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Case study of a family living with schizophrenia
How mental illness can affect families
Case study of a family living with schizophrenia
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It was spectacular that the first lady of the United States Mrs. Mary Todd Lincoln, Abraham Lincolns wife was diagnosed with schizophrenia at an unknown age. she suffered with many of the side effects throughout her adult life while supporting her husband through his presidency. its causes are largely unknown, with studies leaning towards a genetic predisposition. schizophrenia is serious and has the probability to lead a lifetime of suffering for those with this disease. unsure of or how Mrs. Lincolns case was treated since this was from 1818-1832. it is treatable with medication and mental health treatment but unfortunately it is not curable. schizophrenia requires lifelong treatment, even when symptoms have seemed to subside. about 1.1 %
Every year one hundred thousand young Americans are diagnosed with the disease schizophrenia (Carman Research). Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that is associated with unnatural behavior or thinking . The disease usually affects people during the late adolescence stage or early adulthood, typically during this time they develop the symptoms linked to the disease.
In the 1800’s people with mental illnesses were frowned upon and weren't treated like human beings. Mental illnesses were claimed to be “demonic possessions” people with mental illnesses were thrown into jail cells, chained to their beds,used for entertainment and even killed. Some were even slaves, they were starved and forced to work in cold or extremely hot weather with chains on their feet.
Little do most people know, our sixteenth President Abraham Lincoln, suffered from a depression also known as Melancholy. Lincoln was, considered by most, one of our greatest Presidents. As a U.S. president, Lincoln had many great accomplishments. For example he had a vital role in preserving the Union during the Civil War, he ended slavery, had good speeches and letters and was very humble. On the outside “Honest Abe” was a strong, intelligent man. On the inside, he was falling apart. Few people these days and in this century know of Lincoln’s condition while he was in office. Oddly though, Lincoln was very open about his depression while running for office. Because the public knew about his condition, many people wonder if it had any effect on the peoples voting preference. He won the election so apparently the people didn’t care. Some people became curious of Lincoln’s case and if depression ran in his family or if it was just something that came up. Abraham Lincoln’s
Schizophrenia has always been a disorder shrouded in mystery. The misconceptions combined with a lack of knowledge of the disorder lead to a stigma to be placed upon people with the disorder.
Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that affects one to two percent of people worldwide. The disorder can develop as early as the age of five, though it is very rare at such an early age. (3)) Most men become ill between the ages of 16 and 25 whereas most women become ill between the ages of 25 and 30. Even though there are differences in the age of development between the sexes, men and women are equally at risk for schizophrenia. (4) There is of yet no definitive answer as to what causes the disorder. It is believed to be a combination of factors including genetic make-up, pre-natal viruses, and early brain damage which cause neurotransmitter problems in the brain. (3)
Schizophrenia is a life-long illness that requires a person and their family to really care for them. Many advances have been made in treatment and many patients can now live satisfying and significant life in the community.
...ients that suffer severe symptoms. The most common treatment is a combination of medicine and therapy. Where the patient engages in individual psychotherapy with a therapist, rehabilitation, family education, or self help groups. These therapies usually help people cope with schizophrenia and its effects. At this time there is no cure for schizophrenia, there are very effective treatments and medications. Research is being conducted to help scientists understand the disorder better and is being used to try to treat schizophrenia permanently. The only way this is possible is with the use of new treatments, such as new experimental drugs and electrotherapy. No treatments today are preventative nor do they permanently “cure” schizophrenia, but we can look to the bright future for the development of a new treatment option that could potentially fully cure schizophrenia.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (2009) (as cited in Regier et al, 1993), “Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disorder that has affected people throughout history and about 1 percent of Americans have this illness” (p. 85-94).
As the above information has shown, schizophrenia is a treatable disease that affects 1 -- 2 % of the world's population. The symptoms can be managed through medication but as of yet there is no cure. The cause is unknown but there are several plausible theories. Researchers can only hope that future work will shed a brighter light on this debilitating disease.
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, schizophrenia is characterized by the development of two or more symptoms in a one-month period. At least one of the two symptoms must be delusions, hallucinations, or disorganized speech. Schizophrenia has always been a disorder shrouded in mystery. There have been many hypotheses from varying perspectives offering up causation for it and some have research, while some lack support. It is important when trying to comprehend and appreciate the disorder that its history is taken into consideration. This way the full extinct to which each branch of the disorder has developed can be absolutely understood. Learning from the past is the only way to proceed towards the future. With schizophrenia, it starts in the dark and works it ways towards the light.
SCHIZOPHRENIA Schizophrenia, from the Greek word meaning “split mind”, is a mental disorder that causes complete fragmentation in the processes of the mind. Contrary to common belief, schizophrenia does not refer to a person with a split personality or multiple personalities, but rather to a condition which affects the person’s movement, language, and thinking skills. The question of whether schizophrenia is a disease or collection of socially learned actions is still a question in people’ mind. People who are suffering from schizophrenia think and act in their own the world and put themselves in a way that is totally different from the rest of society. In other words, they have lost in touch with the reality. Most schizophrenics accept the fact that they have this disorder and are willing to receive necessary treatment and listen to, if not follow, professional advice. However there are cases where patients have lost insight and do not acknowledge the fact that they suffer from a mental disorder. As a result, these people do not have the treatment normally patients with schizophrenia do. To observers, schizophrenia may seem like a disease or madness because people who have this disorder behave differently to the people that are considered “normal.” It impairs a person from doing work, going to school, taking care of his/herself or having a social relationship with others. Yet, by looking at some of the symptoms, it is sometimes hard to classify schizophrenia as a disease because it enables those inflicted with it to develop new ways of communication intellectually and creatively, as well as enhancing artistic abilities. A disease is usually some kind of sickness that will lead to death or under heavy medication. However, this is not the case. For now, there is no cure but only treatment to help people with schizophrenia to live more productive lives. Generally, schizophrenia carries enormous threats to the society. About one percent of the people in United States develop schizophrenia and the probability of developing this disorder is independent of the patient’s gender, race or culture. Women are as likely to develop schizophrenia as men but women tend to have less severe symptoms with fewer hospitalizations and are generally able to cope better in the community. About ten percent of the people who have schizophrenia commit suicide and many others attempt...
My case study will be on Abraham Lincoln’s wife : Mary Todd Lincoln. Mary was diagnosed with schizophrenia. The source explains that Mary was always ready to handle and be with her husband Abraham Lincoln and help him with his career as the President of the United States, making her the First Lady. They explained that she was always up and ready to go. Mary was a successful American who went to school and was part of a very rich family.
History shows that signs of mental illness and abnormal behavior have been documented as far back as the early Greeks however, it was not viewed the same as it is today. The mentally ill were previously referred to as mad, insane, lunatics, or maniacs. W.B. Maher and B.A. Maher (1985) note how many of the terms use had roots in old English words that meant emotionally deranged, hurt, unhealthy, or diseased. Although early explanations were not accurate, the characteristics of the mentally ill have remained the same and these characteristics are used to diagnose disorders to date. Cultural norms have always been used to assess and define abnormal behavior. Currently, we have a decent understanding of the correlates and influences of mental illness. Although we do not have complete knowledge, psychopathologists have better resources, technology, and overall research skills than those in ancient times.
According to Reynolds, Illnesses like schizophrenia bring unthinkable misery to sufferers and their families. Unlike other illnesses, it marks not only afflicted individuals, but also their relatives (96).
The unfortunate fact is that there is no cure for schizophrenia. The only tasks to do is to keep researching and understanding this complex condition in greater depth and supply the people who suffer with it a healthy and complete life.