Introduction
The case under analysis is a disorder similar to schizotypal personality disorder or schizophrenia. The patient has symptoms: voices in their head, assumption of telepathic abilities, and inability to control himself. The person’s strange speech characterizes the disorder: the presence of incomprehensible words and a predisposition to fear persecution (Stilo & Murray, 2019). The paper analyzes the etiological aspects of Sam’s disease in the context of the symptoms present.
Analysis of Symptom Development
Sam first felt unwell at age 17 when he reported paranoid thinking. Such a symptom could refer to several illnesses: schizophrenia, anxiety, and personality disorders. As Sam grew older, paranoia increased, along with feelings of anxiety and worry. There was impaired thinking and replacing some brain signals with others, causing Sam to hear voices for the first time at age 21. Auditory hallucinations accompany many illnesses, but they all belong to the schizophrenic spectrum (Shao et al., 2021). At this stage of the disorder, urgent action had to be taken to avoid the progression of the illness. The transition from one form of the disorder (paranoia) to another (hallucinations) may be caused by a jump in adolescent development. During that, an increased release of hormones can disrupt normal brain function. The question arises as to why the patient did not see a psychiatrist at age 21, and by analyzing other behavior; it has to do with what and how the voices in his head were “telling” him.
Progression of auditory hallucinations generates new symptoms in schizophrenic spectrum disorders. The presence of hallucinations is usually a consequence of having experienced violence during childhood or adolescence, leading to developing a defense mechanism. Sam may not have heard or paid attention to the head earlier, but lack of treatment after the onset of the first signs of paranoia or the occurrence of a trigger in the environment may have triggered a worsening process and development of the disorder (Shao et al., 2021). As he grew older, the auditory hallucinations worsened, and the paranoia progressed. Sam was disturbed by strong, long, and possibly incessant voices in his head that disrupted his functioning. He reported having telepathic abilities, one of the critical signs of schizophrenic disorder.
Analysis of Possible Risk Factors
Risk factors for developing schizophrenic spectrum disorders are related to unhealthy environmental conditions. Poor living conditions and low social status may be some of the risk factors because Sam has committed robbery (Robinson & Bergen, 2021). He belongs to a group that continues to face discrimination, so this is an additional risk factor. Paranoia alone does not cause the rapid development of schizophrenia. It can pass after a course with a psychiatrist, but it may have been an additional factor. The level of urbanization can probably be noted, and unemployment can be assumed.
There was a growth spurt between the two prominent disorder symptoms. It can be assumed that during this period, the patient’s childhood memories were renewed, or the new living conditions pushed his mind into replaying the trauma (Vaskinn et al., 2020). Sam reports taking heartburn medication, but it cannot be determined whether he was taking it specifically. There is a possibility of concomitant drug addiction that Sam was taking for his medications (Stilo & Murray, 2019). If they were psychoactive substances (a prescription for which he could receive at 17 due to paranoia), the development of schizophrenia could be triggered very quickly.
Analysis of the Etiology of Developmental Disorders
Biological theories of the emergence of schizophrenic spectrum disorders involve a genetic predisposition. In Sam’s case, there is no confirmed evidence of family history. The biological theories indicate that genetic research into the presence of schizophrenia genes is too complex because a single day can code for including bipolar disorder (Robinson & Bergen, 2021). Consequently, Sam’s biological etiology is the least likely because of the lack of a confirmed predisposition to the disease.
Psychological theories suggest that individual personality traits are predictors of the development of schizophrenia. They highlight increased stress, a tendency toward external attribution, problems with concentration, difficulty reproducing speech, and an inability to identify the inner voice (Stilo & Murray, 2019). For Sam, these personality traits may be difficulty concentrating and increased stress, which arose from aging conditions. Difficulty expressing thoughts and delirium may result from disconnection from the inner voice.
Social theories indicate that the factors in the development of schizophrenia are the environment in which a person must function. Probably, this is the leading etiological external cause of the development of the disorder. This is justified by Sam’s difficulty communicating based on his confusion of speech, the presence of demographic characteristics (gender, race, age), and the severity of the environment in which African Americans typically grow up (Porcelli et al., 2018). The presence of childhood violence and re-experiencing trauma can be assumed but cannot be accurately asserted without additional diagnosis (Vaskinn et al., 2020). The presence of social isolation due to paranoia is also a triggering factor for the disease.
Conclusion
In the analyzed case, it is most likely that the disorder can be attributed to the schizophrenic spectrum. This is evidenced primarily by auditory hallucinations, belief in one’s telepathic abilities, and ongoing paranoia. The development of symptoms in the analyzed case occurred in leaps and bounds. At first, paranoid thinking appeared, probably caused by an external trigger; then, voices in the head emerged as they progressed. Along with their progression came more and more complex and reckless behaviors – robbery and suicidal thoughts. The most likely risk factors for the patient being analyzed are gender, race, and developmental, environmental conditions. Biological theory cannot be applied due to insufficient data, the psychological theory has a higher similarity, and social theories are best suited in this case.
References
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