Schizophrenia- Individual and Abnormal
What is schizophrenia?-
● Difficult to define and controversial
● But general consensus is ‘’ a debilitating psychiatric condition which is
characterised by the individual demonstrating a loss of contact with reality’’.
Early Accounts- History-
● John Haslam in 1810 provided detailed case study of James Tilly Matthews
● Patient believed he was being controlled by mind machine- named the air loom
● Showed results of madness because of psychosis
● Benedict Morel- reported 13 year old boy brilliant intellect went through rapid
decay
● Boy became withdrawn, homicidal thoughts towards father
● Termed disorder ‘dementia praecox’ brain had degenerated
● Once thought to be a form of dementia
● Kraeplin described ‘dementia praecox’, believed mental deterioration in early lufe
● Focused on aetiology- suggested its hereditary
● Suggest adolescence
● Considered physical abnormalities as signs e.g deformities
● Saw cases around the world, was not cultural
● Eugen Bleur disagreed with term dementia paradox
● - Can appear before or after adolescence
● - Deterioration not only outcome
● Focused on psychological aspects of the condition and provided us with
diagnostic term ‘’schizophrenia, meaning split mind
Schizophrenia-
● Confusing term, often thought as split personality
● Does not mean split personality
● Major misconception
● Split mind better thought of as a break with reality
Bleur psychological aspects of schizophrenia-
● Noted 4 fundamental features
1. Blunted affect
2. Loosening of associations
What is schizophrenia?-
● Difficult to define and controversial
● But general consensus is ‘’ a debilitating psychiatric condition which is
characterised by the individual demonstrating a loss of contact with reality’’.
Early Accounts- History-
● John Haslam in 1810 provided detailed case study of James Tilly Matthews
● Patient believed he was being controlled by mind machine- named the air loom
● Showed results of madness because of psychosis
● Benedict Morel- reported 13 year old boy brilliant intellect went through rapid
decay
● Boy became withdrawn, homicidal thoughts towards father
● Termed disorder ‘dementia praecox’ brain had degenerated
● Once thought to be a form of dementia
● Kraeplin described ‘dementia praecox’, believed mental deterioration in early lufe
● Focused on aetiology- suggested its hereditary
● Suggest adolescence
● Considered physical abnormalities as signs e.g deformities
● Saw cases around the world, was not cultural
● Eugen Bleur disagreed with term dementia paradox
● - Can appear before or after adolescence
● - Deterioration not only outcome
● Focused on psychological aspects of the condition and provided us with
diagnostic term ‘’schizophrenia, meaning split mind
Schizophrenia-
● Confusing term, often thought as split personality
● Does not mean split personality
● Major misconception
● Split mind better thought of as a break with reality
Bleur psychological aspects of schizophrenia-
● Noted 4 fundamental features
1. Blunted affect
2. Loosening of associations
