At 3:40 on July 18th 1984 James Huberty killed 21 people at a San Ysidro McDonald’s and was shot and killed by a sniper after 77 minutes of continuous shooting (Noe). Huberty’s episode is attributed to his hearing voices before his excursion, a symptom of Paranoid Schizophrenia, a disease that Huberty was diagnosed with (Coon, Mitterer 488). This incident shows, in a very extreme way, that Schizophrenia of any type has the ability to alter ones realization of reality and may be caused by several things.
In order for Huberty to be diagnosed with schizophrenia he would have had to have shown signs of delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech and behavior, or other symptoms that cause social or occupational dysfunction for six months which would have had to have include at least one month of active symptoms. In his day only one of the symptoms would of have to been present but the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders requires that at least two symptoms be present for a patient to be diagnosed with Schizophrenia(“Schizophrenia”).
Another change that was made in the fifth addition of the DSM is the eradication of subtypes of Schizophrenia as they were generally unclear and caused much confusion. Instead the edition calls for “specifiers” to help with treatment. These specifiers are similar to the old subtypes, but instead of using them to narrow the field of a patient’s treatment they are instead used to broaden the horizon on what may be helpful to the patient based upon specific symptoms (“Schizophrenia”),
One thing that may be used as a specifier is the almost complete personality disintegration that characterizes Disorganized Schizophrenia. This classification is further characterized by ...
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...ts for one category, and is more likely that they will display a few symptoms of each, or bounce between the categories. And like it is hard to categorize Schizophrenic patients it is difficult to pinpoint what may cause the disease. Currently scientists believe that while some people may have a hereditary disposition to develop Schizophrenia due to the make-up of their brains it is also likely to occur in those with no chemical disposition if they have been exposed to the correct stresses.
Works Cited
Coon, Dennis, and John O. Mitterer. Introduction to Psycology. 13th ed. Belmont, Ca: Cengage Learning, 2013. 484-91. Print.
"Schizophrenia." American Psychiatric Publishing. American Psychiatric Association, May 2013. Web. 23 Dec. 2013.
Noe, Denise. "James Huberty and the McDonald's Massacre." Crime Library. Turner Entertainment, 20 Feb. 2013. Web. 20 Dec. 2013.
Tsuang, M. T., Faraone, S. V., & Glatt, S. J. (2011). Schizophrenia. New York: Oxford University Press.
Schizophrenia is a complex syndrome characterized by cognitive and emotional dysfunctions including delusions and hallucinations, disorganized speech and behavior, and inappropriate emotions. Since there is no cure to this disorder, clinicians rely on the DSM IV to differentiate between symptoms. The symptoms of the disorder can disrupt a person’s perception, thought, speech, and movement in almost every aspect of daily functions. Mental health clinicians distinguish between positive, negative, and disorganized symptoms. Positive symptoms include active manifestations of abnormal behavior, which hallucinations and delusions fall in. Negative symptoms of schizophrenia are alogia and avolition. Rambling speech, erratic behavior, and inappropriate affect are some of the symptoms that are outlined under the disorganized content. The foundations of schizophrenia lye within two noted psychologists by name of Eugen Bleuler and Emil Kraepelin.
Coined by Eugen Bleuler in 1950, the term ‘Schizophrenia’ refers to a group of mental disorders with heterogeneous outcomes. The most prevalent subtype of schizophrenia is the paranoid subtype. Typically, this disorder is characterized by psychosis, in which the patient suffers from altered perceptions of reality. According to the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM – V), the typical subtypes – paranoid, catatonic and disorganized, among others have been eliminated, although the general definition of the disorder remains unchanged. These changes were made due to the clinically diverse prognosis, pathophysiology and etiology of the disorder, which add to its heterogeneity1, 2. In addition, sex of the patient and age of onset of the disorder also contribute to schizophrenia’s diverse effects. The age of onset and sex of the patient heavily influence the demographics and course of paranoid schizophrenia, and in turn are also affected by the patients ethnicity and any premorbid conditions the patient may have suffered1, 3...
Nevid, J. S., Rathus, S. A., & Greene, B. (2011). Schizophrenia and Other Psycholtic Disorders. In J. Marshall (Ed.), Abnormal psychology in a changing world (pp. 390-425).
According to the DSM-IV, schizophrenia is classified under the section of “Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders”. Schizophrenia is one of the most serious major chronic brain disorders in the field of mental health; it is a neurological disorder that affects the cognitive functions of the human brain. People living with this incapacitating illness can experience multiple symptoms that will cause extreme strain in their own and their families and friends life. The individual can lose reality, unable to work, have delusions and hallucinations, may have disorganized speech and thought processes, will withdraw from people and activities, they may become suspicious and paranoid, may behave inappropriately in every day social situations. They may neglect personal hygiene and dress improperly, use excessive make-up; every day life is becoming chaotic for everyone involved.
Schizophrenia is an internal disease caused by fundamental organizational differences in the brain. It begins to be noticed in a person's late teens through twenties. Signs of it can be seen from early childhood and it is now being hypothesized that it is actually present during adolescence (1). Since this hypothesis extends to fetal development, brain formation in the earliest stages is effected. The alteration of pathways and deviation of neurotransmitters from normal arrangement is believed to be a factor behind the affliction. The brain of these individuals forms differently. Neurotransmitters are believed to misfire altering the chemical balance of the brain causing behavioral problems. There are deficits in cortical and subcortical cognitive processes (5). There are also enlarged ventricles in the brain causing further impairment of ability (3). When the disease is present there are certain symptoms that are easily recognizable. They fall into three categories overt, negative, and positive. The overt symptoms are delusions, hallucinations, alteration of the senses, inability to sort and then respond appropriately to incoming sensations, an altered sense of self, and changes in behavior (2). The negative symptoms are emotional flatness, inability to start or follow through on activities, brief speech lacking content, and lack of pleasure or interest in life (2). All of these include an inhibition on processing information and further imply a differentiation in the normal self. The basic information above provides a solid background to understanding the disease and already possible problems to a person's I-function can be seen.
Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness. Patients experience progressive personality changes and a breakdown in their relationships with the outside world. They have disorganized and abnormal thinking, behavior and language and become emotionally unresponsive or withdrawn.
Some people have many different views and ideas about schizophrenia and what really is considered schizophrenia. “Eugen Bleuler had four primary symptoms were abnormal associations, autistic behavior and thinking, abnormal affect, and ambivalence. As well as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association in its second edition was heavily influenced by Bleulers criteria to make the diagnosis of schizophrenia. Bleuler thought that between thought processes and thought, emotion, and behavior to be the hallmark of illnesses and the most obvious and striking manifestation of schizophrenia were only ‘accessory symptoms’ and saw symptoms of schizophrenia in a continuum with normal behavior” (Kaplan and Sadock, page 1432). The definition of schizophrenia is not just one disorder; other disorders branch out of the vague and interesting schizophrenia as in paranoid, catatonia, hebephrenia, disorganized, undifferentiated, residual, and many more.
Schizophrenia is a serious, chronic mental disorder characterized by loss of contact with reality and disturbances of thought, mood, and perception. Schizophrenia is the most common and the most potentially sever and disabling of the psychosis, a term encompassing several severe mental disorders that result in the loss of contact with reality along with major personality derangements. Schizophrenia patients experience delusions, hallucinations and often lose thought process. Schizophrenia affects an estimated one percent of the population in every country of the world. Victims share a range of symptoms that can be devastating to themselves as well as to families and friends. They may have trouble dealing with the most minor everyday stresses and insignificant changes in their surroundings. They may avoid social contact, ignore personal hygiene and behave oddly (Kass, 194). Many people outside the mental health profession believe that schizophrenia refers to a “split personality”. The word “schizophrenia” comes from the Greek schizo, meaning split and phrenia refers to the diaphragm once thought to be the location of a person’s mind and soul. When the word “schizophrenia” was established by European psychiatrists, they meant to describe a shattering, or breakdown, of basic psychological functions. Eugene Bleuler is one of the most influential psychiatrists of his time. He is best known today for his introduction of the term “schizophrenia” to describe the disorder previously known as dementia praecox and for his studies of schizophrenics. The illness can best be described as a collection of particular symptoms that usually fall into four basic categories: formal thought disorder, perception disorder, feeling/emotional disturbance, and behavior disorders (Young, 23). People with schizophrenia describe strange of unrealistic thoughts. Their speech is sometimes hard to follow because of disordered thinking. Phrases seem disconnected, and ideas move from topic to topic with no logical pattern in what is being said. In some cases, individuals with schizophrenia say that they have no idea at all or that their heads seem “empty”. Many schizophrenic patients think they possess extraordinary powers such as x-ray vision or super strength. They may believe that their thoughts are being controlled by others or that everyone knows what they are thinking. These beliefs ar...
There are many different diagnoses for mental problems these days from anxiety disorders to eating disorders and from mood disorders to obsessive-compulsive disorders. However, I am choosing to write about schizophrenia disorder because I believe that this type of disorder is one of the most dangerous of all mental problems. Throughout this paper I will describe the criteria doctors use to diagnose somebody with schizophrenia as well as the specific DSM-5 diagnostic criteria. This will include the clinical symptoms of schizophrenia such as the positive, negative, and disorganized symptoms. Also I will talk about the etiology and the medical and psychological treatments for schizophrenia. Lastly I will write about the impact this disorder has on the person and the people around them in the real world.
Schizophrenia has long been known as a psychotic disorder, having five different categories. The symptoms of Schizophrenia can include negative symptoms, hallucinations, disorganized speech and thought patterns. Also abnormal or disorganized motor behavior, and delusions. Many patients experience psychotic episodes, while some never experience psychosis. The objective of this study was to try and determine why
For quite a long time schizophrenia was perceived as a ‘functional disorder’ with some doctors saying it was a ‘sociological phenomenon’ (Gelder et al 1989) meaning’ patients with schizophrenia are normal people who are driven insane by an insane world’.
Schizophrenia is a psychosis, in which a person cannot tell the imagined and reality apart, so they might begin hearing voices, or things besides humans talking. Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe brain disorder, which can be inherited in families with mental illnesses. It can also be caused by an imbalance between chemical reactions in the brain, dopamine and serotonin. This causes a person to experience delusions, disorganized speech and/or hallucinations, which affects how the person functions or thinks. Schizophrenia is divided into five subtypes, catatonic, disorganized, paranoid, residual, and undifferentiated and is looked upon as a spectrum. It is not a split or multi-personality disorder.
The American view of schizophrenia broadened significantly during the 20th century, with 80% of patients in the New York State Psychiatric Institute being diagnosed with Schizophrenia in 1952. Adolf Myer argued that diagnostic categories where often to stringent and believed that a more flexible approach to defining Schizophrenia was necessary. Kansnin then found that some patients showed signs schizophrenia combined with symptoms from other disorders. The concept of schizophrenia was also broadened by Hoch who believed that schizophrenia often disguises itself has other disorders. As a result a lot of people who would normally have been diagnosed with personality disorders or neurosis, where diagnosed has having schizophrenia. After the publication of DSM III the American definition moved away from the very broad definition of schizophrenia, to a more controlled approach that meant that less people are now wrongly diagnosed with schizophrenia.
One of the main topics that scientist are researching is the idea that schizophrenia can be inherited. Reported by Dr.Ballas (2006), people with no family history of schizophrenia have a 0.2% to a 1.1% of getting this disease in their lifetime. Research says that if the family has a history of schizophrenia that their chances of getting this disease can increase up to 10 percent. With research in this area scientist have found multiple genes that may have an effect on a persons chance of becoming ill, but research doesn’t go far enough to say weather or not the genes are the main cause. Another belief is that schizophrenia is cause by a chemical defect in the brain. “It is likely, although not yet certain, that the disorder is associated with some imbalance of the complex, interrelated chemical systems of the brain, perhaps involving the neurotransmitters dopamine and glutamate” (Bressert, 2017). The final look at causes of schizophrenia is an abnormality in the brain. This is the least supporting cause of schizophrenia due to the inability to fully study the brain. It is also said in this research that the characteristics are not always found in all patients. According to Bressert (2017), neurons connect incorrectly during fetal development and lie dormant until one goes through