Schizophrenia
...not realize the significance of the changes at the time, and I
think others denied them, but looking back I can see that they were the earliest
signs of illness. I became increasingly withdrawn and sullen. I felt alienated
and lonely and hated everyone. I felt as if there were a huge gap between me
and the rest of the world; everybody seemed so distant from me." This excerpt
describes part of Esse Leete 20-year battle with schizophrenia. She committed
herself to leading the fullest life her disease will allow and to educating
others about mental illness. Schizophrenia is a very serious disease, but
through defining schizophrenia and getting the patient help and treatment a
schizophrenic can lead a full life like any other person.
Schizophrenia is defined as any of a group of psychotic reactions
characterized by withdrawal from reality with highly variable affective,
behavioral and intellectual disturbances by the American Heritage Dictionary.
No definition of schizophrenia can adequately describe all people with this
illness. Schizophrenia is an extremely complex mental illness. It is clear
that schizophrenia is a disease which makes it difficult for the person with the
illness to decide what is real and what is not (Swados 5). It is also clear
that this brain disease affects normal, intelligent people in all walks of life.
There are six concrete phrases that describe schizophrenia: it is a real
disease, has concrete and specific symptoms, is different from other mental
illnesses, is the result of flaws brain biochemistry, may be treated by specific
antipsychotic drugs, and is almost always treatable.
Scientist are unsure of the causes of schizophrenia, although research
is progressing rapidly. Scientist are almost certain that schizophrenia has
more than one cause. One cause could be a chemical imbalance. An imbalance of
the brain's chemical system...
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