Sciences de la Santé
A ROAD BACK TO REALITY
( Contribution )
ReMed Magazine
Our ability to distinguish reality from �iction is a blessing we know little of , and like many blessings , only those who live each day without it can appreciate the real meaning of its loss . Therefore , because this loss is the result of a dysfunction in one of the most mysterious , most intriguing and most controversial organs ever to be studied in the history of medical science , and that is the brain , we will be talking about one of the most stigmatizing , scaring and historically misunderstood mental illness and that is schizophrenia .
R I H A B F E L L A H
Schizophrenia is ?
The word “ schizophrenia ” is the combination of two Greek words . “ Schiz ” which means split , and “ phren ” which means mind . It �irst saw light in 1908 and was the invention of the German psychiatrist Bleuer who de�ined the schizophrenic patient as “ one who has simultaneously opposing thoughts ”. It is what we call commonly suffering from “ split personality ”.
Schizophrenia is a disease that touches young adults and manifests itself in an individual having both : 1 ) genetic abnormalities ( explaining thus its recurrence in certain families ) originating in a molecular dysfunction in his brain . 2 ) being exposed to certain environmental factors such as psychological stress or substance abuse .
What are its signs and symptoms ?
The clinical manifestation of this disorder is the presence of either positive symptoms and / or negative symptoms through at least a 6 month period .
The positive symptoms or psychotic symptoms are symptoms that are “ added ” . They consist mainly of delusional ideas and hallucinations . While delusional ideas are the misinterpretation of real existing stimuli by the brain , such as seeing a monster or a man in a simple shadow , hallucinations however are any stimuli perceived by the individual with no real ground whatsoever . In this case , the stimulus most frequently found in schizophrenics is auditory : The patient often complains of hearing voices that are not originating from him . Another common positive symptom is paranoia or excessive suspiciousness . It manifests as an individual who always thinks Negative symptoms are , on the other hand , what lacks in the individual ’ s behavior , such as the lack of affect ( a “ don ’ t care ” attitude ), the lack of initiative or avolition which is an unusual disinterest in any activity or hobby , and attentional problems or the inability to focus .
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Clinically speaking , we can notice that a patient who has negative symptoms alone differs completely from a patient presenting predominantly positive symptoms . Therefore we can only imagine what a wide range of manifestation this disorder includes , and the great challenge presented to psychiatrists by its diagnosis . The solution presented itself through the use of a revolutionary manual : the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders ( or DSM ), created by The American Psychiatric Association . It contains diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia , among other mental disorders , and has made it a lot easier to retain a certain diagnosis , in a very ef�iciently rapid way , while allowing physicians to use the same vocabulary .
Clinicians thrive today to do more than mere diagnosis , because they noticed the existence of a prodromal phase ; in which the individual presents early signs of schizophrenia or pre-psychotic signs , such as a decline in academic functioning , an increase in social isolation , and a subtle change in behavior or thought patterns . Therefore , it is psychiatrists ’ general ambition to �ind a way to diagnose the disorder at this stage and delay the onset of schizophrenia or even stop it .
What causes it ?
Efforts have been made and theories have been speculated on the origin of schizophrenia . It was thought to be the result of abusive , emotionally un-nurturing environment in the early upbringing of the person . The notion of the schizophrenogenic mother was even introduced in the early 1960 ’ s , and describes a hard cold mother whose children are more prone to developing schizophrenia . Other theories proclaimed that children who were often faced with double bind situations ( which are situations you cannot win no matter the choice you make ), were at higher risk of becoming schizophrenic . But these theories were not speci�ic to schizophrenia and thus didn ’ t stand long as rational explanations for it .
The admitted theory today is what is called “ the Dopamine theory ” which was accidently discovered and led to a breakthrough in both the understanding and treating of the malady .