Symptoms And Symptoms Of Schizophrenia - 1343 Words

What is Schizophrenia? Experts agree that it is a syndrome (signs and symptoms that are thought to co-occur in ways that distinguish it from other syndromes and from normal thoughts and behaviors). Schizophrenia is also defined as a psychotic disorder with, impairments in reality, disturbances of perception and thought experienced as hallucinations, delusions, hearing voices, seeing things that are not there, and paranoia. Its onset usually starts in a person’s late teens to early twenties, and it affects about one percent of the global population. Its causes are unknown but experts are learning more every day. â€Å"Detailed descriptions of mental disorders such as mania, melancholia, dementia, delirium and hysteria have been†¦show more content†¦It was Eugene Bleuler in 1908 that named the illness Schizophrenia, a splitting apart of the mind. â€Å"The splitting meant that the mind no longer functioned as a whole, with behavior, emotion, and intellect working together. It did not mean that there were multiple personalities† (Freedman 8). Delusions and fantasies dominate over rational thought. Patients are stricken by formal thought disturbances. â€Å"As a consequence delusions, fantasies, wishes, needs, and emotions rather than intentions and logic control thought and action† (Shean 4). Many experience paranoia such as thinking the CIA is doing this to them with radio waves to control their mind, or that aliens are beaming them up from a mother ship. Basically schizophrenics believe they are under surveillance by some unknown being with the abilities of mind control. It is reported that the irrational thoughts dominate their mind and drive them to despair. Schizophrenics hear convincing voices that are actually lying to them. This is why a psychiatrist will say they have delusions. â€Å"During a visit to my office, a young man hesitantly reveals his belief that snakes are living behind the mirror in his college do rmitory room and that they are forcing their thoughts into his head. His terror was hidden in the privacy of his own mind for a year, until his failure in his classes led to a confession to his mother and a referral to me. His