Informative Speech

Schizophrenia

General Purpose: To inform

Specific Purpose: To inform a college audience about Schizophrenia

Thesis Statement: Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that has causes, symptoms, and treatments.

I. Introduction

A. Attention-getter: Imagine waking up every day and not knowing what’s real and what’s not. You not having and control over your own world.

1. You see things that no one else can see.

2. You hear things that no one else can hear.

3. That is the everyday life of a person who has Schizophrenia.

B. Establish credibility: I have always been interested in learning about the brain and psychology, and figuring out why people do the things they do. I work at an assisted living place where a few of the residents that live there see things and hear things that I and the other workers don’t.

C. It fascinates me that those residents and patients with Schizophrenia actually believe they hear and see things that aren’t real, but to them it is very real.

D. I knew Schizophrenia existed, but I did not know much about it before I started my research. Schizophrenia is a brain disorder, and today I am going to inform you about the causes, symptoms, and treatments of Schizophrenia.

II. Body

A. There can be several causes of Schizophrenia.

1. Schizophrenia is a disease of the brain that affects about one percent of the population according to the book Schizophrenia: Innovations in Diagnosis and Treatment by Colin A. Ross.

2. Living with Schizophrenia can be very difficult.

3. It’s human nature to want to know why this is happening and to have answers.

a. Genes play a part in developing Schizophrenia. If a member of your family has Schizophrenia your chances of getting the disorder becomes greater.

b. Environment can affect your chance of getting Schizophrenia possibly due to problems before or after birth.

c. Another cause is chemical brain reactions involving neurotransmitters.

d....