Apply critical thinking skills in the psychopathology of mental health patients
Analyze and apply critical thinking skills in the psychopathology of mental health patients and provide treatment and health promotion while applying evidence-based research.Scenario:
C.Z. is a 20-year-old Caucasian male who is in his second year of college. He is seeking treatment due to persistent fears that campus security and the local police are tracking and surveilling him. He cites occasional lags in his internet speed as evidence that surveillance devices are interfering with his electronics. His intense anxiety about this has begun getting in the way of his ability to complete schoolwork, and his friends are concerned – he says they have told him, “you’re not making sense.”
C.Z. occasionally laughs abruptly and inappropriately and sometimes stops speaking mid-sentence, looking off in the distance as though he sees or hears something. He expresses concern about electronics in the room (phone, computer) potentially being monitored and asks repeatedly about patient confidentiality, stating that he wants to be sure the police won’t be informed about his treatment. His beliefs are fixed, and if they are challenged, his tone becomes hostile.
Questions:
Remember to answer these questions from your textbooks and NP guidelines. At all times, explain your answers.
Discuss the etiology, course, and the structural/functional abnormalities of schizophrenia.
Discuss the evidence-based pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatment for this patient using the US Clinical Guidelines.
Sample Solution
The etiology of schizophrenia is not fully understood, but it is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Genetic factors play a significant role, as schizophrenia tends to run in families. However, environmental factors, such as prenatal exposure to certain viruses or toxins, may also trigger the development of the disorder.
Full Answer Section
Schizophrenia typically begins in early adulthood, with an average age of onset of around 20 years old. The course of the disorder is variable, but it is often characterized by periods of remission and relapse. During a relapse, a person with schizophrenia may experience psychotic symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations. During a remission, the symptoms may be absent or minimal. Schizophrenia is associated with a number of structural and functional abnormalities in the brain. These abnormalities include:- Enlarged ventricles: The ventricles are fluid-filled cavities in the brain. In people with schizophrenia, the ventricles are often enlarged.
- Reduced gray matter volume: Gray matter is the tissue in the brain that contains neurons. People with schizophrenia often have reduced gray matter volume in certain areas of the brain.
- White matter abnormalities: White matter is the tissue in the brain that connects different areas of the brain. People with schizophrenia often have white matter abnormalities, such as reduced connectivity between different brain regions.
- Dopamine dysregulation: Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is involved in motivation, reward, and movement. People with schizophrenia are thought to have dysregulation of the dopamine system.
- Risperidone (Risperdal)
- Olanzapine (Zyprexa)
- Quetiapine (Seroquel)
- Aripiprazole (Abilify)
- Ziprasidone (Geodon)
- Individual therapy: Individual therapy can help people with schizophrenia to manage their symptoms, cope with the challenges of living with the disorder, and develop social skills.
- Group therapy: Group therapy can provide people with schizophrenia with support from others who are living with the disorder.
- Family therapy: Family therapy can help families to understand and support their loved one with schizophrenia.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT can help people with schizophrenia to identify and challenge negative thoughts and beliefs.
- Supported employment: Supported employment programs can help people with schizophrenia to find and maintain employment.