Schizoid Personality Essay, Research Paper

Schizophrenia is a mental disease that effects over 1 percent of the population.

It can occur at any age but most commonly happens between 16-30. It leaves the

patient confused in a chaotic state of mind with multiple debilitating mental

confusion. The first of them being delusions, the patient is convinced that

people around them can read their minds, and that they can read other peoples

(British Journal of Psychology, 625). The patient then begins to believe that

the people around them are plotting against them and are out to get them. Not

only does the disease effect the patient mentally though, but also it starts to

effect their physical sensations. The patients can`t interpret incoming

sensations and can`t control their physical emotions, this effects the patients

common sense of what to do in every day situations. For example when a person

with normal mental health receives a gift their natural reaction would be to

thank the person who gave it to them. A schizophrenic person would become

confused and be unable to react and cope with the situation. The patient begins

to get an altered sense of themselves and have an extremely hard time

functioning in every day life. They start to believe they can control other

people`s thoughts. They usually start to become violent because they get so

confused with the thoughts of plots against them they believe they are defending

themselves. A person who is diagnosed with a schizoid personality is basically

on the way to having schizophrenia. It is considered a stage to the disease. The

causes of each of the diseases are the same, and most of them are physical

abnormalities of the brain. In over hundreds of studies on schizophrenia and

similar mental conditions doctors have found some similar abnormalities in the

brains of the patients. The first being enlarged ventricles in the brain

(British Journal of Psychology, 697). The second being a reduced volume of gray

matter in the brain, mainly in the temporal and frontal lobes (British Journal

of Psychology, 110). The third is an enlarged amygdala and an increased number

of white matter hypertesites (British Journal of Psychology, 260). Finally a set

of neuropsychological abnorms such as cognitive functions, information

processing, and verbal memory (Fourth Generation of Progress, 1245). In some

other studies doctors have found a reduced prefrontal area. A doctor will not

diagnose a person with schizoid personality or schizophrenia based off physical

abnormalities though. The patient must experience a loss of reality, and that

loss must maintain for at least six months. Doctors also have to rule out drug

use, which can produce similar behavior as schizophrenia. Doctors must also rule

out depression, delusional disorders, and paranoid personality disorder. The

doctor must observe that the person is socially distant too. The doctor can look

at a number of symptoms of schizoid personality. The first being emotional

coldness, the patient will not desire nor enjoy close relationships including

being part of a family. The patient will almost always choose solitary

activities. The patient will have no desire for sexual experiences. The patient

will take place in few if any activities. The patient lacks friends other than

first-degree relatives and finally the patient will be indifferent to praise or

criticism (www.mentalhealth.com). In the treating of schizoid personality

medicine is not an option. Medications almost always don`t work. There are three

different therapies` that generally work the best. Psychosocial therapy which is

for less sever cases of the disease. This is considered sort of an outpatient

program. The physician appreciates the privacy and maintains a low-key approach

toward the patient. The doctor becomes involved in the patient`s life, but not

as far as to push comfortable limits. The patient is encouraged to go on with

everyday life and learns to adapt back to society (www.mentalhealth.com). The

next treatment most commonly used is individual therapy. This is usually a

long-term therapy in which the doctor becomes very involved with the patient`s

life. This therapy involves a long gradual development of trust. The patient is

provided with a sense of optimism, but the doctor is careful not to overwhelm

the patient. The most successful therapy involves interaction that is constant

and supportive, and yet allows the patient to set a distance of comfortability.

After a period of time the patient will begin to reveal their fears, imaginary

friends, and other attributes of the disease on the way to recovery (Harvard

Medical Letter, Oct.1997). Finally group therapy is used to help the disease.

This is generally for sever cases, people who have completely detached

themselves from society and often mentally can`t handle a simple thing such as a

conversation. The patient may not even speak in the group for over a year, but

it is important that the doctor protect the patient from criticism of the other

patients whom are willing to talk. But it is proven that the patient will

eventually talk in the group. Group therapy provides a social network in which

the patient has the opportunity to overcome their fears of closeness and

feelings of isolation (Harvard Medical Letter, Oct. 1997) In conclusion schizoid

personality is a very tough disease to deal with both for the patient and

friends and family of the patient. The disease is very serious and confusing to

both the doctors and patients. Unfortunately medications are not an option as of

today and it sometimes takes years of therapy to just have the person be able to

function normally in today`s society. Although we have come a long way with the

different therapies available we still have a long way to go. It is sad that

most schizoids are threated as lesser humans for something that they cannot

control, and even more of a tragedy is that if it goes undiagnosed the patient

will usually end it with suicide. Next year over 2.5 million people will be

diagnosed with a schizophrenic condition, hopefully science will be able to soon

help the victims of this humiliating and debilitating disease.