Learn about what happens when people lose touch with reality and how to best treat these psychotic problems. Understand the five different patterns of schizophrenia and the best ways to help clients recover from the condition. These five patterns are: paranoid, disorganized, catatonic, residual and the undifferentiated.
Paranoid types are preoccupied with false beliefs and sensory hallucinations (hearing voices that are in one's mind). They allow themselves to be guided by such ideas. Sometimes, they act on their false beliefs.
Disorganized schizophrenics are confused, incoherent when speaking, show inappropriate emotions or no emotions whatsoever and also demonstrate odd behavior. They are often socially withdrawn from others.
Catatonic types have problems with their motor behavior. They can shift from being frozen in place to extremely excited and agitated in their physical movements. Peculiar movements and grimacing are typically observed. They sometimes mimic the speech and motions of other people.
Residual schizophrenia refers to the absence of prominent symptoms. Such psychotic clients are apathetic and report strange perceptions of reality. In addition, they seem isolated from others and have impaired role functions.
The Undifferentiated types show thought and emotional problems. They are quite odd and may have had a history of psychotic breaks. Each breakdown might entail combinations of the symptoms listed above.
Develop an understanding of the multiple causes of the condition and the developmental patterns shown by age, social class, race and gender. Appreciate the psychotherapies that lead to the best possible outcomes. Put schizophrenia and psychotic breaks into perspective.