Paranoid Schizophrenia

Paranoid schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder that encapsulates a myriad of symptoms, including various states of psychosis and disorganized thought, speech, and behavior. Its etiology has not been ascertained, but evidence suggests a genetic role in its development. Those afflicted with schizophrenia can expect increased debilitation with age, as its course tends toward deterioration over time. This case study focuses on the vicissitudes and tribulations faced by a homeless veteran as a result of schizophrenia. This individual receives social services at a local clinic.

Homelessness is often comorbidly associated with schizophrenia and both present a number of moral and social considerations that should be addressed. These include chronic paranoia, noncompliance with medications, inability to maintain employment and stable residence, and the health and safety issues that accompany being homeless. This paper concentrates on the emergence of social issues that are secondary to this veteran’s diagnosis of schizophrenia.

[...] There appears to be no greater likelihood of developing schizophrenia in any one race or ethnicity. ETIOLOGY AND MANIFESTATION As previously mentioned, schizophrenia is one of the more serious and severe mental illnesses, as it can be extremely debilitating and damaging to one’s quality of life. Its etiology is unknown, however there are several different theories. One is that schizophrenia is genetically inherited. This theory is somewhat enforced as valid by the phenomenon of the Genain quadruplets (Mirsky, A. F., DeLisi, L. E., Buchsbaum, M. S., Quinn, O. W., Schwerdt, P., Siever, L. [...]

[...] P., Van Kximmen, E. J, & Qoran, S., 2000). They found the father of the siblings to be “irritable, abusive, and intrusive” (p. 699, 2000). In addition, both his mother and the sisters’ mother had also suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, further suggesting a strong genetic vulnerability. It is further speculated that birth complications may have contributed to the significant differences in the presentations of schizophrenia displayed by each sibling. Two of the siblings were, neurologically speaking, more intact, whereas the remaining two were more damaged (2000). [...]

[...] This is a very strong sign of paranoid schizophrenia, as indicated in the DSM-IV (1994). With the exception of poverty of content, he shows no evidence of negative symptomatology, but this is one of few of the criteria for schizophrenia that he does not present. Also, criterion B indicates a marked social/occupational dysfunction in the individual, which is clearly evidenced by “S”’ s inability to maintain stable residence and hold onto his money. He also would not be able to hold down a job if he was not receiving clinic benefits because his paranoid delusions would prevent him from working and functioning effectively. [...]