HLTHAGE 1CC3 Study Guide - Final Guide: Trazodone, Clomipramine, Mouthfeel
27 Jun 2018
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Kimberly Harrison
Student ID: 400021253
1CC3 Discussion Questions
In lecture, we discussed three symptom clusters when talking about schizophrenia. Positive symptoms
are things that are expressed in addition to what a person without the disorder would feel in everyday
life; they include things like hallucinations and delusions, and are often seen as the “psychotic” element
of the disorder. On the other hand, anhedonia and blunted affect are examples of negative symptoms,
which are usually described as being deficits compared to a person with a disorder; skills a schizophrenic
either doesn’t have, or present as severely diminished. Lastly, there are disorganization symptoms;
which are cognitive behaviors that can seem bizarre to a layman. Things like laughing when the situation
would call for crying would be an example of such.
The reading by Vonnegut is a personal account of his experience developing schizophrenia. The
individual, Mark, expresses many negative-cluster symptoms in my opinion. There are some experiences
of hallucinations, both visual and auditory, but for the most part Mark struggles with a loss of appetite
(Anhedonia), and Avolition when he stresses that “time was not continuous” (p. 37), and he had no idea
the actions that he was making (screaming, smashing things, etc.). However, a part from symptomizing
Mark through the DSM labeled criteria, we also see themes poking through his words. For example,
when Mark is talking about hearing voices, he describes them in a way that they comfort him later on;
possessing the voices of his loved ones; from an outsider’s perspective, we can judge someone as being
odd quickly if they were to express this without context.
Contrary to Mark, in the reading from Simon, we see a theme of being secluded and guilty because the
voice is coming from that of a caregiver. Simon recounts, “there are so many ways we can end up
alone…we have felt guilty about our siblings” (p. 83). What’s interesting here, is that these themes can
be paralleled with symptoms of schizophrenia. Guilt is characterized as a positive symptom, and
asociality as a negative symptom. This can prove how schizophrenia must be a continuum of disease
itself, because if guilt and asociality are listed as criteria, then many more people could be clinically
diagnosed.
Lastly, we see in the reading from Saks a theme of paranoia; what’s unique here, is that her paranoia
isn’t just expressed when she is experiencing other episodes of disorganized thoughts like when in
therapy she says “You can’t leave. I won’t let you. Plupenitenary issues must be addressed. That’s a
dress. Come home with me, please?” (p.51) When the context didn’t call for it; but in her everyday life
and on her good days. She would suffer from it when she was in a car accident, and thought her injuries
were too substantial for her to still be alive. We then conclude that a theme that we believe stems from
her schizophrenia is expressing itself in many ways through her everyday life, and not just in the
stereotypical way.
Recounting the reading form Saks again, we see that her biggest contact to the medical system was
through a psychologist and talk therapy. She gained a very deep connection with “Mrs. Jones”, and she
became her lifeline. Saks says “Days went by and I simply could not bear to be around anyone; unless I
was with Mrs. Jones, I stayed alone in my room, with the door locked and my lights out…” (p. 48). Mrs.
Jones kept Elyn Saks sane as best as she could, and I believe that things could have been a lot rougher
for Elyn without Mrs. Jones around. From reading Mrs. Jones approach through Elyn’s eyes, it doesn’t
seem as though it is harming her at all, and it was prevalent that Mrs. Jones and her colleagues all had
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
In lecture, we discussed three symptom clusters when talking about schizophrenia. Positive symptoms are things that are expressed in addition to what a person without the disorder would feel in everyday life; they include things like hallucinations and delusions, and are often seen as the psychotic element of the disorder. On the other hand, anhedonia and blunted affect are examples of negative symptoms, which are usually described as being deficits compared to a person with a disorder; skills a schizophrenic either doesn"t have, or present as severely diminished. Lastly, there are disorganization symptoms; which are cognitive behaviors that can seem bizarre to a layman. Things like laughing when the situation would call for crying would be an example of such. The reading by vonnegut is a personal account of his experience developing schizophrenia. The individual, mark, expresses many negative-cluster symptoms in my opinion. Mark through the dsm labeled criteria, we also see themes poking through his words.
