What is the condition?
Schizophrenia is a serious debilitating mental illness and the only one of a larger class in the spectrum of psychotic disorder. There are two types of symptoms of schizophrenia, positive and negative. Positive symptoms of schizophrenia is where something is added to the way a person normally thinks and behaves, the symptom is accompanied with delusions, hallucinations, catatonic behavior and disorganized speech. The opposite is said to a negative symptom of schizophrenia where something is missing in the way someone normally thinks and behaves and is accompanied with disruptive and disorganized thought, which does not make sense to others or they jump around or get of track while in normal conversation. Schug & Fradella
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Prevalence of the condition schizophrenia are most reported on the adults and some small cases late teenagers, as well as individual with lifetime prevalence rates are also reported. In most studies men were often subjects than women are and it is unclear that gender has any relevance being diagnosed with schizophrenia. Schug & Fradella (2015).
According, to Van Dongen et al.(2015) “The relationship between schizophrenia and violent crime, including homicide (Eronen et al., 1996; Schanda et al., 2004; Large et al., 2009), may be stronger than that between schizophrenia and non-violent crimes (e.g. Lindqvist and Allebeck, 1990; Coté and Hodgins, 1992; Belfrage, 1998)” (p. 182). Van Dongen et al. (2015) also states, “A number of researchers have suggested that there are distinct subgroups of offenders with schizophrenia, subdividing variously according to age of onset of offending and/or co-morbidity of personality disorder. Hodgins (2008, 2009) has suggested three types of offenders with schizophrenia: early starters, late starters and late first offenders” (p. 182). They also state that most offenders with schizophrenia offend before symptoms are prevalent. Van Dongen et al.
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Moreover, substance use can be another way individuals with schizophrenia interact with criminal justice system because persons with schizophrenia are most likely to self-medicate to relieve or reduce themselves of psychotic symptoms. Schug & Fradella (2015).
Suicide is also another way schizophrenia patients interact with the law studies show that schizophrenia patients tend to attempt to stop their psychotic symptoms my killing themselves.
Furthermore, violence cannot be ruled out, even though studies show that it is rare for an individual suffering from schizophrenia commit murder, it still happens. For example, Taylor (2011) “On Mother's Day weekend in Wisconsin, a 17-year-old boy allegedly murdered his grandfather, prominent real estate developer Ronald Siepmann. The boy, Richard Wilson, had been diagnosed with schizophrenia in November, at age 16, and was off his medications at the time of the murder. He was charged Tuesday with first-degree intentional homicide” (p. 1). She further writes, “While schizophrenia rarely results in extreme violence, this and other well-publicized cases show that it is a possibility. When these incidents do occur, it is important to educate the public on the facts regarding schizophrenia, and work to take away some of the associated stigma and mystery” (p.
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.
Disorder. But this is not true. While a person who is afflicted with schizophrenia, may also suffer from multiple personality disorder, it is not the rule of thumb. Unfortunately, due to the lack of support from family or friends, many schizophrenics go without proper treatment and may wind up homeless.
Markowitz, F. E. (2011). Mental illness, crime, and violence: Risk, context, and social control. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 36-44.
"During brief medication visits, physicians typically focus on considerations related to delusions, hallucinations, disorganized and aggressive behavior, and hostility; these common symptoms may increase during relapse, resulting in hospitalization, emergency department visits, and crisis center services, or in incarceration in the criminal justice system"(Alphs). If the patient don 't have anyone to talk to and is only using medication to help with what they are hearing and seeing it, it can cause a lot of tension and stress for them. According to Bengston, Some people require custodial care in state institutions, while others are gainfully employed and can maintain an active family life,( Bengston). Depending on how severe and how often they have schizophrenia episodes, the patient can have healthy love life and accomplish their goals. "The reasons why people react different than others are not entirely clear, but may partly reflect that some people suffering from schizophrenia often do not exhibit symptoms until later in life and have achieved a higher level of functioning before the onset of their illness" (Bengston). Schizophrenia can happen at any age, so when a person at the age of
Schizophrenia is considered a disease of the brain, a physical disorder that, thanks to modern technology, is able to be visualized. Schizophrenia, along with other diseases of the brain, such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and multiple sclerosis, are all brain diseases which alter both functionality and structure of the brain. Schizophrenia has been called a cruel disease, one that impairs life greatly in a degenerative fashion, altering emotions and various abilities greatly. This unfortunate disease is quite common, effecting about one to two percent of the World's population. About two to four percent of the population suffer from less severe yet still debilitating and disturbing schizophrenic-like symptoms. An estimated sixty five billion a dollars per year is spent on this disorder in the United States.(2) It is estimated that over two million Americans suffer from schizophrenia in their lifetime..
Between the two genders men are most likely to contract the disorder than women. This occurs in men around the ages of sixteen and twenty-five. Men who are affected with schizophrenia are more likely to try to commit suicide than women (National Institution of Mental Health). Certain areas in the male brain is affected which will cause differences between men and women. Due to the differences in men and women t...
However, Suzy is just one of many people who will develop schizophrenia. About 1.1% of the American adult population alone will develop schizophrenia at some point in their lives (NIMH, 2010). The ratio between men and women developing schizophrenia is the same, although there is a difference in the age of onset. Males tend to develop it early while females tend to develop it later in life (Robin, 2003). Although males and females tend to develop schizophrenia at the same rate. When it came to diagnosing schizophrenia in the past there used to be problems in part due to the lack of a good solid definition because of this it was hard to compare studies about schizophrenia because they were using different definitions (Robin, 2003). However, that changed when the DSM became narrower about t
African Americans have a unique relationship with the clinical disorder schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is more frequently diagnosed among African Americans than white Americans or any other racial or ethnic minority in the United States (Neighbors, Trierweiler, Ford & Muroff 2003). The reasons for this are complex and not fully understood. Because of this there is a considerable suspicion and mistrust of psychological care within the black community. Clinicians should take particular precaution in the diagnosis and treatment of African Americans.
Misunderstood with the assistance of popular stigmas and stereotypes, schizophrenia and its severity is often degraded and overlooked by the public. Wrongly feared and shunned, individuals with schizophrenia have too commonly been judged throughout human history and even today. Many aspects of the disease are failed to be truly understood and represented, from the effects of the disease to the availability of treatment. Favored by the media, incorrect and misleading portrayals of schizophrenics frequently appear in popular culture and entertainment, influencing people’s perceptions of the mental illness. Not at all rare and incredibly destructive, schizophrenia as mental illness lacks a very apparent public empathy and knowledge, a clear disadvantage and deterrent for victims of the condition.
Schizophrenia affects men and women equally and occurs at similar rates in all ethnic groups. Symptoms will usually start between the ages of 16 and 30 but men tend to start experiencing symptoms earlier than women. Schizophrenia is rarely diagnosed after age 45 and rarely occurs in children however the rates of child-onset schizophrenia are increasing.
Schizophrenia can be described by a wide-ranging spectrum of emotional and cognitive dysfunctions. These can include hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech and behavior, as well as inappropriate emotions. Consequently, this disease can affect people from all walks of life. Since schizophrenia is such a complex disorder it can ultimately affect a person’s entire existence and their struggle to function daily. With a chronic disease like this, most people have a difficult time functioning in society. This can make it hard for someone who is schizophrenic to relate to others as well as maintain significant relationships. Life expectancy for those who suffer this illness tend to be shorter than average. This is due to the higher rate of accident and suicide. The symptoms of schizophrenia can be broken down into different categories: positive, negative and disorganized. Positive symptoms include hallucinations and delusions. These tend to be the more obvious signs of psychosis. On the other hand negative symptoms indicate deficits or absence of normal behavior which can affect sp...
It is evident that those with mental illnesses have an increased likelihood of committing crimes. It is important to note, however, that not all people with mental illnesses commit crimes or violent behavior so a cause is not evident. Substance abuse, a mental disorder, is also seen as a large risk in violent behavior (Silver 2006). Hiday (1995) asks the questions of the direction of this correlation. Does mental illness lead to violence or is it vice versa?
At some point a human might have a relative, or heard of someone, or even experienced itself of suffering from Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that affects many humans throughout the world. People living with this mental disorder may depend on a family member or someone close to take care of him/her. Certain individuals have a good chance of inheriting schizophrenia if a family member appears to show a history of this mental disorder. Unlike others can develop this psychotic disorder while growing up. For instance, a young woman or man may begin to show some signs or symptoms within his/her teen years. Well unfortunately, I have a brother who inherited Schizophrenia and it is extremely difficult to cope with him at certain times.
Glied, S., & Frank, R. G. (2014). Mental Illness and Violence: Lessons From the Evidence.
“People with schizophrenia are far more likely to harm themselves than be violent toward the public. Violence is not a symptom of schizophrenia. News and entertainment media tend to link mental illnesses including schizophrenia to criminal violence. Most people with schizophrenia, however, are not violent toward others but are withdrawn and prefer to be left alone. Drug or alcohol abuse raises the risk of violence in people with schizophrenia, particularly if the illness is untreated, but also in people who have no mental illness. When violence does occur, it is most frequently targeted at family members and friends, and more often takes place at home.”