MEDI7301 Study Guide - Final Guide: Avolition, Circumstantial Speech, Word Salad
Other schizophrenic disorders
Overview
Definition Psychotic disorders are characterised by a significant impairment in reality testing
Delusions or hallucinations (+/- insight into pathological nature)
Disorganised behaviours that disturbs reality testing
Classification
Brief psychotic disorder (<1mth)
Schizophreniform disorder (1-6mth)
Schizophrenia (6+mth)
Key features Delusions - a fixed, false unshakeable belief despite contrary evidence; unable to be
disproven
oControl - patient's will, thoughts or feelings are controlled by external forces;
an example of bizarre delusions (clearly implausible, not understandable to same-culture
peers and not derived from ordinary life experiences)
Thought insertion - thoughts can be put into patient's mind
Thought withdrawal - thoughts can be removed from patient's mind
Thought broadcasting - other people can hear patient's thoughts
oErotomanic - another person (of higher status) is in love with individual
oGrandiose - exaggerated view of power, status, knowledge or identity
Religious - special religious powers
Technological - patient is connected to computer or electrical
appliances to exert power
oHypochondriacal - one has exaggerated concern about health
oJealous (Othello syndrome) -patient's sex partner is unfaithful
oPersecutory (most common type) - patient is being harassed, persecuted or
cheated (usually FBI, CIA, mafia);
oSomatic - patient has a physical defect or medical condition (eg arm is
broken, poisoned)
oNihilistic - patient or the world is non-existent/ ending
oPoverty - deprived of all material possessions
oReference - behaviour of others relates to patient (eg radio or TV has
message for them)
oReplacement (Capgras syndrome) - important people in patients life are
replaced by imposter
Hallucinations - a sensory perception in absence of external sensory stimulation
indistinguishable from reality that the patient believes is real
oAuditory hallucinations (most common type) - the perception of hearing
voices, whether familiar or unfamiliar, without an outside stimulus (eg hissing, whistling,
voices, music)
oVisual - the perception of an external visual stimulus where none exists (eg
people, animals, lights, colours, shapes)
oOlfactory - phantosmia (smell an odour not present) or parosmia (smell real
odour perceived as different scent)
oGustatory - the perception of taste without stimulus
oCommand (most dangerous) - auditory or inside person's mind; range from
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Document Summary
Psychotic disorders are characterised by a significant impairment in reality testing. Delusions or hallucinations (+/- insight into pathological nature) Delusions - a fixed, false unshakeable belief despite contrary evidence; unable to be disproven o. Control - patient"s will, thoughts or feelings are controlled by external forces; an example of bizarre delusions (clearly implausible, not understandable to same-culture peers and not derived from ordinary life experiences) Thought insertion - thoughts can be put into patient"s mind. Thought withdrawal - thoughts can be removed from patient"s mind. Thought broadcasting - other people can hear patient"s thoughts. Erotomanic - another person (of higher status) is in love with individual. Grandiose - exaggerated view of power, status, knowledge or identity. Technological - patient is connected to computer or electrical appliances to exert power. Hypochondriacal - one has exaggerated concern about health. Jealous (othello syndrome) -patient"s sex partner is unfaithful.
