Paranoid Schizophrenia

The short story that accompanies this paper is up on my second blog, http://adjectives-on-a-typewriter.blogspot.com/

I apologize for any typos ahead of time, as the stupid peice of crap would not let me copy and past my three-page essay. (throws computer out window) Don't judge me too harshly for not wanting to double check.

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Schizophrenia is characterized mainly by hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized speech or behavior. In most cases, a teacher may be the first to notice a problem, as schizophrenia causes educational problems such as difficulty concentrating, behavior or performance inconsistancies, or reactions that seem inappropriate to the situation.

The standardized diagnosis for the U.S. and most other countries states that three diagnosis criteria must be met:

1) Two or more of the following symptoms for most of a one month period; delusions, hallucinations, disorganized or catatonic behavior, disorganized speech or a lack of emotional response, speech, and/or motivation. If the delusions are judged to be bizarre, or if the hallucinations consist of hearing one or more voices commentating the patient's actions/thoughts or conversing with each other, then only one symptom is needed.
2) Social or occupational dysfunction.
3) Duration--The patient must exhibit continuous signs for at least six months, including at leaste one month of displayed symptoms.

A patient cannot be diagnosed with schizophrenia if symptoms of a mood or pervasive developmental disorder are present. It also must be confirmed that the patient does not have a medical illness that could produce schizophrenia-type symptoms (however rare the occurance). Some of these include metabolic disturbance, systemic infection, syphilis, HIV, epilepsy, brain lesions, or delirium.

In the paranoid variety of schizophrenia, paranoid delusions (such as believe the government is watching your every move) and hallucinations (usually auditory) are the most prevalent symptoms. The delusions of a paranoid schizophrenic will be focused on a central idea, usually the one that he or she is being singled out for harm. Another type of common delusion in paranoid schizophrenics is delusions of grandeur, such as the idea that one can fly, or is famous. The hallucinations of a person with this form of schizophrenia are usually auditory rather then visual. These auditory hallucinations are almost always a voice or voices, and may talk to the patient or each other. In many cases, the voices give a running critique of the patient's actions, emotions, or thoughts, harass or insult the patient, or tell them to do things.

Records of schizophrenia before the 1800s are rare. The possible existing accounts of the time period are difficult to confirm as schizophrenia, because of the differences in culture or language. there are various Greek, Roman, and Egyptian examples of medical literature that describe a similar condition, but the 14-volume medieval Arabic encyclopedia, "Al-Quanun fi al-Tibb" ("The Canon of Medical", is most promising. This medical and psychological text talks about junan Mufrit, or Severe Madness, which is defined by schizophrenia-type symptoms.

James Matthew Tilly is the first documente, d case of paranoid schizophrenia. He was committed to Bethlem Psychiatric Hospital on January 28,1797, after accusing the home secretary of treason and complaining of plots against his life. He also believed that a gang of criminals skilled in "pneumatic chemistry" lived near the asylum and were torturing him with rays from an "air loom." According to tilly, they only used this on the important political figures of the day (and himself, of course) and were forcing them to do the gang's bidding. Their purpose? Espionage.

In 1853, the syndrome was defined as demence precoce, or early dementia, because of the dementia-like symptoms affecting young adults nad teenagers, the term schizophrenia didn't appear until 1908, when Eugene Bleuler realized that the disorder was not a form of demential, as his patients gradually improved rather then deteriorated. He proposed that it was, instead, a separation of function between personality, thinking, memory, and perception. his term (Greek schizein, to split, and phren, mind) is now the common name used for this disorder.

There have been many speculations about the causes of schizophrenia. for a period of time in the early twentieth centure, schizophrenia was considered a hereditary condition. Thousends of schizophrenics in the U.S., Germany, and Scandinavia were sterilized and, under Hitler, killed.

A current theory suggests that combined factors of genetics, early environment, and social processes contribute to the development of schizophrenia. Brain scans of schizophrenics consistently show that dopamine activity in the mesobolic pathway is considerably higher then in the average person. However, no single cause, organic or otherwise, has been determined.

The most common treatment for schizophrenia is a dosage of an anti-psychotic medication. This tends to suppress the dopamine levels in the brain. Psychotherapy or social rehabilitation is an important part of recovery, as well. In some cases, a patient may be forced into hospitalization, as the fearful delusions of a paranoid schizophrenic may cause them to become violent if they feel the need to defend themselves.

Schizophrenia is often accompanied by obsessive-compulsive disorder--far more often then can possibly be a coincidence--but the direct connection has not discovered. Schizophrenics are also likely to have major depression or an anxiety disorder, and almost half the schizophrenic population will attempt suicide in their lifetime. The lifetime occurance of substance abuse is about 40% higher then in a non-schizophrenic. Long-term unemployment and poverty or homelessness is also very common. The average life expectancy of person with schizophrenia is about ten to twelve years less then those without this disorder, due to other increased physical health problems and the higher suicide rate.

Paranoid schizophrenics are often looked on with fear and pity, and with good reason. Schizophrenia changes a person's perception of reality--their minds are almost literally undone. Nobody knows precicely what causes it, but we get closer with every study. For now, schizophrenics remain under the power of their delusions, and tehre isn't much we can do about that.