Psychology 101
There are times when people are plagued with thoughts, behaviors or emotions that will inhibit them from normal behavior. These are known as psychological disorders. These disorders come in many forms but all will have large effects on a person’s life.
One of the major disorders in the psychology field is schizophrenia, a serious brain disorder. It is a disease that makes it difficult for a person to tell the difference between real and unreal experiences. The word traces back to Greek terms for “split” and for “mental functions.” There are two different types of schizophrenia. One is reactive schizophrenia, which is characterized by the symptoms that are sudden and easily identified. The second type is called process schizophrenia, which develops gradually over a person’s life. The cause of schizophrenia is so puzzling even experts sometimes don’t know what causes the disease. One possible cause for schizophrenia is from heredity. Symptoms of Schizophrenia typically begin between adolescence and early adulthood for males and a few years later for females, and usually as a result of a stressful period. Initial symptoms may include delusions and hallucinations, disorganized behavior and/or speech. As the disorder progresses symptoms such as flattening or inappropriate affect may develop. There is no cure for this disorder so prognosis is poor. However, medication has been shown to be quite effective against the psychotic symptoms and therapy can help the individual cope with the illness better and improve social functioning. Medication is the most important part of treatment as it can reduce and sometimes eliminate the psychotic symptoms. Case management is often needed to assist with daily living skills, financial matters, and housing and therapy can help the individual learn better coping skills and improve social skills. Other forms of therapy are also useful such as;
Individual psychotherapy: This involves regular sessions between just...