Week 4 Psy450 Individual

Psychological Disorder Paper : Schizophrenia

Melanie Gruber

PSY/450

July 15, 2012

Glorivy Arce

Psychological Disorder Paper : Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is an illness that affects an individual’s mental state and hinders the ability to decipher the difference between reality and fiction. There is no known cause as it continues to baffle experts as to how it occurs and why. Genetic factors may play a role but it is not proven; environmental has been suggested as well, and aids as a trigger for those who are already susceptible. Infection during the developmental stages within the womb or a stressful and traumatic psychological experience is known to increase the risk for schizophrenia later in life. This illness affects 1% of individuals worldwide and occurs equally amongst men and women. However, it is known to begin later in life and appear milder in women (Health Central). For this reason, the male population tends to account for more than half of the patients on record. While it is a rarity for schizophrenia to occur in children, it will usually begin to show signs and symptoms after the age of 5; subsequent to the normal development process. It is extremely difficult to diagnose and separate from other developmental disorders, which is why it is infrequent for children (Health Central). Schizophrenia continues to be one of the most fascinating mental disorders due to its complexity and convoluted purpose. It is chronic, severe and long term and shows no signs of becoming extinct.

Schizophrenia as per DSM-IV

DSM-IV stands for diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders that is published by the American Psychiatric Association which includes all mental health disorders and illnesses in both adults and children. In regards to schizophrenia, the DSM-IV recognizes positive and negative symptoms which need to be present for a period of 1 to 6 months (DNA Learning Center). In this respect, positive is recognizes the presence of active indicators...