Schizophrenia Spectrum

Tom 2

Living with Schizophrenia

The Effects of Schizophrenia:

Saks and McGough had unique experiences of chronic Schizophrenia; this assignment will focus on Saks. She stated that she was admitted to a psychiatric hospital on three different occasions and spent 100 days. However, her greatest accomplishment was staying away from the hospital for three decades (TED Conference, 2021). Elyn Saks described her struggles with Schizophrenia which made her become fearful, anti-social, and lost interest in eating after the unexpected change in her job at New Haven. Saks explained that her challenges made her barely eat. She was gaunt until her feet were wooden. Her Schizophrenia was so bad that it pushed her into a grave as Saks became delusional and sometimes hallucinated. For example, during a memo assignment that she was about to write in the library with her friends, Saks started saying words that made no sense which led to her first hospitalization in the US. However, she previously had two admissions in the UK. Saks explained that she had been mechanically restrained without her consent because the doctor diagnosed her Schizophrenia as a grave. Despite the difficult period, Saks derived a positive outcome from her understanding husband and supportive family members, workplace, and friends who understood her diagnosis and helped her navigate her challenges. There is a need to invest more resources to understand the illness better so that clinicians can provide better treatment to avoid the use of force.

Measurement Tools:

The social worker will use the Clinician Rated Dimensions of Psychosis Symptom Severity to measure or assess the primary signs of Schizophrenia. The scale measures delusions, hallucinations, negative symptoms, disorganized speech, and abnormal behaviors. The social worker would use it to measure whether the client meets the signs for the diagnosis and determine the condition's severity. Besides, the measure is effective, saves time, and is easy to use. It does not require complex knowledge or experience for the clinician to use the Clinician Rated Dimensions of Psychosis Symptoms Severity. The WHODAS is a 36-item measure used to determine disability in individuals, especially adults. It establishes the daily functions and presence of any impairment or distress in clients. Similar to the Clinician Rated Dimensions of Psychosis Symptom Severity, WHODAS is also a self-administered measure. I will utilize it to determine if clients meet the symptoms for the diagnosis and the associated severity. In addition, WHODAS is an effective measure. It also saves time and is easy to use. Most clinicians prefer WHODAS due to its comprehensiveness, which increases its ability to lead to an accurate diagnosis. It is often challenging to develop an appropriate intervention for a client if the diagnosis is incorrect. Healthcare workers must use the correct measurement tools when diagnosing clients to avoid misdiagnosis.

Treatment Plan:

The social worker would focus on Saks' support system. Saks acknowledged the relevance of her support system in the recovery as it helps navigate her challenges. However, family alone is not enough. There is a need for the community to be educated on mental illness as Schizophrenia can affect anyone, which helps eradicate the stigma of this condition. I will educate all the support systems to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to care for or support their relatives or friends. According to (Hernandez et al., 2013), to ensure an effective family intervention, it is wise to prepare the family members to know the illness or condition and the needed techniques required to provide care. Such preparation can reduce relapse rates and other adverse implications. The information will help the support system to develop empathy toward the client. In other words, they will understand what it means to have a particular illness regarding pain and other adverse experiences. A sound support system will help Saks overcome specific challenges such as excessive fears, worries, and loneliness that could worsen her condition.

Besides, the long-term challenges for individuals living with an illness like Saks might include constant hallucinations, triggers, and problems with aging (Walsh et al., 2016). For instance, Saks might experience continuous stimuli from her condition, causing more problems and setbacks in the recovery process. However, to support such clients, it is essential to develop a plan to reduce the possible long-term on-set of the condition. For Saks, her treatment and support would be continuous, including therapy and medication. Ongoing treatment and support will close any loophole for a relapse. Although she is older and has successfully coped with her illness, Saks will still need more attention. The social worker would help her cope with triggers by introducing her to new games and other physical activities that can keep her busy and encourage family members with their support (Walsh et al., 2016).

The Impact of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender Role on Client with Schizophrenia:

Race or ethnicity can impact a person's experience with Schizophrenia when it comes to assessment and treatment. For instance, most Latin Americans believe in home-based remedies and healing from God or traditional healers for many conditions. Therefore, they might reject medical approaches to Schizophrenia (Hernandez et al., 2013). Clinicians might find it challenging to convince clients with such beliefs to embrace contemporary medicine and interventions. They are likely to live with this condition long, waiting for healing even if it worsens. Also, Latinos are unlikely to disclose all the details about their conditions during assessment interviews because of such beliefs.

Regarding gender, men, especially in African communities, are unlikely to seek Schizophrenia treatment because mental health is stigmatized, and men are not supposed to share their emotions, just like the Ted talk by Sangu Delle from week one. He explained that Sharing is perceived as a sign of weakness. They will likely refrain from seeking treatment for fear of being perceived as weak and stigmatized.

Again, sexual orientation, homosexuals, and bisexuals are unlikely to seek Schizophrenia treatment because society already stigmatizes them. They might think health care professionals would not listen to their problems. As a result, most of them can live with the disorder for a more extended period to worsening status. Socioeconomic status can also affect when a person seeks treatment for Schizophrenia. For example, people from low-income communities are unlikely to seek help for this condition (Lee et al., 2018). Besides, these individuals might have different beliefs that can prevent them from accepting Schizophrenia as a mental disorder, thus affecting their cooperation in diagnosis, treatment, and recovery processes. Lastly, religious beliefs can also prevent an individual from accepting having Schizophrenia or even the treatment. For instance, a person can say that "the voices he is hearing are from God," which is not a result of a mental problem, disregarding seeking treatment from professionals.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, there is a need to invest more resources to understand Schizophrenia better so that better treatment can be provided to avoid the use of force. The experiences of Schizophrenia are challenging and stressful. Saks was fearful, anti-social, and lost interest in eating throughout her life after the unexpected change in her employment. Ensuring that the clients have an adequate support system will help the client navigate the conditions.

References:

Hernandez, M., Barrio, C., & Yamada, A.-M. (2013). Hope and burden among Latino families of adults with Schizophrenia. Family Process, 52(4), 697–708. https://org/doi:10.1111/famp.12042

Lee, H. S., Corbera, S., Poltorak, A., Park, K., Assaf, M., Bell, M. D., ... & Choi, K. H. (2018). Measuring theory of mind in schizophrenia research: Cross-cultural validation. Schizophrenia Research, 201, 187-195.

TED Conferences, LLC (Producer). (2012). A tale of mental illness—from the inside [Video file]. https://www.ted.com/talks/elyn_saks_seeing_mental_illness

Walsh, J., Hochbrueckner, R., Corcoran, J., & Spence, R. (2016). The lived experience of Schizophrenia: A systematic review and meta-synthesis. Social Work in Mental Health, 14(6), 607–624. https://doi/org/:10.1080/15332985.2015.1100153