An essay of Schizophrenia....
David S. Clark
Eng -120
February 6, 2012
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a brain disorder, with many different classifications, whereby people can
interpret reality in his/her own way. It can be a combination of hallucinations, delusions and disordered
thinking. It is a condition of mind that can be brought on commonly by drug abuse or in other cases, a
history of mental illness in the family and genetic factors can possibly contribute. This condition
interrupts the balance of thinking and emotion, or in other words, can turn someone's world upside
down. Schizophrenia makes it hard for the individual to tell the difference between what is real and
what is not, or what is seen and what is unseen. Schizophrenia has a fairly strict criteria for diagnosis.
The time of the onset as well as the duration, can usually last about six months unless treated sooner.
The symptoms are numerous, and can be very scary to the individual and their family. Schizophrenia
means “split mind”; however, it is not multiple personality disorder. Personality confusion is the proper
term for that one symptom. There is more to this state of mind than can possibly be comprehended,
and the statistics of new diagnosis are staggering. (Schizophrenia)
The cultural belief of this condition usually brings the diagnosis conclusion right to mental
illness. This is not always so, in other countries, such as Africa and South America they have even
interpreted schizophrenia as a spiritual sickness or a period of revelation and epiphany. Some have
even gone as far as to say demonic possession or oppression. Schizophrenia is not a reflection of a
persons character. It effects both men and women equally. It is believed that many homeless people are
schizophrenic as well. Homeless people can be the most neglected when it comes to treatment as most
people commonly have a bit of fear around the homeless.
The life of Annaliese Michel tells us a gripping story. Her story was mostly based on the idea of
demonic possession, although being in conflict with psychiatrists' that said she was epileptic, and quite
possibly schizophrenic. She was a German Catholic girl living at home the time this happened. Her
parents gave up on the treatments that the doctors provided, and moreover believed she was possessed.
Her behavior included acts like urinating and then licking it up, as well as barking like a dog under a
table for 2 days. Annaliese consented for the exorcisms to happen. In the recorded tapes it is said that
the voices that spoke were of Judas Iscariot, Cain, Hitler, and even satan himself. There is also
reference that she died after a visit with the blessed mother Mary. She chose to stay and fight as long
as she could, so that people would know that the battle in the spiritual realm is real, and that demons do
exist. She was 23 years old when she died. (Shelly) In America alone, more than 4 million people suffer from schizophrenia at
any given time, and between 100,000 to 200,000 new diagnosis each year. At least 50% of people in
psychiatric hospitals are schizophrenic to some capacity, the most common are between 17 – 35 years
old. The following is a comparison of the numbers of other diseases. Schizophrenia: Over
2.2 million people; Multiple Sclerosis:400,000 people; Insulin-dependent Diabetes: 350,000
people; Muscular Dystrophy: 35,000 people. Schizophrenia has a yearly estimated cost in the United
States alone around 63 billion dollars a year, making it the most expensive illness there is. After 10
years, of the people diagnosed with schizophrenia:25% Completely Recover, 25% Much Improved,
relatively independent, 25% Improved, but require extensive support network,15% hospitalized,
unimproved, 10% Dead (Mostly Suicide). The suicide rate is between 10-20,000 suicides each year.
(Conconcea and Ramos) (McMillan) When childhood schizophrenia occurs, it begins at an early stage in life. Symptoms are vague
and build up gradually over time. Because of this it is hard to tell what may be wrong. Often times this
is regarded as a developmental process. As time goes on, more signs begin to show, as friends
and family, along with school officials, begin to take notice. They may develop symptoms of psychosis,
hallucinations, delusions, and difficulty organizing thought patterns. (Mayo Clinic)
The symptoms of schizophrenia can begin with irritable or tense feelings. An individual can
have difficulty sleeping at night, and quite possibly, a fear of falling asleep. They have difficulty
concentrating and paying attention. Some have strongly held beliefs that are not based on reality or
hearing and seeing things that are not there (hallucinations). Sometimes thoughts can go from one
random idea to the next, being totally unrelated. In mild cases having unusual behavior and social
isolation is common. A severe case can have a “crash” if drugs are involved in a psychotic episode.
Paranoid schizophrenia is incredibly frightening. Onset can start with anxiety, and then progressing to
seeing or hearing things that may be unreal.they may have different interpretations of experiences, and
sometimes the idea that people are speaking from different realms. This happens in more “spiritual”
cases. Paranoia also includes feeling like someone is going to harm you, or someone you care about.
Sometimes, depending on the individual, feelings of anger or being argumentative also can be
symptoms. Some patients have fear of being in public places causing them to isolate. They can
often be afraid to go places on their own, there is no place of comfort in this state. (Compton and
Brousard).
The path to this condition can be early and found in genetic and neurodevelopmental
defects. Experts now believe in a biological, psychological, and social combination, with early onset
being in genetics, then into a vulnerability area of what is in the patients enviornment.
Neurocognitive impairments and social anxiety, alongside an individual taking a prescription for
anxiety, can easily lead to an addiction that they were not suspecting. This can lead to a place of social
stress and isolation that can bring in a wave of psychosis. Often times the thought of suicide is also
present.
The cause of schizophrenia is not precisely known. There is nothing in DNA that says if a
person will develop schizophrenia or not. If the condition is left untreated, the effects can be dangerous;
suicide and self-destructive behavior; abuse of alcohol or prescription drugs; poverty; homelessness;
family conflicts; health problems from anti-psychotic medications such as, weight gain and lethargy.
This can also cause financial problems. The question still remains is this a “biological disease”,
a “psychological disorder”, or a time of “higher enlightenment”. (Compton and Brousard)
There are many classifications of schizophrenia. The common subtypes are: Paranoid,
Catatonic, Disorganized, Undifferentiated, and Residual. The paranoid type usually has hallucinations
and delusions. Catatonic types with draw from social activities and may have meaningless gestures.
Disorganized have thought patterns that are inappropriate expressions of emotion. Undifferentiated
schizophrenics is the largest group that has many symptoms from more than one subtype. Residual
schizophrenics have less prominent positive symptoms, but other symptoms still exist.
Seeking to get an individual help with schizophrenia can be very difficult and frightening.
The process usually begins at the intake level beginning with an evaluation. Then there are some
explanations made to the family and patient as well. A treatment plan is put in place, along with
diagnosis. Batteries of tests may be done such as blood work, and usually some kind of scan either CT
or MRI is done to look for abnormalities. A mental health provider will assess mental status by
observing appearance and demeanor and asking about thoughts, moods, hallucinations, substance
abuse , and potential for violence or suicide. (Compton and Brousard)
The treatment almost always involves a form of anti-psychotic medication, such as Trilafon or
Resperdal. These drugs are known to help deal with symptoms of schizophrenia but often leave
the patient with a “flat feeling” kind of effect. There are many more medications available depending
on the condition or severity of the psychosis. When medication is prescribed, it must be monitored
closely and medical directives must be followed.Hospitalization at the onset of a psychotic episode is
also very scary, especially for the patient. If the condition was a drug related psychosis, a time of
detoxification is needed and can be very difficult. Paranoia is a long lasting effect after a psychosis happens. It usually takes anywhere from 2 to 3 months for paranoia to fade. A medication called
perphenazine which is an older medication that was around in the 70's, is one that can aid in the ease of
paranoia, quite possibly. The objective of these medications is to prevent another psychotic episode.
While in a hospital if that was needed, the doctors may start off with an elevated dosage, and then work
down to a lower dosage, depending on the re-evaluation of symptoms and the patients health. (Harvey)
“Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name. The righteous shall compass me
about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.” (Ps. 142:7) King David wrote these words, while
hiding from himself in a way. How people deal with schizophrenia is also through faith. Many different
types of faith are known, but it is known that people who are dealing with mental illness that have a
support of “prayer” often times recover well. This is an interesting finding considering what some
cultures believe this condition to be. Some have considered this to be a time of enlightenment
and not an illness at all. Consider this “If you talk to God, you are praying. If God talks to you, you
have schizophrenia”. (WordPress) The ultimate “why?” to this condition is still a mystery. What is it,
and why are people being tormented by this condition that we call “schizophrenia”? There are many people in history who give us examples of hope and inspiration, for those of us
dealing with this state of mind. Winston Churchill calls his battle with depression his “Black Dog”. The
story of John Nash, the mathematician that won the Nobel Prize states the he “chooses which voices to
listen to”. Our 16th president Abraham Lincoln also struggled with depression. The artist Vincent Van
Gogh, and the church reformer Martin Luther, all had the ability to live with schizophrenia which is
inspiring. These people also show us that a diagnosis of schizophrenia is not the ultimate reflection of a
person's life. People can still be productive and achieve their goals and dreams as “normal” people do.
(WordPress)
Works Cited
Barclay, Shelly. “The Disturbing Exorcisms and Death of Annaliese Michel”
Historicmysteries.com. 8 April.2011.web.10 Feb. 2012.
Coconcea, Christine, MD. And David Ramos “Schizophrenia.” emedicinehealth.com
N.P., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2012.
Compton, Michael and Beth Brousard. “The First Episode of Psychosis.”
London: Oxford UP, 2009. Print.
“Famous People with Schizophrenia.” iholger.wordpress.com. 2011 16 Nov. 2011. web. 10 Feb. 2012.
McMillen, Matt. Mental Health News. Webmd.com.
19 Jan. 2012. web. 4 Feb. 2012.
“Schizophrenia News.” Schizophrenia.com. 2006
web. 4 Feb. 2012.
“Schizophrenia Facts.” Schizophrenia.com. 2007
web. 4 Feb. 2012.
Simon, Harvey, MD. “Drugs and Side Effects.” umm.edu.
22 Jan. 2009. web. 5 Feb. 2012.
“Childhood Schizophrenia.” mayoclinic.com.
Mayo Clinic Staff. 17 Dec. 2010. web. 10 Feb. 2012.
