Diagnosis Of Schizophrenia Essay

The Diagnosis of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a very complex mental disorder and it is not completely understood at this time, it can affect how a person acts, feels and thinks. Someone with schizophrenia may be unresponsive, withdrawn, difficulties expressing normal emotions and social situations. In severe cases individuals can have problems with distinguishing between what is real and imaginary. The majority of individuals diagnosed with this mental disorder are not violent. Schizophrenia is not caused by traumatic childhood experiences, lack self-control nor does each person have identical symptoms. Schizophrenia has been given the perception that the person is suffering from multiple or split personality. A diagnosis of schizophrenia

The environmental model states that either physical or stress factors are the main contributions to schizophrenia. Research has identified high levels of stress as a trigger for schizophrenia by increasing the body’s production of the hormone cortisol. There are several stress-inducing environmental factors that may be involved such as: Physical or sexual abuse in childhood, early parental loss or separation, exposure to a virus during infancy, low oxygen levels during birth (from prolonged labor or premature birth), or prenatal exposure to a viral infection (Jablensky, et al.,

In 1883, German psychiatrist Emil Kraepelin labeled the disorder dementia praecox, because he believed the disorder resulted from premature deterioration of the brain. The disorder was viewed as irreversible, progressive, and chronic (Nolen-Hoeksema, 2014, p.225). In the case of schizophrenia, social and economic factors intervene with the outcome of the condition in biologically vulnerable individuals. Social environment of people with schizophrenia in developing countries, have a better recovery rate than other countries. It is argued that social, economic, and political factors such as poverty and income inequality “shape both the landscape of risk for developing schizophrenia and the setting in which health-care is provided (Burns,