Schizophrenia

Yes, schizophrenia is a type of psychosis. Psychosis is an abnormality in perception or expression of reality. Schizophrenia is a subtype of this.

It would be possible, but very difficult. You would have to be an expert in schizophrenia in order to fake all of the symptoms and fool the psychiatrists. You would also have to keep up the pretence for a long time. There would be a lot more chances for you to trip and act normal than there would for you to fake it.

However, it is possible. People fake mental illness a lot of the time (Munchausen's Syndrome, though this is more commonly physical illness). However, why you would want to is beyond me as it will most likely involve you being "voluntarily" admitted to a psychiatric ward or community care team or being sectioned under the Mental Health Act, giving the ability for doctors to forcibly give you depot injections of antipsychotic medication.

In fact, there was an experiment done by the psychologist David Rosenhan that showed that people could fake schizophrenia (I'm not sure if it was paranoid schizophrenia or not) well enough to get into a mental hospital. A group of subjects agreed to go to a mental hospital and say that they had auditory hallucinations (hearing voices). They were, in fact, perfectly normal. Many of them were locked up for weeks or even months before they decided to stop.

Smoking does not reduce the causes of schizophrenia. However, there is some indication that smoking can reduce either the symptoms of schizophrenia or the side effects of antipsychotic medications, or both, which may be why 70-90 percent of people with schizophrenia smoke. The semi-beneficial effects of nicotine on people with schizophrenia may be caused by increased levels of acetycholine, which increases mood, and glutamate, which improves memory, in the brain. Both mood and memory problems are prevalent among people with schizophrenia.

Opinions are divided on that. Some clinicians say that mild cases of schizophrenia are possible, and are in fact true in cases of paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorders. Others say that schizophrenia is schizophrenia, and you cannot have a milder form of it.

Persons with schizophrenia do not have "split personality". Their illness is due to biochemical disturbance of the brain. The symptoms are as follows:

- disconnected and confusing language

- poor reasoning, memory and judgment

- high level of anxiety

- eating and sleeping disorders

- hallucinations or hearing and seeing things that only exist in the mind of the consumer

- delusions or persistent false beliefs about something (i.e. that others are controlling their thoughts)

- deterioration of appearance and personal hygiene -tendency to withdraw from others

Most schizophrenic criminals in the past were considered geniuses. If you've ever watched "Most Evil" most of those people were schizophrenic, and their plans were brilliant. They were very screwed up and evil, but they were smart. I'm schizophrenic and I have an IQ of over 140. The average American adult has an IQ of 110.

Paranoid schizophrenia is a mental health disorder in which the person believes that he or she is being persecuted when he or she is not, shows a pervasive (continuing) pattern of this, and has those beliefs when most people would say that there is no reason to believe that the person is being persecuted. If John believed that people at work were trying to hurt him and were always talking behind his back, then that would be an indication that John had paranoid schizophrenia.

Paranoid adolescent schizophrenia would be paranoid schizophrenia in teenagers, not in adults.

Its not known actually but its beilived adolescents stress and tension leads to the disease

No, hallucinations are a positive symptom. The difference between a negative and positive symptom is that a negative symptom means that something usually present in normal people (affect, social interaction) is missing, while a positive symptom means that something is present in the person that is not present in normal people (hallucinations, delusional thinking).

Homelessness, exacerbation of symptoms, poor hygiene, inability to care for self, etc.

Neuroleptics, or antipsychotics, are the drugs most commonly used to treat schizophrenia. They block the dopamine pathways to reduce the amount of dopamine in the brain, which could be one cause of the schizophrenia. However, it's difficult to get patients to stay on their medication because of the unpleasant side effects.

As of the latest data, the prevalence of schizophrenia in the Philippines is estimated to be around 1% of the population, which translates to approximately 1 million individuals affected. The country faces challenges in mental health services, with many patients lacking access to proper care and treatment. Stigma surrounding mental health issues further complicates the situation, often leading to social isolation for those affected. Efforts are ongoing to improve awareness and access to mental health resources in the country.

A properly qualified doctor would not misdiagnose in that manner. Medically they are very different conditions, though they can have some similar symptoms. This is why some people can confuse the two.

Yes they do. They can see and hear things. Their perception can be completely different. They can have full relationships with people that don't even exist. My sister has this and it's very hard at times but with the right medications and therapy, you can live a normal life.

Residual schizophrenia is a type of schizophrenia that comes after an active psychotic episode. For the diagnosis of residual schizophrenia to be made, there must be no positive symptom (schizophasia, delusions, or hallucinations).

Many schizophrenics realize that they have problems without being told. The condition has nothing to do with intelligence, merely with the ability to discern reality. It may become clear early on that they do not march to the same beat as other people, although they may not realize the reason. Others view themselves as normal, and the rest us as being out of touch.

The evidence suggests that people with schizophrenia are probably not cured without the use of medication. People with schizophrenia may improve over time, even without medication. However, do not confuse this with being cured.

Positive symptoms: Feelings or behaviors that are usually not present, such as: Believing that what other people are saying is not true (delusions) Hearing, seeing, tasting, feeling, or smelling things that others do not experience (hallucinations)

Dissociative Identity Disorder can be corrected; it is debated whether it can be totally cured.

A trauma in life is occasionally what brings on multiple personalities; however, many multiples report being born multiple or developing multiple personalities naturally. It can be the way some people's brains react to survive a particular trauma. Some psychiatrists feel it could be genetic, but this is such a complex problem that this has never truly been proven and it is by trial and error that doctors find out more information as to how to handle their patients.

The therapist has to be extremely mindful of what they say to their patients because it could cause one or more of the personalities to come out. In a patient who is troubled by these personalities, the therapist normally strives to keep the patient on the level of their true normal personality. These therapists try to "integrate" the personalities by finding the 'normal personality' that best fits the patient and through therapy try to group the other personalities into the 'normal' one. Sounds strange, but it seems to be working. The only stress that is typically left on the patient is when they endure trauma or any stress through life and they have to fight the other personalities from striking out on their own from the normal personality that the patient and therapist has worked on.

Another good example is if you look up the Biography of 'Sybil' (whose real name was Shirley Ardell Mason and she was a teacher) whom I believe had over 9 different personalities. She never married. According to the book she was cured. Her trauma was over-bearing parents and her mother was cruel and mentall ill. Shirley Mason remained long time friends with her therapist.

Other books you may be interested in are: The Three Faces of Eve; The five of Me and The Minds of Billy Milligan. If you're interested in healthy or natural multiplicity, I would recommend this website: astraeasweb.net/plural/

In the 1940's they said my grandfather had it from having syphilis. He had to be institutionalized and died there when he contracted something they called "chicken pneumonia." So sad.

It is easy to overlook the family members, who are also affected by the disease, that afflicts their loved one. They are the first hand witnesses to a disease, which manifests itself on several different levels; and the family members must somehow find the strength to cope and endure. The family members experience a magnitude of emotions due to the behaviors and situations schizophrenics present to them, and circumstance stemming from society's view on mental illness. The following are some ways in which schizophrenia affects the family member: stress and anguish, guilt and shame, bitterness, sacrifice, limited financial resources, and diminished personal health and wellness.

As each symptom surfaces for the schizophrenic, stress and anguish wear at the family members, who are drawn into this disease. At the center of this stress and anguish is an overwhelming sense of sorrow. As mentioned on the web site, Internet Mental Health, the family may feel as though they have lost their loved one (Long, "How Schizophrenia Affects the Family"). Whether it is a son, daughter, mother, father, wife, husband, brother, or sister, the family member is aware that this person at one time was healthy and normal; but now, is no longer the same person. With the sorrow comes fear, fearing what they do not know about the disease, fearing what they do know about the disease, and fearing the possibility that their loved one may harm their self or someone else (Long, "How Schizophrenia Affects the Family"). These fears are realistic, especially when considering schizophrenics and the incidence of suicide. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has noted, "Suicide is a serious danger in people who have schizophrenia," and "Approximately ten percent of people with schizophrenia (especially younger adult males) commit suicide." Therefore, families do have reason to be fearful of this possibility. Also, as hard as it may be for a family member, of a schizophrenic, to see amongst the irrational behaviors they witness, harming others is a less likely occurrence; since schizophrenics tend to recluse and isolate themselves from society. According to NIMH, "Studies indicate that except for those persons with a record of criminal violence before becoming ill, and those with substance abuse or alcohol problems, people with Schizophrenia are not especially prone to violence" (NIMH, "Schizophrenia").

Along with sorrow and fear, family members are also stricken by guilt and shame brought on by this mental illness. According to information on the Internet Mental Health web site, family somehow feels as if they may be to blame for their loved one's condition; and genetic linkage as one of the possible causes of the disease leads to more feelings of guilt. When a family is faced with having to place the person in an institution, they feel a sense of guilt, because they could not do more for the person. At times, there is an amount of shame experienced by family members, who are dealing with a schizophrenic loved one (Long, "How Schizophrenia Affects the Family"). Shame due to how society stigmatizes mental illness and the person inflicted with it; and shame from inappropriate behaviors that the inflicted engages in, when they are in a social setting. If onlookers do not understand why the person acts this way, it becomes easy to dismiss

it as crazy; and even if onlookers did know the cause, it is still easy to label a person crazy. It is often the family members who are aware; they absorb the comments, and the brunt of the stereotypes and stigmas.

Bitterness is also a common emotion the family of a schizophrenic may feel. The Internet Mental Health website suggests, "They are bitter because they cannot understand why this may be happening to them"; and they are bitter from how consumed they are by this disease, which often keeps them as isolated as their loved one (Long, "How Schizophrenia Affects the Family"). This can lead to resentment of all the time they spend caring for this person. They must keep a close eye on their schizophrenic loved one, making sure medication is taken, making sure they do not place themselves into a predicament which can result in harm. Schizophrenia takes precedence in the lives of those involved with the schizophrenic.

Family members, who take on the role of caregiver, often must sacrifice their careers and social life. Caring for someone inflicted with schizophrenia can be time consuming, and those who fulfill the role feel alone, and may not feel anyone understands what they are going through (Long, "How Schizophrenia Affects the Family"). Because the disease can be debilitating to the schizophrenic, the caregiver may be forced to give up their job, and care for their loved one full time. The behavior displayed by their loved one may be embarrassing, and this may cause them to avoid attending social functions. Schizophrenia can shatter the goals and dreams of both the schizophrenic, and the family members who sacrifices to become the caregiver.

As if dealing with the seriousness of schizophrenia is not enough to endure; the family may face struggles due to limited financial resources to meet the demands of long term treatment. Schizophrenia does not have a cure, and since it requires varying treatments it can become a financial burden to family members. Depending on the age of the person suffering from schizophrenia, there may be a limited medical coverage for them. Insurance companies vary in their coverage of mental illness, because the demands of care are often long term and costly. When the loved one is not able to work or is a child, they may have to apply for disability, Medicaid, and other forms of public assistance to help with the cost of care. For some with this disease, they do not meet the criteria of total disability; therefore, limited resources are made available to them. This unfair treatment of mental illness has lead to the push for mental health parity. Mental Wellness.com comments, "Mental health parity is the term used to describe the effort to create an equal health insurance system that covers mental illness in the same way that it covers physical illnesses" ("Mental Health Insurance Parity"). The Bush Administration originally supported mental health parity, but as of recent, legislation efforts have been stopped. As of June, 2004, legislation for mental health parity was blocked from passage ("Lobbyists Block Mental Health Parity"). This reflects society's inability to equate mental illness as a disease.

Another affect schizophrenia has on family members, is their personal health and wellness diminishes. Becoming consumed by their loved one's illness, they forget to take care of themselves. Some of the health related issues affecting the family are weight loss, inability to sleep, and their own mental illness of depression, which is mentioned on the Internet Mental Health web page (Long, "How Schizophrenia Affects the Family"). Weight loss occurs from the constant vigilance that has to go into caring for the schizophrenic and the family member forgets to take care of their selves. There may be an inability to sleep or insomnia because they are so consumed with caring, and watching their loved one. Depression can occur due to the family member dealing with so many emotions and witnessing this dreadful disease as it affects the schizophrenic. This can eventually lead to "burnout" for the family member, which is why it is necessary for the family member to seek support. As stated on Internet Mental Health, "The other reason for joining a support group early is to find ways of avoiding the burnout that so often comes with the burden of caring for someone with schizophrenia" (Long, "Schizophrenia: A Handbook for Families"). It is important for the family members to know that there is help out there for them, and to seek it so they do not wind up sick.

To summate how schizophrenia affects the family, one can look to the example given in the Ron Howard box office hit "A Beautiful Mind." This movie offers a Hollywood glimpse into lives confronted with schizophrenia.

Though this story depicts the true schizophrenic life of John Forbes Nash, JR., it reflects a more positive outcome for this schizophrenic; however, this is not always the case ("A Beautiful Mind"). Schizophrenia is not just devastating to the person who is

inflicted; instead, it is an often devastating journey of crisis for a whole family. The experience can often leave a family destroyed, or bind them unconditionally. The Schizophrenic and their family are afflicted with so much turmoil, and suffer not only because of the debilitating symptoms of the disease, but because of too little care, and not enough understanding. There is added challenges due too the unfounded and misplaced stigmas. Society is compassionate toward the terminally ill, and those inflicted by diseases of other bodily systems; then why not have the same compassion for those inflicted with diseases of the brain? Is the brain not a system of the body? As with all mental illnesses in the United States, the public should become aware and tolerant of those who are suffering; and stop feeding the stigmas, and start pushing for equal treatment and funding for mental health related disorders.

Work Cited

- "A Beautiful Mind." Universal Studios and Dreamworks LLC. 2001. 7 July 2004.

- "Lobbyists Block Mental Health Parity." CNN News Services 22 June 2004. 6 Jul. 2004.

- Long, Phillip W. "How Schizophrenia Affects the Family." April 2001. Internet Mental

Health. British Colombia Schizophrenia Society. 6 July 2004.

- "Schizophrenia." 2001. Internet Mental Health. 18 July 2004.

- "Schizophrenia: A Handbook for Families." 1996. Internet Mental

Health. Health Canada and Schizophrenia Society of Canada. 7 July 2004.

- "Mental Health Insurance Parity." Mental Wellness.com: Better Every Day. 6 July 2004.

- "Schizophrenia." 1999. NIMH. National Institute of Mental Health. 9 July 2004.

- "The Numbers Count: Mental Disorders in America." 2001. NIMH. National Institute of

Mental Health. 6 July 2004.

it depends on the person and if they want to change and it also depends on how bad the case is and how long have they been tapping in to these split personalities and if its a boy or agirl.need more info