For my ethnographic project, I wanted to understand more about modern culture and psychiatry in America and I thought comparing outcomes in America and other countries was the best way to go about this. I chose to focus on schizophrenia because of the amount of information available, and the neurological components that seem to make it a mental disorder which is found equally among all populations. Originally, I wanted to answer questions about how cultural values, traditions, and perceptions affect treatment, how they affect the way symptoms express themselves, how do they shape the recovery process, how they differ from American/western counterparts, if there is a difference in long-term outcomes, and if so, why. I began by researching …show more content…
For example, a person with schizophrenia may hear voices others don 't hear or might believe other people are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts, or plotting to hurt them. Negative symptoms are those which are present among people without the disorder, but are missing or deficient in those with schizophrenia. They include flat affect and emotion, poverty of speech, inability to experience pleasure, social withdrawal, and lack of motivation. Cognitive impairments (impaired executive functioning, apathy, memory impairment, poor concentration) are also core features of schizophrenia. The onset of symptoms usually occurs in late adolescence or early adulthood, although they can appear later in life as well. Because the level of cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia is so debilitating, many with the disorder experience a severely diminished quality of life and are unable to maintain employment, function socially, or live independently. In west, the accepted course of treatment for schizophrenia is antipsychotic medication along with cognitive therapy. Schizophrenia is often thought of as a mental illness that is universally the same because of it 's neurological components. However, like most mental illnesses, it is highly influenced by the context of the culture in which it arises. Culture can be defined as “shared symbols and meanings that people create in the process of social interaction.” (Jenkens and Barrett, 2004, pg. 5)
One example of cultural influence to consider written diagnosing schizophrenia is religion. Spiritual and psychotic experiences can be difficult to separate and clinicians need to be aware that "non-pathological spiritual and religious struggles may seem to be manifestations of psychotic episodes" therefore cultural context should be taken into consideration. Religion and spirituality also play a significant role in treatment of schizophrenia for some cultures. Culturally Informed Therapy of Schizophrenia was developed as a way to make culturally appropriate adaptations to interventions so as to better serve a more diverse population, specially minority groups. Family collectivism, psychoeducation, spiritual coping, communication training, and problem solving are viewed through a cultural lens to incorporate cultural values in treatment. Studies have found Family Focused CIT-S and Group CIT-S to be beneficial in reducing symptom severity for individuals with schizophrenia and provided an increased sense of support for family and community members affected by this disorder. These adaptations may be particularly valuable when working with individuals experiencing acculturation who may be struggling with balancing their host culture with their culture of origin. Culturally informed adaptations can help identify strengths and resources for racial and ethnic minorities specific to a clients culture thus creating greater access to relevant and effective
Throughout the many years, there have been many negative public perceptions of Schizophrenia, which is known by majority of the public as an indication of mental illness. This disorder is most of the time perceived by the public as caused by psychological factors. People with this mental illness are considered to be unpredictable and threatening (Angermeyer & Matschinger, 2003, p. 526). Most patients have a behavioural dysfunction. Victims, families and society carry a substantial burden due to this illness (Wood & Freedman, 2003).
Schizophrenia occurs in people from all cultures and from all walks of life. Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder that affects a small portion of the population in the world. When schizophrenia is active there are many different symptoms that can appear. Some symptoms can include delusions, hallucinations, trouble with thinking and concentration, and lack of motivation. When these symptoms are treated, most people with schizophrenia will improve over time with treatment. With the different studies we are able to see how schizophrenia works in different ways. The different ways being what is happening in the brain when a person has schizophrenia. Along with the different treatments from counseling to medication what works better.
In the world today, there are many illnesses and disorders that affect people each and every day. One illness in particular that is very big in the US and all around the world is Schizophrenia. It is also the most researched topic. A person who is diagnosed with Schizophrenia lives a very different lifestyle than someone who is not. Many people would consider a person with schizophrenia to be “crazy.” Sadly enough, people with this illness do posses symptoms that might come off as crazy or insane. There are many different causes that come along with schizophrenia. A person who is diagnosed may not know it at first but they do later realize that they have some interesting thoughts, depending on the type of symptoms they posses while having this illness. Although the symptoms may be very brutal and causes cannot be controlled, there still is hope and treatments for individuals who have schizophrenia.
Symptoms in this category include hallucinations, delusions, thought disorders, and movement disorders. When first thinking of Schizophrenia, hallucinations come to mind. Patients that have the hallucinations see things that are not really there. These things they are seeing could put themselves in danger. Negative symptoms are when your normal emotions and behaviors are far from normal. The “Flat affect”, enjoying everyday life, difficulty staring and continuing activities, and reduced speaking are all symptoms of negative symptoms. The “Flat affect” is when the patient is not able to express themselves emotionally as they could before. Lastly, cognitive symptoms are different for each patient. For some patients, they may be subtle while for others they are quite serious to the point where they can learn something and then forget it within the next few minutes. The symptoms include struggling with making decisions, trouble with paying attention, and having a difficult time remembering things. A lot of patients tend to deal with suicidal thoughts causing the lifespan of these patients to shorten. Most times, the illness will get the best of them and they will eventually commit
SCHIZOPHRENIA Schizophrenia, from the Greek word meaning “split mind”, is a mental disorder that causes complete fragmentation in the processes of the mind. Contrary to common belief, schizophrenia does not refer to a person with a split personality or multiple personalities, but rather to a condition which affects the person’s movement, language, and thinking skills. The question of whether schizophrenia is a disease or collection of socially learned actions is still a question in people’ mind. People who are suffering from schizophrenia think and act in their own the world and put themselves in a way that is totally different from the rest of society. In other words, they have lost in touch with the reality. Most schizophrenics accept
Freddie is a 19 year-old Caucasian male who was diagnosis with paranoid schizophrenia with acute psychosis (Halloran & Lowenstein, 2000). He lives with his mother in an apartment in the suburbs (Halloran & Lowenstein, 2000). In his research Versola-Russo (2006) found that individuals with a family history of a mental illness they are more likely to receive a diagnosis of one. Culture influences individual’s perception of mental illness to whether they seek out treatment and their coping style and support system (Versola-Russo, 2006). According to Versola-Russo (2006), Caucasian are more likely to have somatic complaint (Versola-Russo, 2006). They are also more likely to complete violent acts (Versola-Russo, 2006). Freddie has two older brothers and a mother that is there for him as a support system Joey (Halloran & Lowenstein, 2000). His brothers took him to the hospital
They may need help completing simple task. Quotation negative symptoms are associated with then disruptions to normal emotions and behaviors. These symptoms are harder to recognize as part of the disorder and can be mistaken for depression or other current conditions. Quotation print the seas US Department of Health, 2010. Print the sea these symptoms include speaking seldomly, lack of motivation, lack of pleasure, and/or the blank expression app on their face, also known as quotation Flat effect. Quotation for cognitive skills can also be linked to schizophrenia. Soon as such as not being able to focus, poor comprehension, and memory problems. Negative symptoms can make it hard for those affected to live a normal
Schizophrenia, although affecting only one percent of the population, has a direct affect on society today. This disease, if left untreated, poses threat to health care professionals (including psychiatrists), law enforcement personnel, and family members responsible for the care and support of the schizophrenia patient. This paper addresses the causes of schizophrenia and the myths surrounding this complicated ailment, the affect of untreated or misunderstood aspects of schizophrenia has on society and important crisis intervention strategies for those in close contact to victims of schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia affects the ability of a person to perceive reality. It can disrupt a person’s thinking, behavior, and emotions. If someone in a family has had schizophrenia, the likely hood of it being passed down is high, and it usually develops around the late teens, but has been known to affect young children and older adults. Having this disorder can be devastating when the symptoms interfere with everyday life, such as relationships, work, and even self-care. There are several types of symptoms, positive symptoms and negative symptoms. Positive symptoms are when symptoms that shouldn’t be present suddenly arise, like for example hallucinations, delusions, altered speech,
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) characterizes Schizophrenia as a psychological disorder that is diagnosed using specific criteria that includes five different symptoms (McLean et al., 2014). The criterion requires the diagnosis to include at least two of the following symptoms for at least six months duration: delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, grossly catatonic behavior, and negative symptoms (McLean et al., 2014). Diagnosing schizophrenia requires clinicians to follow these rigid guidelines that are meant to be universal (Bauer et al., 2011). However, due to the strict nature of these guidelines, psychologists have questioned how variations in culture might influence the manifestation of
Finally, negative symptoms are those which specifically inhibit otherwise normal functioning. These generally cause a lessening of otherwise healthy feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. Negative symptoms can include a "flat affect", anhedonia (loss of joy in activities), and a regression of sustained, planned activities such as brushing ones teeth. These symptoms generally develop first within schizophrenics, and are more problematic than one may think. Personal hygiene and enjoyment of both social and recreational activities are important indicators of general wellbeing.
The text “Schizophrenia, Culture, and Subjectivity,” edited by Janis Hunter Jenkins and Robert John Barrett is a collection of cross-cultural studies initiated by the World Health Organization with an initiative to explore and analyze the varying dilemmas concerning mental health. The text explores mental illnesses and clinical problems surrounding them, especially schizophrenia. It aims to make note of how schizophrenia treatment varies as influenced by culture. It aids mental health professionals when it comes to cultural and subjective experiences concerning schizophrenia. The text mainly focuses on mental health studies, especially concerning schizophrenia, with contributions from anthropologists, as well as psychiatrists,
According to Learn more about Schizophrenia (2011) there are three different types of symptoms, Negative symptoms, cognitive symptoms and positive symptoms. Negative symptoms include emotional flatness, lack of motivation, inability to start and follow through with activities, speech that is brief and lacks content and a lack of interest in life. Cognitive symptoms pertain to thinking process. People who live with Schizophrenia struggle to prioritize tasks and organizing thoughts. Also often has a lack of insight, when someone is not aware they have a mental illness. Positive symptoms are also known as Psychotic symptoms because the patient has lost touch with reality in certain ways, this is when hallucinations and delusions occur. Some of the most common effects of Schizophrenia are delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, catatonic behaviour, lack of self care and dysfunctional interpersonal relations. There are many challenges people living with Schizophrenia experience. According to Melinda and Jeanne smith (2016) a big challenge that Schizophrenics may experience is the responsibility to stay on their medication. Often patients will think do not need their medications anymore and will stop taking them. In some cases when Patients stop taking their medication the Schizophrenia symptoms can come back worse and more intense. Another challenge Schizophrenics may encounter is unemployment. According to Learn more
Schizophrenia is a universal mental illness which is both complex and devastating. Schizophrenia generally begins in the early stages of life and may lead to lifelong disabilities (Moritz, 2010). The context of this paper shall include an introduction on schizophrenia as well as the reasoning this discipline was chosen. It will include a critiqued research study that will explain how the research was presented. The primary focus on the research study will be a literature review, the methods used, the results found, and a presented discussion.