you really? The puzzle of personality.” In his Ted talk, Brian describes how the acronym OCEAN applies to the science of personality. He says, “ So “O” stands for “open to experience” versus those
The purpose of this would be to help raise awareness for mental health, education on how to deal with mental illnesses both interpersonally and intrapersonally, and to remove the stigmatization around mental illnesses. Throughout history mental illnesses has received a negative connotation closely tied to violence and currently this stigma is still relevant.