Paranoia Schizophrenia: A Complex Journey of the Mind

Categories: DiseaseSchizophrenia

Paranoia Schizophrenia is a complex journey of the mind. It can affect people socially, physically, and emotionally. Nonetheless there are treatments, medication, and therapy for this mental disease. In this research paper the signs and symptoms of Paranoia Schizophrenia will be discussed. Along with the certain types of medication that help with the symptoms of this mental disease. As well as how it affects the patient dealing with this disorder. The resources that are available for the person dealing with this disease is also mentioned, such as the treatments and therapy.

Paranoia Schizophrenia is a complex journey of the mind that can affect people socially, physically, and emotionally. Nonetheless there are medication, treatments, and therapies for this mental disease, also the causes and symptoms of this mental disease is mentioned. As well as all the resources that are available to the person with this disease. Additionally, there is information on how the individual manages with this disorder on a day to day basis.

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There is also statistics stated in this paper on this mental disease.

According to Dina Cagliostro (2018) in her article “Paranoid Schizophrenia: Overview of Causes, Symptoms, & Treatments,” Paranoia Schizophrenia is characterized by predominately positive symptoms of Schizophrenia, including delusion and hallucinations. These symptoms leave the persons distorting what is reality and what is not. Making it difficult to lead a typical life style. Schizophrenia occurs in about 1.1 percent of the population, while Paranoid Schizophrenia is considered the most common subtype of this chronic disorder (Cagliostro, 2018).

According to Cagliostro (2018) she says, the typical age of arrival is late puberty to early middle age, usually between the ages of eighteen to thirty.

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Also, it is highly uncommon for this disease to be detected after age forty-five or before age sixteen. Onset in men typically occurs earlier in life than women. Early symptoms of schizophrenia may seem rather normal and could be explained by several other factors. This includes mingling less often with groups, trouble resting, or seem more agitated. Throughout the prodromal phase of this disease, negative symptoms mount. These negative indicators might include an increasing lack of inspiration, declining incapacity to pay attention, or social isolation. Exhibiting all these indications doesn’t necessarily show the presence of schizophrenia, but these are signals that a psychological health assessment is recommended. If an individual is suffering the onset of schizophrenia, primary intercession is the best fortuitous of a positive result (Cagliostro, 2018).

According to Michael Bengston (2016) in his article “Paranoid Schizophrenia,” the paranoid subtype is the occurrence of acoustic hallucinations or protuberant delusional thoughts about oppression or conspiracy. Unusual behavior flows as a result from delusions and hallucinations. However, people with this subtype may be more efficient in their expertise to work and partake in relationships than people with other subtypes of Paranoia Schizophrenia. The reasons are not entirely clear but may partly reflect that people are in anguish from this subtype frequently do not display symptoms until later in life and have accomplished an advanced level of functioning before the inception of their disease. Individuals with the paranoid subtype may appear to lead typical lives by effective management of their illness (Begnston, 2016).

According to Samantha Gluck (2012) in her article, “What is Paranoid Schizophrenia symptoms, causes, treatments,” when suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, you feel that others are uniting against you. Also, as these paranoid feelings intensify, you may act belligerently or obligate violence in self-defense against those you believe plan to cause harm to you or a loved one. An individual may believe that they have special supremacies, such as the ability to breathe under water or fly like a bird. The person may also believe they are well-known or that a famous person wants to be in a relationship with them. Even how, others present divergent evidence, they grasp onto these theories anyway (Gluck, 2012). Acoustic hallucinations that are hostile and arduous – Imagine sitting in your living room. You hear voices in the room, but no one else can hear them. You might hear one person’s voice or two or more people conversing. They may talk to you or about you among each other. They disparage you; cruelly poke fun at your real or perceived flaws. Suddenly, one of the voices orders you to hurt someone else or yourself. Although not real, to the person suffering from this mental disease it is reality. This is a what a person with Paranoia Schizophrenia struggles with daily (Gluck, 2012).

According to Ann Olson (2015) in her article “Poor Social Judgment and Schizophrenia” she says, there are typically three components that characterize a person with Paranoia schizophrenia: separation, introversion and divergent thinking. Together, these physiognomies reduce the schizophrenic person’s capacity for exercising good decision in social situations. People with Paranoia schizophrenia are typically socially impaired and isolated. It is shown that social isolation is a severe consequence of this mental disease (Olson, 2015).

According to Ann Reitan (2014) in her article “Poor Social Judgement—An Aspect of Schizophrenia,” Schizophrenics are more introverted than extroverted and the social seclusion that may escort their inwardness may be extreme. Divergent thinking is a correlate of schizophrenia and it may result in alienation. Additionally, alienation, divergent thinking, and introversion all may be amalgamated as causes of the psychotic presentation. In combination, these characteristics allow for the synergy between isolation and introversion, compounded by the influence of divergent thinking, perhaps without the convergent thinking which would permit solutions to problems related to social interaction. Without social judgment, the schizophrenic may have no means of negotiating social relationships (Reitan, 2014).

According to Ellen S. Herbener (2007) in her article “What aspects of emotional functioning are impaired with Schizophrenia,” people with this mental disease report regular emotional responses to sensitive incentives, and thus advises that discrepancies in emotional functioning related with the mental disease are expected to ensue further downstream, and involve the effective amalgamation of emotion and perception for adaptive functioning in areas such as goal-setting, motivation, and reminiscence. Individuals with this disease have difficulty anticipating others’ emotional responses in complex social situations. Conscious awareness of emotion is adaptive and its disruption in Paranoia schizophrenia can impact social functioning. One hypothesis to explain the relationship between general symptoms and emotional awareness is that increased self-awareness could increase awareness of negative emotions generating this association with general symptoms (i.e.: somatic concern, anxiety, tension, depression). Further, there is a significant literature indicating that higher levels of insight in individuals with Paranoia schizophrenia, particularly in the first years following initial onset of illness, are associated with higher levels of mood symptoms and suicidality. Additionally, patients also reported higher social anhedonia. Also, healthy individuals’ higher levels of emotional awareness for self were associated with lower anhedonia (Herbener, 2007).

According to Toby Pillinger (2018) in his article “Schizophrenia affects your body, not just your brain” he says, Scientists have known for a long time that people with schizophrenia have much higher rates of physical illness compared with the general population, and this contributes to startlingly high rates of premature death. People with the disorder die 15 to 20 years earlier than the average person. symptoms of this mental disorder may result in physical health disorders. An example of this is the stress of psychosis resulting in raised levels of the steroid hormone cortisol. High levels of cortisol are associated with weight gain, diabetes and raised blood pressure. The general population, Paranoia schizophrenia patients are at increased risk of weight gain, abdominal obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease. These physical health problems can contribute to the decreased quality of life, lowered self-esteem and reduced life expectancy commonly reported in this disease (Pillinger, 2018).

According to the Staff at the Mayo Clinic (2018) in the article “Schizophrenia,” They say that there are several different types of drugs for a patient dealing with This mental disease. For instance, the first-generation anti-psychotics include: Chlorpromazine, Fluphenazine, Haloperidol, and Perphenazine. These first-generation antipsychotics may have common and potentially substantial neurological side effects, as well as the likelihood of developing a movement disorder (tardive dyskinesia) that may or may not be rescindable. Another group of anti-psychotics are the second-generation antipsychotics. Which include the following drugs: Aripiprazole (Abilify), Asenapine (Saphris), Brexpiprazole (Rexulti), Cariprazine (Vraylar), Clozapine (Clozaril), Iloperidone (Fanapt), Lurasidone (Latuda), Olanzapine (Zyprexa), Paliperidone (Invega), Quetiapine (Seroquel), Risperidone (Risperdal), and Ziprasidone (Geodon). As one can see there are much more drugs in the second-generation than in the first. Also, the second-generation medications are commonly favored because they pose a lower hazard of serious side effects than do first-generation antipsychotics (Mayo Clinic, 2018).

Once psychosis recedes, in addition to continuing medication, psychological and social (psychosocial) interventions are important. Moreover, there are several types of interventions for the patient dealing with this disorder. These may include: Individual therapy. Which is Psychotherapy that may help the patient to normalize thought patterns. Also, learning to cope with stress and identify early warning signs of relapse can help people with schizophrenia manage their illness. The second intervention is social skills training. This focuses on improving communication and social interactions and improving the ability to participate in daily activities. The third intervention is family therapy. This provides support and education to families dealing with schizophrenia. Finally, the last intervention mentioned is Vocational rehabilitation and supported employment. This focuses on helping people with schizophrenia prepare for, find and keep jobs. Additionally, adults with this mental disorder who do not respond well to the drug therapy may consider, Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT). As one can see, there are several options for the person dealing with this mental disease (Mayo Clinic, 2018).

A lot of people with schizophrenia require some form of daily living support. Many communities have programs to help people with schizophrenia with jobs, housing, self-help groups and crisis situations. A case manager or someone on the treatment team can help find resources. With appropriate treatment, most people with schizophrenia can manage their illness. They may even go on the live typical lifestyles, with the proper medication. During difficult periods or times of severe symptoms, staying in the hospital may be required for the patient’s own protection, appropriate nutrition, adequate sleep, and rudimentary hygiene. As one can see, schizophrenia can become so severe that the individual needs hospitalization to become stabilized (Mayo Clinic, 2018).

Coping with a mental disorder as serious as schizophrenia can be challenging, both for the person with the condition and for friends and family. According to the Mayo Clinic (2018) there are several ways to cope with this disease. First, learn about the mental disease. Education about the disorder can help motivate the person with the disease to stick to the treatment plan. Education can help friends and family understand the disorder and be more compassionate with the person who has it. Second, join a support group. Support groups for people with this illness can help them reach out to others facing similar challenges. Support groups may also help family and friends cope. Third, stay focused on goals. Managing this disease is an ongoing process. Keeping treatment goals in mind can help the person with this illness stay motivated. Help your loved one remember to take responsibility for managing the illness and working toward goals. Finally, ask about social services assistance. These services may be able to assist with affordable housing, transportation and other daily activities. Learn relaxation and stress management. The person with this disorder and their loved ones may benefit from stress-reduction techniques such as meditation, yoga or tai chi. Sometimes even going for a hike or a walk may be beneficial as well (Mayo Clinic, 2018).

In conclusion, Paranoia Schizophrenia is a complex journey of the mind, as one can see from the above-mentioned information stated previously. Moreover, it can also affect people socially, physically, and emotionally. As the information states in the paper there are significant side-affects to this mental disease. Nonetheless there are treatments, medication, and therapy for this mental disease. The health field now has two-generations of anti-psychotic drugs for this mental disease. There are plenty of resources for the individual struggling with this disease. Such as: hospitalization, rehabilitation, counseling, etc. Similarly, there is information for a person’s loved one, on how to deal with them, while going through this disease. Based on the research above, a person may recommend more research on the socialization aspect of this disease. As on can see, there has not been that much research on how Paranoia Schizophrenia affects people socially. An individual may feel like they would like to learn more on how it affects their loved ones or even them.

References

  1. Bengston, M. (2016, July 17). Paranoid Schizophrenia. Retrieved from https://psychcentral.com/lib/paranoid-schizophrenia/
  2. Cagliostro, D. (2018, February 14). Paranoid Schizophrenia: Overview of Causes,
  3. Symptoms, & Treatments. Retrieved
  4. from https://www.psycom.net/paranoid-schizophrenia
  5. Gluck, S. (2012, April 20). What is Paranoid Schizophrenia? Symptoms, Causes, Treatments.
  6. Retrieved from https://www.healthyplace.com/thought-disorders/schizophrenia- information/what-is-paranoid-schizophrenia-symptoms-causes-treatments
  7. Herbener, E. S., Song, W., Khine, T. T., & Sweeney, J. A. (2007). What aspects of emotional
  8. functioning are impaired in schizophrenia?. Schizophrenia Research, 98(1-3), 239-46. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pubmed/17689054-what-aspects-of-emotional-functioning-are-impaired-in-schizophrenia/?otool=None
  9. MayoClinic. (2018, April 10). Schizophrenia. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/schizophrenia/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20354449
  10. Olson, A. (2015, August 03). Poor social judgment and schizophrenia. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/theory-and-psychopathology/201508/poor-social-judgment-and-schizophrenia
  11. Pillinger, T. (2018, September 19). Schizophrenia affects your body, not just your brain – new study. Retrieved from http://theconversation.com/schizophrenia-affects-your-body-not-just-your-brain-new-study-95452
  12. Reitan, A. (2014, October 12). Poor Social Judgment – An Aspect of Schizophrenia. Retrieved from http://brainblogger.com/2014/10/12/poor-social-judgment-an-aspect-of-schizophrenia/
Updated: Apr 08, 2022
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Paranoia Schizophrenia: A Complex Journey of the Mind. (2022, Apr 08). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/paranoia-schizophrenia-a-complex-journey-of-the-mind-essay

Paranoia Schizophrenia: A Complex Journey of the Mind essay
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