Introduction
The human body consists of a complex array of organs and organ systems that need to coordinate with the utmost precision for optimal functionality. Any disruption in the conventional operation of these bodily systems occasions a disorder of some sort. A case in point is schizophrenia, which is a mental disorder that affects a significant number of people globally (Nordqvist, 2014). This essay explores schizophrenia in a bid to understand what it really is, how it affects the development and relational abilities of its victims, and why these effects qualify it as a mental disorder.
Synopsis of Schizophrenia
Nordqvist (2014) defines schizophrenia as a severe mental disorder that adversely alters the conventional flow of an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and actions. Consequently, schizophrenia victims lose their ability to distinguish between real and imagined scenarios. According to Nordqvist (2014), the brain consists of billions of nerve cells that issue or receive messages from other nerve cells across the body via neurotransmitters. For schizophrenia victims, this messaging system is erratic. Hence, their brains cannot tell the difference between real-world scenarios and imaginary scenarios.
Schizophrenia victims experience delusions, hallucinations, avolition, and thought disorder (Pagsberg, 2013). Additionally, they are poor at expressing their emotions, have cognitive difficulties, may be unable to realize that they are ill, and most importantly, they suffer from social withdrawal (Nordqvist, 2014).
The condition is reportedly prevalent among adolescents and young adults. Nordqvist (2014) notes that in men, schizophrenia mostly attacks between the age of 15 and 25 years while, in women, it attacks between the age of 23 and 25 years. Only in exceptional cases does it attack other groups such as young children as well as people beyond the age of 45 years (Nordqvist, 2014). Therefore, these groups are not entirely safe from the threat of schizophrenia and its consequences.
Effects of Schizophrenia on Human Development and Socialization
Schizophrenic individuals are not able to build and sustain healthy interpersonal relationships (Nordqvist, 2014). This state of affairs results from their inconsistent behavior. Sometimes they hear voices that are nonexistent and believe that the people around them can see through their minds and control what goes on in their minds (Nordqvist, 2014). These misguided beliefs make schizophrenic individuals distrustful and withdrawn.
In extreme circumstances, they may become frantic around people. As such, schizophrenia impairs its victims’ ability to socialize normally. Sometimes they can sit still for a long time, but when they talk, they cannot maintain a coherent line of argument (Nordqvist, 2014).
A study by Andreasen (2013) revealed that people who suffer from schizophrenia have a smaller cranial size compared to average people. She, therefore, argues that for this disparity to exist there is a developmental problem that is typical of schizophrenic individuals from an early age. It has not been figured out yet, but it is known the cranial nerves control an individual’s ability to see, taste, hear, smell, and taste. Consequently, a less than normal cranial size translates to erratic patterns in the operation above-mentioned senses. As a result, the person may not relate to people as expected.
The Implication of Development and Socialization Impairments occasioned by Schizophrenia
The preceding discourse points out that schizophrenia affects an individual’s ability to hear, smell, taste, and see normally. It further points out that this impairment is partly due to an underdeveloped cranial nerve system in schizophrenic individuals. This assertion implies that victims of this condition may hear, see, smell, or even taste nonexistent things. In other words, their senses can mislead them into believing that they have seen, tasted, heard, or smelled something that is not anywhere near them.
What makes this distortion of reality tragic is that a schizophrenia victim believes beyond doubt that whatever their senses tell them is the truth. Their loss of touch with reality makes it impossible to convince them otherwise. This attribute makes schizophrenia one of the most devastating psychological disorders.
Apparently, an erratic pattern in the operation of the human senses can directly affect the emotions, thoughts, and behavior of an individual. The frantic behavior that is sometimes observed in schizophrenia victims results from their belief that their nonexistent conceptions are capable of harming them. Thus, schizophrenia results from the impairment of the development of some elements of the brain, which occasions erratic patterns in the operation of the fundamental senses; thus, causing altered emotional responses, thoughts, and behavior.
Conclusion
Schizophrenia is termed as a severe mental disorder that affects people psychologically. It limits the ability of its victims to develop and socialize normally because it affects their ability to think. Additionally, it affects alters the way they sense to communicate with the brain, leading to inconsistency in the flow of neurotransmitters between the brain and other parts of the body. As such, the responses of its victims to various stimuli can be baffling because they do not make sense. Their expression of emotions, their thought patterns, and their behavior clearly attests to the fact that the disease has adverse psychological effects.
References
Andreasen, N. C. (2013). Relapse duration, treatment intensity, and brain tissue loss in schizophrenia: A prospective longitudinal MRI study. American Journal of Psychiatry, 170(6), 609.
Nordqvist, C. (2014). What Is Schizophrenia? Web.
Pagsberg, A. (2013). Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 22(1), 223-229. Web.