characteristics

• What is schizophrenia?

  - lifelong illness affecting 1% of population

  
  

  - causes a break from reality e.g. delusions/hallucianations/social dysfunction

  
  

  - can be treated but no known cure

  
  

  - experiences are different for each person
• what are the general characteristics of SCZ?

  - involve a range of symptoms such as cognitive, emotional, behavioural dysfunctions

  
  

  - symptoms are associated with impaired occupational or social functioning
• what are symptoms of characteristics divided into?

  1. positive

  
  

  2. negative

  
  

  3. disorganised behaviour
• what are positive characteristics of SCZ?

  these are additions to normal behaviour

  
  

  - delusions of persecution (when you believe someone if conspiring against you or you’ve been sent on a special mission)

  
  

  - delusions of grandeur (when you believe you are above someone else e.g. wealth, power, smarts). - nihilistic delusions (belief you are dead)
• what are negative symptoms of SCZ?

  those that take away from normal behaviour, diminishing a persons character

  
  

  - avolition (inability to engage)

  
  

  - alogia (diminished speech)

  
  

  - anhedonia (decreased ability to experience pleasure from positive stimuli)
• what is disorganised thinking?

  where thoughts go through your head very fast, can be speech or thinking.
• where are patients diagnosed in the UK and Europe?

  ICD-10, the international statistical classification of diseases and related health problems.
• what is an issue with this classification system?

  argued that it's culturally biased, it was created in the West and based on Western ideals of mental health
• what is the diagnosis criteria of ICD-10?

  - minimum of clear symptoms (two or more)

  
  

  - symptoms from at least two groups (e or h)

  
  

  - symptoms should be present for at least 1 month
• What are the symptoms of groups e and h?

  - persistent hallucinations - negative symptoms
• What are the ICD subtypes of scz?

  Paranoid Scz; most common, includes delusions of persecution and some negative symptoms
• What is another ICD subtype of Scz?

  Catatonic Scz; all negative symptoms, itratic behaviour, can be depressed then hyperactive
• What is another positive symptom of scz?

  - delusions of persecution (belief you are on a special mission) - nihilistic delusions
• What is catatonic behaviour?

  decrease in reactivity to movement, can be rigid then resistance and then lack of motor