Schizophrenia

             Today's society people usually tend to think of people with schizophrenia as being crazy or having multiple personalities. In actuality that is not what it is at all. Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder in which the patients affect behavior and patterns or forms of thoughts are profoundly altered and functioning deteriorates (Kosslyn 2003). When a person has schizophrenia they will have symptoms. The symptoms are broken down into three categories positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and flat affect (Sue 2003). The positive symptoms include hallucinations, delusions (false beliefs), and disorganization in speech and behavior. Negative symptoms are alogia (the lack of meaningful speech) and avolition (an inability to take action or to become goal orientated) (Sue 2003). The final one is the flat affect in this state the person shows little to no emotion in a highly emotional situation. For a person to be diagnosed with the disorder they must meet the DSM-IVtr criteria which states:
             A Characteristic symptoms: Two or more of the following, each present for a significant portion of time during a one-month period:
              disorganized speech (e.g., frequent derailment or incoherence)
              grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior
              Negative symptoms (i.e., affective flattening, alogia, or avolition).
             Note Only one Criterion A symptom is required if delusions are bizarre or hallucinations consist of a voice keeping up a running commentary on the person's behavior or thoughts, or two or more voices conversing with each other.
             B Social/occupational dysfunction: Since the onset of the disturbance, one or more major areas of functioning, such as work, interpersonal relations, or self-care, are markedly below the level previously achieved.
             C Duration: Continuous signs of the disturbance persist for at least six months. This six-month period must include at lea
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