The Schizophrenia Disorder and Its Symptoms - Essay Example

This paper will address several topics related to schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder typified by poor emotional responsiveness and a breakdown of thought processes. Symptoms associated with schizophrenia include disorganized thinking and speech, hallucinations, bizarre and paranoid delusions, and is complemented by considerable occupational or social dysfunction. Early environment, genetics, neurobiology, social, and psychological processes are the key contributors to schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is assumed to affect thought processes.

In addition, schizophrenia plays a part in chronic issues with emotions and behavior. Individuals suffering from schizophrenia have probable conditions, for example, anxiety disorders and major depressive disorders. In addition, people suffering from schizophrenia abuse substances and are placed at 50%. Also, these people suffer from problems, for example, homelessness, long-term unemployment, and poverty. The standard life expectancy of people suffering from schizophrenia is approximately 12 years less than those who do not suffer from schizophrenia. The start of symptoms related to schizophrenia appear in young adulthood. The worldwide life prevalence of schizophrenia ranges from 0.3% to 0.7% (Mueser & Jeste, 2008).

The prime schizophrenia treatment is an antipsychotic medication merged with social and psychological support. In addition, hospitalization may take place for critical cases either involuntarily or voluntarily. Community support services are also common; they include supported employment, drop-in centers, support groups, and visits by people from a community mental health group. In addition, several researchers assert that frequent practice has a positive impact on the mental and physical condition of schizophrenia patients. Antipsychotic medication can decrease the psychosis-positive symptoms in almost one to two weeks. The choice of an antipsychotic employed is based on costs, risks, and benefits. Psychosocial interventions include skills training, family therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, supported employment, assertive community treatment, and cognitive remediation (Mueser & Jeste, 2008). These therapies may decrease hospitalizations and relapses.

Albert Einstein’s son, Eduard Einstein was a schizophrenia patient. Eduard Einstein was the second born. Eduard Einstein was a susceptible person and was frequently sick. Eduard Einstein and his brother experienced a lot of pain after Albert Einstein and his wife divorced. Nonetheless, Eduard Einstein was an extremely decent student. He was highly gifted in music and had high intellect. Eduard pursued medicine and wanted to be a psychiatrist. Eduard Einstein became a schizophrenia patient at the age of twenty, in 1930. Two years later, he was institutionalized for several times. Most individuals presume he was overdosed with medicines and damaged by the different cures employed during that time (Clark, 1971). His brother attributes Eduard’s suffering to the electric shock procedures.

I agree with the current treatment or assistance employed in schizophrenia disorder. Hospitalization may take place for critical cases. This helps in arresting serious schizophrenia cases. In addition, social and psychological supports assist schizophrenia patients during illness. In my view, these methods consider the well-being of the patients. I aim to understand what takes place on a neurological and genetic level to account for schizophrenia. This will help develop biomedical interventions. Also, health strategies should tackle socioeconomic issues connected with the high schizophrenia rates. In my opinion, both nature and nurture may contribute to schizophrenia. Research has shown that, in identical twins, there is a 50-50 chance of suffering from schizophrenia. The way a person is nurtured may also contribute to schizophrenia. There are high levels of schizophrenia among the lower class. Children brought up in these areas may become schizophrenia patients. Residing in urban areas may also contribute to schizophrenia and individuals with supportive caregivers face less risk than those with non-supportive parents (American Psychiatric Association, 2000).

It is difficult to predict the outlook for schizophrenia. In many cases, symptoms associated with schizophrenia may advance with medication. Nonetheless, several people are at risk for recurring episodes and may have problems functioning. This is frequent in the prior phases of the illness. In addition, people suffering from schizophrenia may require job training, housing, and other community support strategies (Mueser & Jeste, 2008). Also, patients with extremely critical schizophrenia may not reside by themselves. They may need to reside in structured residences or group homes. Read More