Impact of Schizophrenia on Families: Challenges and Burden - Essay Sample

Introduction

The article scrutinizes as well as discuss “the impact of Schizophrenia on the family” (Bowman & Kirby, 2009). After reading this article, i believe that it offers vital information on the various challenges faced by a family whose loved own is diagnosed with Schizophrenia. However, it is vital to note that the burden imposed on the family critically indicates the impact of the mental ailment to a family. There were situations in the article that the objective burden was critically examined which include the daily challenges as well as the difficulties that are experienced by a family with a member suffering from a mental disorder. Some of the challenges include the disruption of family daily routine as well as the loss of finances.

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Additionally, the article examines the subjective burden (Bowman & Kirby, 2009). The abstract burden comprises the enthusiastic as well as the mental effects of dysfunctional behaviour of the members of the family, which includes feeling concern and sorrowful. After reading the article, I have realized that the burden imposed on the family for caring for a member with mental ailment varies greatly, and this solely depends on the relationship to the person with mental ailment. The author of the article examines a sibling’s experience as a caregiver to another sibling dragonized with Schizophrenia.

How the Article Relates to Course Material

Mental ailments affect a large number of families around the globe. Individuals affected by medal disorder in particular schizophrenia experience difficulties or challengers associating with other persons and in light of this have a tough time being socially active. The article relates to the course texts (Comer & Comer, 2018) as it highlights the challenges that are experienced by families whose loved one(s) is diagnosed with mental ailments other than the patient him or herself. Coping with a member of family having a psychological ailment in most cases results in isolation or withdrawal, and this is one of the psychologies discussed extensively in the course books or resource (Barnable et al., 2006). The result of the challenges is financial instability and interference with a person’s growth.

Questions Arising from The Article

Various questions came to my mind as I read the article. For instance, when patients who have Schizophrenia, they can act violently. In light of this, my question is, how do you let the neighbours know that a family member has Schizophrenia? The other question is based on the information disclosed to the families on the condition and progress of the patient. Has anything been done to ensure that in the future the hospital fully discloses the actual progress of the patient to the family as well as provide the family with information that can help them take care of the patient effectively?

Symptoms of Schizophrenia

There are negative as well as positive symptoms of Schizophrenia. The positive symptoms can be described as pathological bizarre or excessive addition to an individual’s behavior. These comprise of delusions, hallucinations, catatonia, thought disorder and repeated movements which are difficult to manage. On the contrary, the negative symptoms can be described as the ones that appear to be pathological deficits or the traits that are absent in an individual. And the negative indicators include absence of volition, challenges in apathy, nonexistence of excitement, thought as well as speech poverty (Eells, 2000).

Therapy for Schizophrenia

According to the article, the mental health community has been successful in identifying a few treatments programs that can be effectively used in the treatment of Schizophrenia. Some of the programs identified comprise of institutional care, psychotherapy as well as drug therapy. Additionally, from the article, the Leanne’s brother treatment consisted of two commonly used treatment program which includes drug and cognitive behaviour therapy Turkington et al., 2006).

References

Barnable, A., Gaudine, A., Bennett, L., & Meadus, R. (2006). Having a Sibling with Schizophrenia: A Phenomenological Study. Research and Theory for Nursing Practice, 20(3), 247-264. doi:10.1891/rtnp.20.3.247

Bowman, L., & Kirby, S. (2009). Schizophrenia: a sibling’s tale. Mental Health Practice, 13(1). https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=44172553&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Comer, R. J., & Comer, J. S. (2018). Abnormal psychology (10th ed.) Retrieved from http://www.gcumedia.com/digital-resources/bedford-freeman-and-worth/2017/abnormal-psychology_10e.php

Eells, T. (2000, October). Psychotherapy of Schizophrenia. Retrieved June 08, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3330613/

Schizophrenia. (n.d.). Retrieved June 08, 2020, from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/schizophrenia/index.shtml

Turkington, D., Kingdon, D., & Weiden, P. J. (2006). Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Schizophrenia. American Journal of Psychiatry, 163(3), 365-373. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.163.3.365