Schizophrenia

• schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterised by disruption in psychological functioning and loss of contact with reality
• schizophrenia occurs in 1% of the world population. men are diagnosed more often than women. the rate of suicide in schizophrenics in the Uk is 14%.
• positive symptoms are experiences that are additional to regular experiences
• negative symptoms are experiences that are taken away from everyday experiences
• the DSM-5

  the diagnostic statistical manual of mental disorder

  • produced by the american psychiatric association
  • most widely used (but not in the UK)
  • need to display at least 2 symptoms for at least one month
• the IDC-10

  the International Statistical Classification of Diseases

  • produced by the World Health Organisation
  • used in the UK
  • symptoms present for 1 month. must be 2 or more symptoms.
  • less rigid and allows for more discretion on part of the psychiatrist