Schizophrenia & Delusional Disorders – Points to Remember

Important Points Related to Schizophrenic & Delusional disorders

  • The main types of schizophrenia are hebephrenic schizophrenia, catatonic schizophrenia, paranoid schizophrenia & schizoaffective type, etc.
  • Waxy flexibility is a motor disturbance that is the predominant feature of catatonic schizophrenia
  • Catatonic patients present two main types of picture
    • Catatonic stupor and catatonic excitement
  • Prolonged isolation can produce sensory deprivation, manifested by hallucinations
  • Depersonalization is a state in which the client feels unreal or believes parts of the body are being distorted
  • Looseness of association refers to sentences that have vague connections to each other.
  • Echolalia is the involuntary parrot-like repetition of words spoken by others, where Echopraxia refers to the meaningless imitation of others’ motions
  • Direct questioning is the most appropriate technique to use when interviewing a client with paranoid schizophrenia
    • Eg: Are you hearing voices right now?
  • Alcoholic beverages are contraindicated while taking an antipsychotic drug
  • The bipolar affective disorder is characterized by cycles of extreme emotional high(mania) and lows (depression)
  • Taking antipsychotic medication with milk, nicotine, and caffeine will decrease the effectiveness
  • Referential thinking: When an individual incorrectly interprets neutral incidents and external events as having particular or special meaning for him
  • Concrete thinking: It is the literal interpretation of words and symbols
  • Clang Association: It is the linking of words by sound rather than its meaning
    • The client may say “I like to drive my car, bar, tar, far.”
  • Avolition is the lack of motivation
  • Alogia is also called poverty of speech, is a decrease in the amount of richness in speech
  • A flat affect is the absence of emotional expression
  • Haloperidol is an antipsychotic medication. It is also used to control tics and vocal utterances that are part of Tourette syndrome
  • Never touch an agitated client, touch can be misinterpreted as a threat and can further escalate the situation
  • Fluphenazine an antipsychotic drug that can cause photosensitivity and sunburn
  • The Prodromal (early) signs and symptoms of schizophrenia may include impaired role functioning and neglect of personal hygiene as well as social withdrawal and depression
  • Disorganized schizophrenia is characterized by disorganized speech, disorganized behavior, and inappropriate or flat affect.
  • A client with ideas of reference mistakenly believes that other people’s thought, speech, and behaviors refers to the client.
  • Polyuria and polydipsia are common side effects of lithium.
  • Orthostatic hypotension is an adverse effect of Tricyclic antidepressants