Research paper on personality disorder ( Depression)

Running Head: SCHIZOPHRENIA 1

Your First and Last Name Goes Here

Date when you submit goes here (April 23, 2019)

Hudson County Community College

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DSM-V Clinical Criteria

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Illustration

In 1887, the illness known as schizophrenia was just beginning to get noticed. Dr. Emile

Kraepelin was the first to identify the illness separate from other mental disorders. However, it

wasn’t until 1910 by a Swiss psychiatrist Paul Eugen Bleuler, did the word schizophrenia come

to term. The word itself was made from Greek words ‘schizo’ meaning split and ‘phren’

meaning mind (Neel Burton, 2012). Many people would mix up split personality disorder with

schizophrenia based off the Greek words. However according to the article, A Brief History of

Schizophrenia, people who suffer the illness do not change into a different or unrecognizable

person.

In the movie, The Voices (2014), Jerry who is played by Ryan Reynolds, suffers from

schizophrenia. The movie is based out the year of 1984. In the movie, Jerry works at a bathtub

industry who has been seeing a psychiatrist who has been helping with his disorder. Everything

seems to be going well for him until you notice the voice he has been hearing talk to him is

actually his cat and his dog. In the movie Jerry, does not comply with his psychiatrist and

medication. Instead, he feels he has everything under control until something terrible happens.

Jerry loses control and winds up murdering a girl he had a crush on after she “stood him up”. In

his mind, he does a great job at hiding and cleaning up after himself.

Without medication, he sees his world totally different from the world with him on his

medication. Once Jerry takes his medication at the end of the movie he sees what a mess he

had made and the cat and dog stop talking to him. Schizophrenia may be diagnosed at any age,

but according to the NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2016) it is seen more to men in

their early 20’s and women who are in their late 20’s or early 30’s. It is very rare to see

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someone first diagnosis with schizophrenia younger than 12 and order than 40. Which is why in

order to be diagnosed, you have to see a healthcare provider for over six months to rule out

other disorders such as bipolar (NAMI, 2016).

Symptoms

Diagnosing someone with schizophrenia is hard for healthcare providers, and most

actually misdiagnose at first. In order to come to a conclusion on a diagnosis as healthcare

provider, you have to follow your patient’s symptoms for at least six month time. Those who

have had two or more occurring symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, negative, or

cognitive issues/disorganized thinking are the people who have been diagnosed with

schizophrenia disorder (NAMI, 2016).

Jerry, in fact has faced with all mentioned symptoms. He hallucinates by hearing voices

and seeing things that aren’t seen by someone else. His pets speak to him throughout the

movie. The cat, who antagonizes him to not take his mediation and the dog who tries to steer

him in the right direction. Jerry is also delusional about his relationship with the woman who

he did kill and kept her head locked away in his freezer. Throughout the movie Jerry speaks to

Fiona (Gemma Arterton) who he believes is alive. His speech has become disorganized and he

loses his train of thought most of the time. He is not able to speak to his psychiatrist about the

symptoms he is facing from not taking his medication. The doctor asks him if he is having any

of the symptoms and he denies it all as well as lying about medication. Jerry’s symptoms in the

movie becomes worst, and according to NAMI it is better to get a hold on the disorder if you

comply with treatments for the symptoms you may be having.

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Treatment

There is no cure for schizophrenia, but there are treatments that can assist a person live

a happy normal life if followed properly. Once symptoms of the disorder start to become

noticeable, people should seek the treatments provided so it can reduce their symptoms.

Treatments include but not limited to antipsychotic medications as well as psychotherapy.

Those who face schizophrenia also needs to involve factors such as self-learning and peer

support (NAMI, 2016). When it comes to taking medications, people are hesitant on actually

consuming the drugs due to the side effects. Most side effects are suicidal ideations and

physical pain such as muscle stiffness, weight gain, and possibly even diabetes.

In the twentieth century, treatments such as fever therapy, sleep therapy, gas, and even

electroshock therapy were tried on patients facing symptoms of schizophrenia. Although they

were failing treatments, they even tried prefrontal leucotomy which is the removal of the brain

that processes emotions (Neel Burton, 2012).

Treatment for Jerry didn’t work because he didn’t allow the medication to help him.

When he took his medication he didn’t have anyone to talk to any longer. His pets couldn’t

speak to him so he was lonely. Jerry, learned that while off his medication he could picture the

world he wanted it to look. His apartment was tidy and clean, when in reality he lived in a small

one bedroom apartment which was filthy.

The one time that his dog convinced him to take his medication, Jerry woke up to the

reality that he had a head in his freezer and his kitchen was full of blood and body parts. Jerry

then threw his medications down the drain just so he could get away from the real world.

Without complying with medications patients can face difficulty coming to terms with

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schizophrenia. Which is also why they use a different method that allows patients to cope with

having the disorder.

Psychotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy allows patient to get the help of

developing strategies for persistent symptoms that do not respond to medications (NAMI,

2016). Although psychotherapy helps people deal with schizophrenia, it is not the best remedy

for patients. Antipsychotic medications have a lot of different side effects but if worked closely

with a psychiatrist, side effects can be dealt with using a different drug.

Conclusion

With today’s medicine and treatment options it is not uncommon for someone to live

with schizophrenia and have a normal life. If a person suffering from the mental disease

schizophrenia, they should get the medical attention needed. They should stay and believe in

any program their physician is placing them under. In order to have a normal life, those with

the illness need to fulling understand the risk with being off medications, the hallucinations and

should have as much of a support group as a person suffering from any other disorder.

The end result of Jerry dealing with his schizophrenia was him killing himself. People

who have to face a disorder/disease alone may result is suicide. Sometimes people think they

have a situation under control because they are on medication. Majority of the time patients

whom take medication daily can also cause them to have suicidal ideations. If you or someone

you know has schizophrenia, it is best to get the help early. The earlier the symptoms can be

dealt with, the quicker a person can live a happy normal life.

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References

DSM Library. (n.d.). Retrieved from Psychiatry Online:

https://dsm.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.dsm02

Neel Burton, M. (2012, September 8). A Brief History of Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia through the ages,

p. 3. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/hide-and-seek/201209/brief-

history-schizophrenia

NIMH. (2016, February ). National Institute of Mental Health. Retrieved from National Institute of

Mental Health: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/schizophrenia/index.shtml

Satrapi, M. (Director). (2014). The Voices [Motion Picture].