Schizophrenia
- Identify four different clinical characteristics of schizophrenia, and describe the symptoms associated with these characteristics.
One of the clinical characteristic of Schizophrenia is delusions, which is characterized by false beliefs in the patients. Hallucination is also a key clinical characteristic whereby the patient experiences false perceptions such as seeing or smelling things that do not really exist. Another clinical characteristic of schizophrenia is catatonic behavior, whereby the patient becomes extremely disorganized and loses concern about the things around him. Schizophrenia is also characterized by negative symptoms which are characterized by disorganized or complete lack of speech (allogia) and mood flattening (Sue et al. 2004).
- Compare and contrast the symptoms of catatonic and undifferentiated schizophrenia. To what extent do they involve negative symptoms?
Both catatonic and undifferentiated schizophrenia are characterized by repetitive movements and behaviors due to lack of brain coordination with the body activities. The main difference is that undifferentiated schizophrenia symptoms mainly affect the most common and fundamental human attributes such as perception, language, thoughts, and sense of self while catatonic schizophrenia affect mainly the body by making the body become rigid and motionless. Undifferentiated schizophrenia is characterized mostly by negative symptoms compared to catatonic schizophrenia (Sue et al. 2004)
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- Describe a comprehensive treatment approach to schizophrenia that would not only be effective but also reduce the risk of relapse.
Effective treatment for schizophrenia is through early diagnosis if one is suspected to have it. The treatment significantly depends on the use of antipsychotic medications and the psychotherapy approach which is mainly directed towards the psycho social problems that schizophrenic patient’s exhibit. Antipsychotic medications are used to reduce the positive symptoms of schizophrenia (Sue et al. 2004).
Cognitive Disorders
- Describe the different cognitive disorders. Indicate why it is so difficult to differentiate among the different cognitive disorders and from other psychological disorders.
Delirium disorder is a type that manifests in series which is mostly temporary. Hypoactive delirium occurs when one is not familiar with the surrounding and often makes one become unresponsive. Hyperactive delirium mainly make one become aggressive leading to violence. Mixed delirium is a blend of hyperactive and hypoactive. Cognitive disorders are usually difficult to differentiate from other psychological disorders because it most affects the brain, which is invisible, while other disorders affects the overall physical function of the body such as motion, sight which can be easily noted (Sue et al. 2004).
- Describe the characteristics of dementia in general and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in particular. What is known about the cause of Alzheimer’s and what appear to be some protective factors that reduce the risk of developing AD?
Dementia is generally characterized by loss of memory, inability to perform assigned tasks well, difficulty in carrying out job duties and difficulty in language. Main characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease is memory loss which may be divided into episodic, semantic, and procedural memory. AD is primarily caused by excess amounts of protein build up in the brain which is majorly due to lifestyle factors such as dietary, smoking and others (Sue et al. 2004).
- What are some of the treatments for cognitive disorders?
Cognitive disorders can be treated through therapy, drugs that can be used to treat the disease that accompany schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease. A therapeutic approach involves putting the patient in a very quite environment and placing familiar objects which he/ she can easily notice. More developed cognitive disorders require medications (Sue et al. 2004).
Childhood Disorders
- Describe the DSM-IV-TR criteria for autistic disorder.
Diagnosis of autistic disorder is prepared when three of the factors are combined. When one fails to show interest in social impairment, impairment in communication like distortion, delay, ability to make a conversation lacks and repetitive and typecast model of behavior, abnormal performance in interaction and communication and finally when the disturbance cannot be accounted for (Sue et al. 2004).
- Compare and contrast the symptoms involved in attention deficit/hyperactive disorders, oppositional defiant disorder, and conduct disorder. What is the prognosis if a child has a combination of these disorders?
Symptoms can be mainly antisocial traits, conflict between the peers, being deep in thoughts and difficulty in academic areas. Conduct disorder leads to antisocial trends. Oppositional defiant disorder symptoms are violence which mostly lead to criminal charges and conduct problems. Attention deficit symptoms were difficulty in academic areas and conduct problems. Prognosis is allowing diagnosis of mainly oppositional defiant disorder and Conduct disorder.
- How is mental retardation diagnosed and subdivided? What are the principle causes of mental retardation?
Mental retardation is diagnosed through the analysis of the intellectual and adaptive functioning and behaviors of the child at home and at school. Therapy is used to reduce the symptoms and not to cure. Medication may also be assigned. Retardation is divided into four levels, mild, moderate, severe, and profound, determined by measuring the IQ of a person.
Causes of retardation are through genetically acquired condition, which is inherited from the parents, which may cause Down syndrome or Fragile X syndrome. During the time of pregnancy in the case of pre and post natal or when the mother maybe infected or is a drunkard. Retardation May also be due to health infections such as measles, meningitis, or whooping cough (Sue et al. 2004).
Eating Disorders
- Identify two eating disorders and describe the symptoms that characterize these disorders.
Anorexia nervosa is a term used to mean ‘lack of appetite’. People who suffer from this disorder fear gaining weight. Bulimia nervosa is a disorder in which a person tends to eat a lot of food within a very short time.
- What treatment strategies are effective in the treatment of eating disorders?
Treatment strategies include doing activities that boost one ’s self esteem such as discovering one’s passion, positively affirming oneself from time to time, and/or joining a group that helps enhance one’s morale. Other strategies may include getting help from a professional and taking certain anti-depressants in cases where depression is the cause of the eating disorder.
- Define obesity and explain the reasons it is considered to be an epidemic in the United States. Discuss how, in a nation so obsessed with thinness, obesity has become such a problem. Explore the different treatment options and their effectiveness.
Obesity is a medical condition in which a person accumulates excess body fat to the extent that it becomes a risk factor to the health of the person. Obesity has been termed an epidemic in the U.S. because the number of people that are being diagnosed with obesity and related complications like diabetes is increasing each and every year. Treatment options for obesity include dietary changes, exercise and activity, behavior change, prescription weight loss medication and weight loss surgery.
Legal and ethical issues
- Review the history of legal precedents on the insanity defense. Describe the current standing of this defense.
Insanity defense dates back in 1843 when a man killed the British Prime Minister’s secretary and was acquitted with the plea that he was insane. A new criterion was found in 1886 following a series of similar court decisions on the defense of insanity, in reference to the Parsons V Alabama case. In 1954 the Supreme Court ruled no one is responsible if outcome was due to a mental disease or defect in the brain functioning. Currently, some states have banned the use of insanity in defense as was the case in Clark V Arizona. The government provides a psychiatric examination to prove insanity (Sue et al. 2004).
- The McLeods want their adult son, Brewster, to be involuntarily treated in a mental facility. Describe the criteria and procedures for civil commitment that they face. What legal protections exist against the abuse of Brewster’s rights?
Criteria are if the person is mentally ill and is need for treatment, he poses a danger to himself and the society, and finally he is unable to take care of himself. The court approves the commitment and the individual is represented by a counsel. He is notified of the commitment and the court approves of the case.
- Name and describe two rights of mental patients.
They have the right to have their own psychiatric evaluation carried out before being committed to a psychiatric health facility. They also have the right to confidentiality. Doctors treating the patient should not disclose any information unless with consent from the patient or family (Sue et al. 2004).
Reference
Sue, D., Sue, W. and Sue, S. (2004). Essentials of Understanding Abnormal Behavior. Houghton: Mifflin Co.
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