Shonda: Continuous Schizophrenia: Paranoid Type - Report Example

Shonda: Continuous Schizophrenia: Paranoid Type Schizophrenia is regarded as a bio psychological disorder that affects the human mind and causes brain abnormalities in the individual. Genetic factors and biological factors are identified to be the contributing factors of the disease. The essay makes a probe into the case study of Shonda who has been suffering from Schizophrenia for a long time. Shonda is employed in a mental health care centre doing some cleaning works and one day she does not turn up for the work. This prompts her case worker to pay a visit to her and he finds that she is quite anxious and very much frightened of the voices that she heard. The focus of the essay is to analyze this particular case study of Shonda in the light of the possible literature available on the disorder. The essay tries to analyze the biological and psychological factors that are associated with the disease. It also attempts to throw light on the role of genetics, neurotransmitters and brain chemistry on the patients who fall preys to the mental disorder. It is also essential to have a thorough understanding of the best possible medication for this mental disorder and to analyze how far they have been successfully implemented. Even though genetic factors are identified to be the most powerful cause for schizophrenia, one needs to take into account the psychological factors that can also result in the mental disorder. Analyzing the case of Shonda one understands that her mental disorder was more of psychological than genetic. It is said that Shonda heard of an aunt who had a nervous breakdown and was hospitalized. However this is no proof of Shonda genetically affected with the disease. From a close analysis of her case, one understands that she had to undergo a large amount of mental stress and strain as she had a broken family and lacked emotional support from her family members. This emotional distance from her mother, brother and father intensified her schizophrenia and makes her confused, agitated and frightened. The fact that her brother did not have an emotional relationship with her after his marriage and that her mother only had a peripheral relationship with her made Shonda’s life miserable and insecure. This family breakdown, as Wender, Rosenthal, & Kety (1974) observe, has added to the disease: “Schizophrenia were unlikely to develop the illness when placed in normal foster homes, whereas most developed schizophrenia when placed in dysfunctional homes. However, as would be expected, when there is no genetic vulnerability, normal children raised by schizophrenic parents do not develop schizophrenia.” (Wender, Rosenthal & Kety, 1974). The intensity of her mental agony and psychological strain is made clear when one comes to know that her father was a great drunkard who used to beat his children after drinking. As Fred Bemak & Lawrence R. Epp suggest Schizophrenia is not only a disease of the body; rather it is both mind and body related: “High dopamine levels thought to contribute to schizophrenia are viewed as a biological reflection of loosened thought incited by psychological stress contributing to the mind-body interaction and, at times, creative processes.” (Bemak & Epp, 2002). Thus, it is evident that mere biological treatment is insufficient to tackle the disorder whereas much care is to be taken to improve the physical and psychological environment of the diseased so that he gets support and care from the family and the society in which one lives. Thus, there is an apparent relationship between genetic factors and psychological factors in the development of the mental disorder. As Shilpa C Nangali puts it: “… stress and trauma can lead to the emergence of schizophrenia…Some genes are switched on when a person is exposed to a specific environment such as family stress, conflicts, anger and growing up in an emotionally-charged environment, which impact and damage childrens brains” (Nangali,2008). It is easy to identify patients who suffer from schizophrenia from their symptoms. However, it is not easy for the clinical interviewer to identify the actual problem of the patient. This is observed by Fred Bemak & Lawrence R. Epp (2002) when they state: “The flat affect, glazed eyes, and agitation from unseen stimuli characteristic of the person with schizophrenia are at once symptoms of their reality and symbols of a private psychological experience more magnetic and absorbing than the questions of the clinical interviewer attempting to unravel the meaning of the visions and voices reported by these clients.” (Bemak & Epp, 2002). Shonda in the case study is reported to have heard harsh loud voices and experienced intense audio hallucinations which made her at times to hide under the bed or in the closet. A person who is affected by schizophrenia feels that he is divided and very often he fails to think or behave in the normal way. As Laing (1969) makes it clear, “the relationship the person with schizophrenia has with him- or herself, resulting in a "division" between psychological processes that are normally experienced as integrated: thought and the thinker, mind and body, good self and bad self, time and logical sequence. In this fragmentation of the personality, the person with schizophrenia loses the most essential of human attributes. Among these attributes are the ability to see and think clearly, to experience inner tranquility, to relate to others meaningfully, to approach the world with trust, and to love others without deluding the true nature of their character.” As it is evident from the quote, one can conclude that it is because Shonda’s brain is in disorder that she is unable to think and act in the normal way and fails to discharge her duties. No doubt, this disorder of the brain and mind is caused by the “genetically determined neuro chemical imbalances, with psychosocial stressors playing only a peripheral role in triggering or exacerbating psychotic episodes.” (Bemak & Epp 2002) . As the decease can only be treated by reducing the psychotic symptoms, some types of Antipsychotic medications are helpful, and the minimum effective dose must be used. The intake of medicine must be continued for at least 1 year, to avid further symptoms. The social life of the patient also is adversely affected by the mental disorder and as Berkow puts it the prominent feature of “negative schizophrenia is characterized by insidious onset and the personality traits of flat affect and lack of sociability.” (Berkow, 1992). Here, the social life of the patient is pathetic and the only way for socialization is the part-time work that she used to do. The only thing that the family can provide is the emotional attachment and care to the patient. But Shonda is an isolated person because her family members are away and not in good terms. A child acquires the primary lessons of socialization from the family and because of the isolation and family problems Shonda lacks the chance to get socialized. Research has proved that it is essential to suppress and keep under control the dopamine activity of the patient as the disorder primarily affects the chemical balance in the brain, and for this, neuroleptic and antipsychotic medications should be used. Breggin (1991) believes that these medicines can perform a general "chemical lobotomy" on the brain, suppressing dopamine activity along with all other neurochemical activity. Shilpa C Nangali points out that there is some biochemical factors that that is involved in the cause of schizophrenia i.e. certain biochemical imbalances which affect the proper functioning of the neurotransmitters in the brain. The common cause of this disease is the ultimate impact of neurotransmitter systems on neurons in the brain which controls the thought process of the patient. The case study discloses the biological aspects of schizophrenia, the brain abnormalities which cause the disorder, the genetic and family background is unveiled, and the influence of neurotransmitters and brain chemistry is also pointed out. The best medication that can be provided to Shonda is Antipsychotic medications and this must be continued with psychological counseling. Here, the family background, without any socialization badly affected the mind of the patient. Hallucinations that Shonda had confronted with, is the safety valve which is created by her mind to escape from further grief. The disorder is curable, but only with the help of other family members and better socialization. The patients who are suffering from this sort of serious decease must be treated sympathetically; the treatment is not for the person but for the decease. References Bemak, Fred., & Epp, Lawrence R. (2002). Transcending the Mind-Body Dichotomy: Schizophrenia Reexamined. Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education and Development. 41(1). Berkow, R. (1992). The Merck manual of diagnosis and therapy. NJ: Merck, Rahway. Breggin, P. R. (1991). Toxic psychiatry. New York: St. Martins Press. Laing, R. D. (1969). The divided self. An existential study in sanity and madness. London: Tavistock. Nangali, Shilpa C. (2008, January15). Schizophrenia: An enigma that has remained over several centuries. American Chronicle. Retrieved by July 19, 2008, from http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/49074 Wender, P. H., Rosenthal, D., & Kety, S. S. (1974). Cross-fostering: A research strategy for clarifying the role of genetics and environmental factors in the etiology of schizophrenia. Archives of General Psychiatry, 30. Read More