Schizophrenia and Personality Disorders

Schizophrenia Characterized by disorganized through and delusional thinking, disturbed perceptions, and inappropriate emotions and actions –Delusion – irrational, unjustifiable, usually paranoid, belief of persecution by an unseen entity, delusions of grandeur (I’m Napoleon) –Hallucinations: perception of non-existent, external stimuli, usually auditory but can be visual (rarely) May result from breakdown of selective attention

Inappropriate emotions and actions related to schizophrenia –May laugh at a funeral, get angry at a child’s birthday party for no reason –Flat affect – emotionless state

Onset and development Psychology: Triggering experiences, genes predisposed to react to trauma Biochemical – 6x the normal amount of dopamine receptors: dopamine hypothesis –Which type of medication is going to be necessary to treat schizophrenia?

Other possible links prenatal virus that affects brain development, possibly in the thalamus. –People conceived in Winter months are more apt to develop schizophrenia in Northern hemisphere, while the reverse is true in the Southern. Amphetamines and cocaine sometimes intensify symptoms. –Dopamine is also associated with physical movement, disruption of it is associated with schizophrenia. Brain anatomy: they have abnormal brain tissue, low frontal lobe activity. Thalamus—reactions are smaller than normal and are reactive--that may cause brain overstimulation.

Genetic links Genetic factors Definite genetic link: the closer you are genetically to someone with Schizophrenia, the more likely you are to get it. 1 in 100 people get it. 1 in 10 of siblings 1 in 2 identical twins, even if raised apart

Rule of Thirds About 1/3 of people who develop schizophrenia have one episode, 1/3 have recurring episodes, and 1/3 are chronic with unremitting symptoms

Personality Disorders Characterized by inflexible and enduring behavior patterns that impair social functioning Prognosis for treatment is usually not very good

Antisocial (previously Asocial or sociopathic disorder) Usually men Usually emerges before 15  Person may be aggressive and/or ruthless.  Deceiving or conning others or be aggressive sexually with no remorse.  Psychopaths, serial killers, sociopaths.

Histrionic displays shallow, attention-getting behaviors, feeling uncomfortable when not the center of attention. Acting in an aggressive, sexual way that makes others uncomfortable Rapid shifting of emotions. Dressing provocatively to gain attention, speaks in dramatic tones.

Narcissistic Preoccupied with themselves and an exaggerated sense of their own importance-self-focused, self-inflating What’s the difference between Narcissistic and Histrionic?

Schizoid eccentric behavior expressed as emotionless disengagement

Avoidant Anxiety expressed through fearful sensitivity to rejection causing sufferer to withdraw Which other types of disorders does this sound like?

Borderline unstable sense of self; rapidly changing affect; will be clingy one minute and then hostile the next; try to pull people close and then do things to drive them away; very manipulative to gain attention; unstable relationships; Very poor prognosis for recovery, so some therapists won’t even treat them.