Schizophrenia Essay, Research Paper

Schizophrenia

Over the last few years I have heard many people talking about Schizophrenia. Only, they are confused about what it really is. I get offended very easily when I hear people use the word ‘crazy’, or talk about insanity in a rude way. I also get upset when they make an attempt to discuss it with me, because they do not understand. The thing that upsets me the most is that people often associate schizophrenia with multiple personality disorder. That is 100% not true. Although they do have voices in their head, they are not separate personalities created by them.(Laing, R.D.)

I am writing this paper to clear up any misunderstandings about this disease. I want everyone to know what it is truly about. Because of the wide spread misunderstanding of this disease, I feel that it is not getting the true attention it deserves. People do not understand how frustrating, disappointing, and seemingly hopeless this Illness can become.

During my research, I found out that many more people have Schizophrenia than most would like to admit. In fact, one percent of our entire population suffers from this disease. That is over 2 million people.(McGuire, Patrick A.) The only good news is that this disease has a low rate of genetic inheritance. If one of your parents has this disease you would only have a 10 percent chance of getting it yourself. And only a one- percent chance if you have no known sufferers in your family.

Schizophrenia is a disease that takes over your brain. It distorts your reality and turns life into a confusing daily journey. The newest theory is that children are born with it. During their childhood and early teen years schizophrenics go through a latency stage where the disease is not apparent. The first occurrence of this disease may transpire in their late teens or early twenties. This may be as simple as any shocking change in behavior.(Sechehaye, Marguerite)

Schizophrenia emerges at different times in men and women. It can become visible as early as 17 in males, while appearing in the late twenties and early thirties for females. The classic symptoms include delusions, hallucinations, false reality experiences, social isolation, unusual speech or behavior, and disorganization of thoughts of speech. They may become preoccupied with their fictitious world.(Sechehaye, Margurite)

The hallucinations deal with your taste, smell, sight, sound, and visual senses. During these hallucinations they hear voices in their head. These voices may be telling them to perform certain activities, talk to the person they hear, or even may be warning them of a future dangerous situation. There can be seven different voices all talking at once, thus causing the patient to become confused.(Sechehaye, Margurite)

Because people with Schizophrenia cannot grasp the cause of what is affecting them, they do not believe they are sick. This causes problems with doctors who are trying to give them treatment. Because the patient is oblivious to the disease, they are unwilling to so much as accept treatment. Surprisingly, there is not a sure way of curing schizophrenia at the moment, but doctors are working hard to find one.(Laing, R.D.)

According to the American Psychological Association Monitor, there have been great advances in medicine for schizophrenia.(McGuire, Patrick A.) Doctors believe that ten to twenty percent of those with schizophrenia can recover. Other studies have shown a percentage recovery rate of 68 percent. These numbers are based on a program best know as Psychosocial Rehabilitation. This program is practiced in over 4,000 centers across the country.(McGuire, Patrick A.)

According to Ruth Hughes, PhD, only one in ten of the people who need psychosocial care for schizophrenia are getting it.(Vonnegut, Mark) However, the National Institutes of Health states that nearly a quarter of all mental illness costs combined is connected to schizophrenia. Institute also reports that the total costs of Schizophrenia treatment reaches 30 billion to 65 billion dollars each year!(McGuire, Patrick A.) It makes you wonder where all that money is going!

After all of my work I am more upset than ever about the way schizophrenia is viewed, and the way people with it are treated. Around 2.5 million Americans suffer from this disease, yet none of them are getting the treatment they so desperately need.(Laing, R.D.) I hope this paper has cleared up a few questions about schizophrenia. I only wish there were a way to get the word out to more people.

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McGuire, Patrick A., “New Hope for People With Schizophrenia.” American Psychological Association Monitor, February 1998. 24-28.

Vonneout, Mark., The Eden Express, New York: Praeger Inc. 1975

Laing, R.D., The Self Divided, Tavistock publications. 1959

Sechehaye, Marguerite, Autobiography of Schizophrenia, Girl Grune & Stratton, Inc, 1968