Schizophrenia

Essay by gilliamkaylaA+, October 2014

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Schizophrenia

Kayla Gilliam

Musselman High School

Running head: SCHIZOPHRENIA 1

SCHIZOPHRENIA 3

SCHIZOPHRENIA 2

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that causes a breakdown in thinking and poor emotional responses. The symptoms vary but paranoia, hearing voices or noises that aren't there, disorganized thinking and lack of motivation and emotion are common. Those that have Schizophrenia are convinced that other people are reading their mind and trying to control them. Symptoms begin in young adulthood, about 0.3-0.7% of people are affected during their lifetimes. Diagnosis depends on the person's reported experiences and observed behavior.

In most people Schizophrenia appears suddenly and without warning. Often it comes on slowly, with little to no warning signs and a gradual decline in basic functioning long before the first severe episode. Friends and family members of people with Schizophrenia report knowing that something was wrong with their loved one, they just didn't know what.

In this early phase, people with schizophrenia often aren't motivated and are emotionless. They tend to isolate themselves, begin neglecting their appearance, say strange things, and show a general unresponsiveness to life. They may abandon hobbies, and their performance at work or school deteriorates.

There are billions of nerve cells in our brain. Each nerve cell has branches that give out and receive messages from other nerve cells. A neurotransmitter is then released by the ending of the nerve cells. The messages are carried by the neurotransmitters from the ending of one nerve to the nerve cell body of another. In the brain of a Schizophrenic this system does not work properly.

It is difficult to diagnose schizophrenia in teens. This is because the first signs can include a change of friends, a drop in grades, sleep problems, and even irritability.

It is difficult because they are all behaviors that...