Patient education handout on schizophrenia Essay

Patient education handout on schizophrenia - Essay Example Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder characterized by alterations in an â€Å"individual’s perceptions, thoughts, affect and behavior†. One unfortunate aspect concerning the definition and diagnosis of schizophrenia is the fact that it is likely to differ among individuals. Depending on their particular circumstances surrounding the individual diagnosed, the symptoms may exhibit themselves in a great many number of ways. Like in other countries across the world, schizophrenia is a major health problem in the United States which affects a great number of individuals and requires a great deal of time and money devoted to its treatment. Thankfully, with the advent of modern medical science, psychiatrists have developed effective medications and evolved appropriate strategies for treating schizophrenia. Therefore, with suitable and timely intervention as well as the application of the correct pharmaceutical regimen, the disease can oftentimes be effectively treated; alth ough not cured.McGlashan & Fenton (1991), as quoted in Chapter 13 of the book entitled, Psychological Disorders, define the five different and unique types of schizophrenia. These include: (a) Disorganized, (b) Catatonic, (c) Paranoid, (d) Undifferentiated and (e) Residual.Patients who suffer from disorganized schizophrenia may exhibit symptoms such as illogical thinking or speech that lacks coherence and/or emotional hypersensitivity to stimuli that would otherwise have little to no impact on an individual who is not afflicted with schizophrenia