Schizophrenia Essay

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that impacts a very miniscule percent of the world’s population, however, the percent of people who are impacted by schizophrenia perceive reality in an abnormal way. The American Psychological Association recognizes schizophrenia as a mental illness that induces incoherent speech, illogical thoughts, as well as discernible hallucinations and delusions (APA). While typically perceived and characterized as an illness where those affected are looked down upon because of the manifestation of the positive and negative symptoms they experience, there are plenty of individuals who manage their symptoms appropriately by utiziling treatments such as medication and psychotherapy so that they can continue with their

The stigmatization revolving around mental illnesses, however, prevent people who suffer from schizophrenia from seeking those various forms of assistance. Raising awareness and educating people on several mental disordes will not only ameloriate prejudice regarding illnesses, but also help people reach out for help. Although there is no confirmed cause of schizophrenia, there are a multitude of factors that are known to influence the appearance of schizophrenia in patients. Infamous causes of schizophrenia include genetic factors, the environment, and lastly brain functions and structures (NIMH). The genetic component of developing schizophrenia can be a result of two factors; some people contain various genes that have been discovered to occur more often in schizophrenic patients, and it is also a well known fact that schizophrenia can run in families. There is a common misconception, however, that one will be

The first is medication; many psychiatrists prescribe anti-psychotics because they are known to decrease the positive symptoms like hallucinations and delusions that occur in patients, and they also assist with reducing thoughts that revolve around self-harm and the harm of others. Although medication is a success in treating numerous patients, it isn’t always a reliable method that works all of the time for every patient. (Psychiatry). The second way that schizophrenic patients are treated is with a process called psychotherapy. The psychotherapy used relies on “coordinated specialty care programs” and “cognitive-behavioral therapy for psychosis” (APA). Another form of psychotherapy that is employed relies more on helping the patient in social situations; they do this by discovering coping mechanisms that can be used to help manage symptoms the patient may experience that hinders them from participating in daily activities. All of these methods are beneficial to treating schizophrenia, and psychologists are still unearthing new and improved techniques for caring for schizophrenic