Schizophrenia

What is it?

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• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74vTftboC_A

• Characteristics of Schizophrenia• Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that makes

it hard to:• 1. Tell the difference between what is real and

not real• 2. Think clearly• 3. Have normal emotional responses• 4. Act normally in social situations• Schizophrenia is a complex illness. Mental

health experts are not sure what causes it. However, genes may play a role

• It usually begins in the teen years or young adulthood, but it may begin later in life.

• Schizophrenia affects both men and women equally.

• It tends to begin later in women, and is more mild.

• People with any type of schizophrenia may have trouble keeping friends and working. They may also have problems with anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts or behaviors.

• Symptoms may include:• 1. Irritable or tense feelings• 2. Trouble concentrating• 3. Trouble sleeping• As the illness continues, you may have problems

with thinking, emotions, and behavior, including:

• Bizarre behaviors• Hearing or seeing things that are not there

(hallucinations)• Isolation• Lack of emotion (flat affect)• Problems paying attention• Thoughts that "jump" between different

topics (“loose associations”)

Types of Schizophrenia • Paranoid schizophrenia

• Symptoms may include:

• Anxiety

• Anger or arguing

• False beliefs that others are trying to harm you or your loved ones

• Disorganized schizophrenia

• symptoms may include:

• Childlike behavior

• Problems thinking and explaining your ideas clearly

• Showing little emotion

• Catatonic schizophrenia

• symptoms may include:

• Grimacing or other odd expressions on the face

• Lack of activity

• Rigid muscles and posture

• Not responding much to other people

• Undifferentiated schizophrenia

• may include symptoms of more than one other type of schizophrenia.

• There are no medical tests to diagnose schizophrenia.

• A psychiatrist would need to examine a person to make the diagnosis.

• The diagnosis would be made based on an interview of you and your family members.

• How is it treated?• A person may need to stay in the hospital

for safety reasons.• MEDICATIONS• Antipsychotic medications are the most

effective treatment for schizophrenia. • They change the balance of chemicals in

the brain and can help control symptoms.• These medications are usually helpful, but

they can cause side effects.

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• Common side effects from antipsychotics may include:

• Dizziness

• Feelings of restlessness or "jitters"

• Sleepiness (sedation)

• Slowed movements

• Tremors

• Weight gain

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• Having schizophrenia increases your risk for:• Developing a problem with alcohol or drugs• Using alcohol or other drugs increases the chances your

symptoms will return.• People with schizophrenia may become physically sick,

because of an inactive lifestyle and side effects from medication.

• A physical illness may not be detected because of poor access to medical care

• Suicide

Bipolar Disorder Manic depression; Bipolar

affective disorder

• Bipolar disorder is a mental disorder characterized by extreme shifts in mood, as well as fluctuations in energy and activity levels.

• During these abnormal shifts, the patient commonly finds it difficult to complete everyday tasks.

• Bipolar disorder is also known as manic-depressive illness.

• Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness that can destroy relationships, undermine career prospects, and seriously affect academic performance.

• These emotional shifts can become so overwhelming that individuals may choose suicide.

• Bipolar disorder is a condition in which people go back and forth between periods of a very good or irritable mood and depression.

• The "mood swings" between mania and depression can be very quick.

• Bipolar disorder affects men and women equally. • It usually starts between ages 15 - 25. • The exact cause is unknown, but it occurs more

often in relatives of people with bipolar disorder.

Shifting from Mania to Depression• Mania - this is the period of euphoria, restlessness,

energy, recklessness, and much talking.• Depression - this is the opposite mood extreme of

mania. • The patient feels sad, may cry a lot, has a sense of

being worthless, energy levels are extremely low, there is loss of pleasure, and sleep problems

What are the causes of bipolar disorder?

• Genetics • Biological traits - experts say that patients with bipolar

disorder often have physical changes that occurred in their brains.

• Brain-chemical imbalance• Hormonal problems • Environmental factors - abuse, mental stress, a

"significant loss", or some other traumatic event may contribute towards bipolar disorder

What are the signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder?

• A feeling of being on top of the world, exhilaration or euphoria

• Over-self-confidence, an inflated sense of self-esteem• The patient's judgment may be impaired• The patient talks a lot, and very rapidly• Missing work or school a lot• Underperforming at work or school• A feeling of gloom, blackness, despair, and

hopelessness• Extreme sadness• Weight loss or weight gain• Extreme tiredness, fatigue, listlessness

• Types of bipolar disorder:• People with bipolar disorder type I have had at

least one manic episode and periods of major depression.

• In the past, bipolar disorder type I was called manic depression.

• People with bipolar disorder type II have never had full mania.

• Instead they experience periods of high energy levels and impulsiveness that are not as extreme as mania (called hypomania). These periods alternate with episodes of depression

• The following may trigger a manic episode in people with bipolar disorder:

• Life changes such as childbirth• Medications such as antidepressants or steroids• Periods of sleeplessness• Recreational drug use• The depressed phase of both types of bipolar

disorder includes the following symptoms:• Daily low mood or sadness• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making

decisions

• Eating problems – Loss of appetite and weight loss– Overeating and weight gain

• Fatigue or lack of energy• Feeling worthless, hopeless, or guilty• Loss of pleasure in activities once enjoyed• Loss of self-esteem• Thoughts of death and suicide• Trouble getting to sleep or sleeping too much• Pulling away from friends or activities that were

once enjoyed

• There is a high risk of suicide with bipolar disorder. • Patients may abuse alcohol or other substances, which

can make the symptoms and suicide risk worse.• A summer in the cage• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZANTo_czzPE