Schizophrenia Case

Although Schizophrenia is a lifetime risk and a genetic condition, psychotic symptoms of this disorder can be also triggered by drugs such as marijuana, psychedelics, inhalants, stimulants, and sedatives, which include alcohol consumption. According to Sia, "Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by disturbances in thought and sensory perception, and deterioration in psychosocial functioning. This disorder is also characterized by loss of contact with reality and symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions" (2004). Schizophrenia is characterized by a weak ego and schizophrenics have an altered perception of reality, often a very significant loss of contact with reality (Sia, 2004).

These schizophrenics may see or hear things that don't actually exist. The defenses mechanisms used in this mental disorder are regression, depersonalization, projection, denial and fantasy. Onset of this disorder is usually around adolescence and adulthood between the ages of 17 to 35 years old but is mostly diagnoses earlier in men. For men, the occurrence of this disorder is around 16 to 20 years old whilst for women; it appears around sometime later from ages 20 to 30. Although a chronic disorder, schizophrenia can be treated with the help of support, medication and therapy. And because of this, many schizophrenics can manage to function independently and live out their lives to the fullest (Sia, 2004).

Although the exact cause of schizophrenia is not yet fully understood. Studies show that and interplay of genetic, biological, and environmental, and psychological factors are thought to be involved. In terms of the biological perspective, the foremost theory tries to explain the cause of schizophrenia, a mental disorder characterized with the loss of contact with reality (Isaacs, 2005). This theory considers familial predisposition, infectious agents, allergies and disturbance in metabolism helps create a certain weakness or vulnerability to schizophrenia (Isaacs, 2005).

Schizophrenia is characterized by weak ego which is the different kinds of defense mechanism and these are the Regression, Depersonalization, projection, denial and fantasy. The onset is usually adolescence and adulthood between 17 to 35 years old and very common now a days but it is diagnosed earlier in men at the age of 16 to 20 years, while women are diagnosed sometime later from ages 20 to 30years. 1 percent of the population suffers from schizophrenia, while 95 percent the disease will be lifetime, at about 20 percent up to 50 percent attempts suicide and 10 percent of these attempts succeed (Sia, 2004).

According to Dizon, "Schizophrenia represents a serious break with reality, but is not considered to be caused by cognitive impairment; and mood disturbance is an uncommon symptom for schizophrenia." (2003, para.) Symptoms of schizophrenia include the following: disturbance of thought content, of style of thought, language, and communication; hallucinations and delusions in terms of the disturbance in perception. And according to the same author, other symptoms of schizophrenia include disturbed social relationships; affect disturbance; psychomotor disturbance in the sense of self and in motivation.

Schizophrenia is characterized by a weak ego. The different defense mechanisms used in this thought disorder are regression, depersonalization, projection, denial and fantasy. Schizophrenics have 20 percent shorter life span and studies show that 50 percent suffers serious side effects of medication. (Sia, 2004). Symptoms of schizophrenia can come off as either positive or negative. In sum, positive symptoms can be considered as normal such as hallucinations, delusions or disorganized behavior. Negative symptoms of schizophrenia include restricted emotions and social withdrawal (Isaacs, 2005).

At this point, that every 100 person, one has schizophrenia. Schizophrenic have 20 percent shorter life span and studies shows that 50 percent suffers from serious side effects to medication that are being consumed. Only a 15 percent do not respond to medication and 75 percent are only partial responders. In this study, it means that medication should be consumed when it's needed for health purposes and not for satisfaction and should be prescribe by the doctor to avoid the side effects. The cause of schizophrenia has not been yet fully understood (Sia, 2004).

However, studies and research shows that interplay of genetic, biological, environmental and psychological factors are thought to be involved. At biological perspective, this theory considers predisposition, infectious agents, allergies and disturbance in metabolism that helps create a certain vulnerability to schizophrenia. In genetic study/factor, most of the scientist considers the cause of having schizophrenia is an environmental virus that changes the body's chemistry and it inherits from lineage or from parents. 40 percent If both parents, 40 percent-50 percent are risk in twins, 10 percent-15 percent if only one parent and that of a 1 percent from the population. At experiential theory, the double bind communication is two messages that contradicts each other is sent that can cause a child to be confused on what action to engage that which results to anxiety (Sia, 2004).

The best treatment now available for treating schizophrenia is the use of antipsychotic drugs. However, they do not 'cure' schizophrenia or ensure that there will be no further psychotic episodes. There is also a common misconception about the use of antipsychotics and schizophrenia, which is said to cause addiction and euphoria. Actually, antipsychotic medications do not produce a 'high' or addictive behavior in people who take them (Sia, 2004).

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, "The significance of this study not only focuses on the genetic factors of schizophrenia, but it also focuses on the common drug effects that can trigger symptoms of this disorder. Substance abuse is one of the common concerns of people with schizophrenia" (2007). Some prescription drugs can trigger psychotic reactions as well. People with schizophrenia frequently develop problems with alcohol consumption or drugs, which are often used in attempt to self-medicate, or to relieve symptoms. Common drug usages include the uses of the following: marijuana, inhalants, sedatives (which include alcohol), psychedelics and stimulants. Mixing drugs or alcohol with a disorder like schizophrenia is an alarming new trend. Substance or drug abuse can lead to devastating consequences (NIMH, 2007).

In terms of genetic factors, most scientists now suspect that people inherit a susceptibility to the illness, which can be triggered by environmental events such as viral infection that significantly changes the body's chemistry, a highly stressful situation in adult