Essay about Psychology Schizophrenia Types and Symptoms

Submitted By katiehendry
Words: 360
Pages: 2

Fully define Schizophrenia referring to different types and symptoms.

Schizophrenia is a mental illness which is characterised by a breakdown of thought processes and by impaired emotional responses. It comes from two Greek words; “schizo” meaning split and “phren” meaning mind. Around 1% of the population suffers from the illness. Symptoms which are referred to as positive are symptoms which appear in addition to existing behaviour and can include; thought disturbances, where the individual believes that thoughts are being either inserted into or removed from the mind, or broadcasted to others; hallucinations, where the individual genuinely perceives something to be present which is not; and delusions, where the individual has a false belief which persists even when faced with disconfirming evidence. Delusions can often be of persecution, where the individual believes that others are conspiring against them, of reference, where the individual believes that events such as the news have personal revelance, or of grandeur, in which the person believes he or she is very important. Negative symptoms of schizophrenia are ones which impair usual behaviours and can include; thought process disorder, the failure to maintain attentional focus; disturbances of affect such as blunting, flattened affect or inappropriate affect; and a lack of volition, or will to interact with others. Certain individuals may suffer from psychomotor disorders such as catatonia, in which the individual is unable to move for days, or stereotypy, in which the individual cannot help but