Schizophrenia - Diagnosis and Symptoms - Essay Example

People suffering from schizophrenia display maladjusted behavior and thinking patterns. According to DSM-IV-TR, the diagnosis of schizophrenia is based on symptoms that are visible in the behavior and thinking patterns of people who suffer from it (First & Tasman, 2010, p.245). People suffering from schizophrenia have delusions, hallucinations, incoherent and disorganized speech, excessively catatonic behavior, and rigid physical movements (First & Tasman, 2010, p.245). According to Barch (2003), the defining aspect of schizophrenia is the deficits in cognitive functions and the disturbed thought process (Weiten, Lloyd, Dunn & Hammer, 2009, p.502). This deteriorates the patient’s daily routine and relationships with people as he talks in a chaotic and illogical manner and there is no sense in his talk (Weiten et al., 2009, p.502).

Most of the time, people suffering from schizophrenia have auditory hallucinations where they hear voices from non-existent or absent people and act accordingly (Weiten et al., 2009, p.502). They also suffer from emotional disturbances as they do not display emotional response to any stimulus and if they do respond, then their emotional response is not appropriate to the situation and is erratic (Weiten et al., 2009, p.502). In such a scenario, if professional help is not provided to the patients, then they can prove dangerous to others or themselves as the deterioration of the illness causes them to become violent and self-destructive. That is what happened in the case of Andrea Yates.

The Case Of Andrea Yates
Andrea Yates, a 37-year-old woman from Texas, drowned her five young children to death, under the influence of severe mental illness (Greene, Fortune, Heilbrun & Nietzel, 2007, p.215). Andrea had a long history of mental illness. Andrea’s mental illness was hereditary as her father, two brothers, and a sister, suffered from depression and other mental illnesses to different degrees (Wade & Tavris, 2006, p.600). Andrea was suffering from clinical depression and episodes of psychotic illness for years and was under treatment for the same (Wade & Tavris, 2006, p.600). After the numerous psychotic episodes, she was hospitalized and was diagnosed with schizophrenia and postpartum depression (Greene et al., 2007, p.215). According to “The Andrea Yates Case” (2005), she was hospitalized just one month before the killings as it was evident that if she was left alone without supervision, she might get violent (Greene et al., 2007, p. 215). Moreover, after having her fourth baby, her psychiatrist suggested she and her husband not have another baby saying that she would go deeper into depression if more responsibility came her way (Wade & Tavris, 2006, p.600).

However, according to Yardley (2001), her husband overlooked the warning and refused birth control saying that they “would like to have as many babies as nature will allow” (Wade & Tavris, 2006, p.600). The overwhelming responsibility of raising kids and doing their homeschooling took its toll on Andrea and she went into severe depression and psychotic episodes (Wade & Tavris, 2006, p.600). On June 20, 2001, Andrea drowned each of her children one by one in a tub filled with water and later, laid them in bed and covered them with sheets (Greene et al., 2007, p.215). The eldest child was found floating in the tub lifelessly (Greene et al., 2007, p.215). Later, she called the police and her husband and told them about the killings (Greene et al., 2007, 215). Andrea was charged with murder. However, she pled not guilty by the reason of insanity (Greene et al., 2007, p.215).

Andrea was sentenced to life in prison as the jury found her guilty of murder (Greene et al., 2007, p.215). However, Andrea’s conviction was overturned after three years as the court declared a mistrial because during the trial, one of the psychiatric experts had mistakenly testified that a few days before the murder, the television show “Law and Order” had aired an episode where the defendant had drowned the children and was acquitted because of insanity (Greene et al., 2007, p.215). This was to indicate that Andrea had seen that episode and planned the killings accordingly, thinking that she would be acquitted if she pled not guilty because of insanity. However, later it was found that no such episode was aired (Greene et al., 2007, p.215). According to Wadsworth (2005), Andrea was later taken to psychiatric prison before the beginning of a new trial (Greene et al., 2007, p.215).

Conclusion
Andrea Yates was suffering from severe schizophrenia and her husband was advised not to leave her alone with her children. However, her husband refused the advice from her doctor and did not give her the support that she needed. Andrea killed her children in severe despair and was not in a mental condition to understand what she was doing. Hence, the decision of the court to declare her not guilty by the reason of insanity and keep her in a psych Read More