Essay Example on Schizophrenia: A Case of John Nash Jr. and His Son

Introduction

Schizophrenia is a severe psychic disruption, in which the person loses the ability to integrate their emotions and feelings with their thoughts, triggering the onset of delusions, hallucinations, and behaviors that show a lack of critical judgment. Schizophrenia often develops between the ages of 18 and 35, critical years for educational training, or the choice of professional career (Loh, 2018). Johnny Nash was a teenager when he first developed symptoms of Schizophrenia. Despite undeniable advances in treatment, few patients experience complete functional recovery, with about one-third of patients maintaining a significant level of symptoms.

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Symptoms of Schizophrenia

The most common symptoms of Schizophrenia include confused or jumbled speaking, strange postures, odd and random movements, delusions, hallucinations, and abnormal behaviors. Johnny Nash has jumbled talking and takes a strange posture. He reports having hallucinations and seeing things that aren't there. There are several triggers of Schizophrenia which vary with different victims. In Johnny Nash's case, the feeling that his father was not particularly paying attention seemed to irritate and anger him. The academic performance of individuals with Schizophrenia is usually exemplary in matters involving arts, divergent thinking, and other skills related to creativity, as seen in Johnny’s high academic status. Creating awareness can help people identify and understand what kind of action triggers the negative patient's symptoms such as delusion or hallucinations.

Potential Medications

Since the causes of Schizophrenia are still unknown, the current treatment of this disease focuses on the elimination of their symptoms (Barnes & Paton, 2011). Schizophrenia therapy has three main components: medication with antipsychotic drugs (Antipsychotics) to alleviate and prevent the symptoms; psychosocial interventions to help patients and relatives cope with the disease and its complications; and rehabilitating patients back into the community and retrieving their occupational functioning (Carey et al., 2018). Some of the medications that can be used to manage John Nash Jr. and his Son Schizophrenia include Thioridazine (Mellaril), Chlorpromazine (Thorazine), Haloperidol (Haldol), Fluphenazine (Prolixin), and Perphenazine (Trilafon). Carrying out proper medication compliance, following rehabilitation therapies, complying with healthy habits avoiding the consumption of toxins, and carrying out a daily social and family activity are some of the bases the patient can coexist with the disease without affecting their day to day activities.

Etiology of Schizophrenia

Although the causes of schizophrenia are still unknown, a combination of genetics may contribute to the condition. Johnny Nash acquired the disease from the genes he inherited from his Schizophrenic father.

References

Barnes, T. R., & Paton, C. (2011). Antipsychotic polypharmacy in schizophrenia. CNS drugs, 25(5), 383-399.

Carey, M. E., Barnett, J., Doherty, Y., Barnard, K., Daly, H., French, P., ... & Northern, A. (2018). Reducing weight gain in people with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and first episode psychosis: describing the process of developing the Structured lifestyle Education for People With SchizophrEnia (STEPWISE) intervention. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 4(1), 186. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-018-0378-1

Infalliblle: Interview With John Nash's Schizophrenic Son [Video file]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SizS1nOOeJg

Loh, S. Y. (2018). Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation to Facilitate Recovery of People Living with Long-Term Schizophrenia in Developing Countries. Psychotic Disorders: An Update, 63. doi:10.5772/intechopen.75548