The Center Cannot Hold

The book I chose was " The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness" by Elyn R. Saks. This book is a memoir of Saks life- long experiences with paranoid schizophrenia, and recounts her first symptoms at the age of eight, her efforts to hide the severity of her condition, and the obstacles she has overcome in the course of her treatment.

Schizophrenia is a brain disease which entails a profound loss of connection to reality, and is often accompanied with delusions. Often speech and reason can become disorganized to the point of incoherence. Schizophrenia is often clinically confused with dissociative identity disorder and manic-depressive disorder. Most current theories about the origins of schizophrenia focus on the patient's brain chemistry. The rapid expansion of research into the workings of the human genome has helped shift the focus to a genetic predisposition for schizophrenics. The length of time between the onset of schizophrenia and the diagnosis and treatment can range from weeks to several years. Recent studies indicate that an early diagnoses could contribute to a more positive outcome due to receiving treatment when the symptom levels are low. Researchers are beginning to explore the benefits of stepping in when young people first show symptoms and intervening before the behavior becomes destructive and isolating. The problem is that the symptoms of schizophrenia mirror what many healthy young people experience when going through adolescence: sleep irregularities, vague feelings of anxiety, change in personality, withdrawal from social life, and difficulty in concentrating. The following is the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia according to the DSM-5.

A. Two or more of the following, each present for a significant portion of time during a 1-month period (or less if successfully treat). At least one of these must be (1), (2), or (3): 1.Delusions. 2. Hallucinations. 3. Disorganized speech (e.g., frequent derailment or incoherence). 4...