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What is schizophrenia? A schizophrenic is a person who has split personalities NOT! ! ! The common belief of the American society is that schizophrenia refers to a person with split or multiple personalities. When in fact it is not that at all, but instead it something deeper that severely affects the human mind. Being schizophrenic affects a person in so many ways, physically, mentally, and especially emotionally.
Many schizophrenics are characterized by symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking and speech, bizarre behavior, and social withdrawal. Many schizophrenics find themselves withdrawing from the ones around them. I feel that this happens because the society around them is so insensitive to their needs and more importantly, their feelings. Schizophrenics, in my opinion, need love and care to feel like they are not alone in this his world. Unfortunately, many do face the world alone and helpless because of the events that could have led to the cause of schizophrenia. It is caused by a variety of factors, some may be biological and others could be the events in their lives left them feeling lonely, depressed, or unloved.
I became aware of this illness in the beginning of my junior year. I have not yet been personally exposed to it, but by researching it, I found a great interest in the illness and the people who are diagnosed with it. The thing that interests me the most are the actions that schizophrenics take, and the fact that many feel so alone. As I began my research for this project I began to see that a majority of the community surrounding me knew very little of it and how it affects society.
I personally do not know of anyone diagnosed with schizophrenia. I do however have relationships with other people who have personal relationships with schizophrenics. This increased my interest in this subject and began my journey to finding several answers to several questions. Schizophrenia is an important topic not only for myself, but also for the rest of society.
As I was doing my research, I noticed that we, the American society, were not to sensitive about the subject. For example, in the newspaper, The Record, a headline stated The SCHIZO Knicks beat the Sixers. This obviously showed the lack of knowledge that many people had towards schizophrenia. Saying Schizo is like saying Nigger.
Its offensive to say schizo to a schizophrenic like its offensive to say nigger to an African American. Therefore, I posed the question To what extent is American Society knowledgeable of schizophrenia? Asking this question enables me to find really see if America knows of schizophrenia and its reality or if America goes along with the common belief of schizophrenia being a split or multiple personality, or if America knows of schizophrenia at all. Through my research, I have devised a plan to find my answer.
I intend to begin with a detailed explanation of schizophrenia, its symptoms and causes, and treatments. I would then like to talk about how schizophrenics are supported in our society. Then lastly, I would like to speak about the knowledge of schizophrenia among our American society. I plan to use many primary sources, such as interviews with schizophrenics or the support they receive, and many writings done by schizophrenics.
I also plan to use many magazine and newspaper articles. Lastly, in my approach to finding the answer I will conduct a survey to see if my community s knowledgeable of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia: Schizophrenia is and extremely severe mental illness. It usually begins to develop in late adolescence or early adulthood, a time when brain maturation is reaching completion, developing slowly over time.
An entire range of symptoms that affect human mental activity such as delusions, hallucinations, bizarre behavior, disorganized thinking and speech, and social withdrawal characterizes it. Schizophrenia is caused by a variety of factors. Many believe that schizophrenia is a biological disease that is caused by genetic factors, such as structure abnormalities in the brain, an imbalance of chemicals in the brain, or abnormality during pregnancy, but schizophrenia can also be caused by events that happened in ones life. These events increase the chances of schizophrenia in someone who is biologically predisposed with the disease. Events such as hostility at home, death, or even a change in a job or relationship can trigger the disease. Schizophrenia attacks approximately 1 % of people, which is about 1. 8 million people in the united states.
Schizophrenia doesnt favor one age, gender, or race, but develops for all kinds of people. It doesnt mean that just because you are an Asian man you are more prone to develop schizophrenia than a Latin man. Schizophrenia affects people ion more ways than one. Because of the symptoms many schizophrenics find themselves as outcastes in society.
Schizophrenics difficulty telling the difference between real and unreal experiences, logical and illogical thoughts, or appropriate and in appropriate behavior. A schizophrenic has a great amount of trouble functioning in society, they lack the ability to work, go to school, interact with people, and simply take care of themselves. So many stay in hospitals. But not only do they stay in hospitals because they can not function effectively but because they pose a danger to themselves and to others.
There is no cure, but there is treatment to lessen the symptoms and help lead productive lives. Unfortunately schizophrenics will never lead normal lives. The treatments for schizophrenia are effective and can improve the course of the illness. Treatment for the illness can be done through drug treatment and rehabilitation or skill training.
The drug treatment used is called antipsychotic medications which reduces or eliminates symptoms such as hallucinations and delusion. Many schizophrenics usually take these types of drugs for the rest of their lives to control the psychotic symptoms but not other symptoms of schizophrenia such as social withdrawal. On a brighter side this drug therapy reduces symptoms in eighty to ninety percent of schizophrenics. How schizophrenics function in society: Often sufferers of this mental illness feel so different from the rest of society that they dont even attempt to communicate with peers or family members.
If a schizophrenic was to go for a job it would have to depend on their aptitude and stability. The type of job a schizophrenic would undertake would have to be low pressure, away from public if the schizophrenic is easily paranoid, and highly structured with clear cut demands that change little from day to day. A schizophrenic working in todays society must be extremely stable and going through an effective treatment, many schizophrenics have a serious problem dealing with the world outside their circle and tend to withdraw from society. Schizophrenics are more inclined to withdraw into their private worlds than to commit public actions. Many just want to be left alone and are more likely to be timid. Because society is so unaware and insensitive of schizophrenia many schizophrenics are finding themselves turning their head away from society and its cold hearts to finding an answer to their mental illness, suicide.
Sadly many schizophrenics have a difficult time dealing with their illness and commit suicide, even sadder 1 in every 10 succeed.
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Research essay sample on Rest Of Society Mental Illness
