Schizophrenia

Question 1

Definition of schizophrenia

Answer 1

A particularly severe type of psychotic disorder that affects all aspects of a person’s thinking, emotions and actions.

Question 2

Flat affect

Answer 2

Refer to a lack of visible response such as a frown or smile.

Question 3

DSM-5

Answer 3

Schizotypal (personality) disorder

Delusional disorder

Brief psychotic disorder / Schizophreniform

Schizophrenia

Schizoaffective disorder

Substance/medication-induced psychotic disorder

Psychotic disorder due to another medical condition

Catatonic associated with another mental disorder or condition

Unspecified schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorder

Question 4

Symptoms of schizophrenia

Answer 4

Delusions (beliefs individuals hold which are not based on reality, eg: falsely believing that someone is trying to harm or kill you)

Hallucinations (sensory experiences that may involve seeing or hearing things that do not exist)

Disorganised thoughts (thoughts may be mixed up or race, speech jumbled and impossible to understand)

Catatonic behaviour (not react to things in the environment and remain rigid and unmoving in awkward poses/engage in constant, repetitive movements)

Negative symptoms (removal of certain behaviour, loss of normal function such as speech)

Question 5

Positive symptoms

Answer 5

Addition to certain behaviours (hallucinations, delusions of grandeur or control and insertion of thoughts)

Question 6

Case study Conrad

Answer 6

Had his first psychotic episode whilst on holiday when he was 22

Later diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder

At first, reluctant and to seek treatment
Unsure he would recover

Subsequently spent eight months following his diagnosis in a psychiatric hospital

Through trial and error

Found right drug treatment

Maintaining a healthy weight remains a challenge