Writing 2150t: Spring 2021

Melody Lin-MA2-D1

Introduction

Hook: In today’s society, mental illness occupies a large part of the disease, and more and more people suffer from mental illness. Teenagers have a place in it.

Statement of the Problem/Debate: Adult schizophrenia and teenager schizophrenia are different in terms of treatment and prevention. Although current drug treatment can help schizophrenia to some extent, it also brings many sequelae to patients. The current medicine for the treatment of teenage schizophrenia can effectively help young people treat mental illnesses, but they also bring many side effects. The signs of adolescent schizophrenia are not so easy to detect, and its diagnosis and treatment options are also different from those of adults. They help us understand how to view juvenile schizophrenia in a correct way and how to prevent juvenile schizophrenia.

  1. What are the signs of schizophrenia in a teenager? 
  2. What are the differences between teenage schizophrenia and adult schizophrenia? 
  3. What are the impacts and treatment plans for schizophrenia? 
  4. Can current treatments really help young people reduce the chance of developing schizophrenia? What are the pros and cons of medication for teenage schizophrenia? 

Thesis Statement: The causes of adult schizophrenia and juvenile schizophrenia are different. Although current drug treatment can help schizophrenia to some extent, it also brings many sequelae to patients.

Body Paragraphs

Subargument # 1: It is not common for adolescents to be diagnosed with schizophrenia. It usually occurs before the age of 18 and rarely occurs in children under 13 years of age. Symptoms of schizophrenia in adolescents can be abnormal in behavior and mood. Indications that teenagers suffer from schizophrenia. Before teenagers show the classic symptoms of schizophrenia, they usually go through the so-called “prodromal period.” Also called disease signal.

  • Support 1: Before teenagers show the classic signs of schizophrenia, they often go through what’s known as “the prodromal period.” During this time, teens may exhibit signs such as: Steadily increasing the number of unusual thoughts and actions, Hanging out with a new group of friends and leaving old friends behind, Withdrawing from normal social activities, Making lower grades than usual, Seeming depressed or irritable, Sleeping too much or too little. (Florida Behavioral Health in Parenting, 2019) 
  • Support 2: As children with schizophrenia age, more typical signs and symptoms of the disorder begin to appear. Signs and symptoms may include delusions. These are false beliefs that are not based in reality. For example, you think that you’re being harmed or harassed; that certain gestures or comments are directed at you; that you have exceptional ability or fame; that another person is in love with you; or that a major catastrophe is about to occur. Delusions occur in most people with schizophrenia. (Childhood schizophrenia, 2016)
  • Support 3: Changes in Behavior: Unblinking, vacant expression, Awkward or unusual movements of the face or body, Talking to themselves, using odd speech that you can’t understand, or making rapid shifts in topics, Inappropriate responses, such as laughing during a sad movie, Trouble “reading” social cues in others, Problems making and keeping friends, becoming more and more isolated. (Jennifer Casarella, 2020)

Subargument # 2: The signs of adolescent schizophrenia are not so easy to detect, and its diagnosis and treatment options are also different from those of adults. 

  • Support 1: Compared with schizophrenia symptoms in adults, teens may be: Less likely to have delusions, More likely to have visual hallucinations, Later signs and symptoms. (Childhood schizophrenia, 2016) 
  • Support 2: Compared to adult schizophrenia, childhood schizophrenia manifests higher familial predisposition and possibly greater genetic loading. Some of the susceptibility genes that have been detected in adult schizophrenia have also been replicated in childhood schizophrenia studies. Neuroimaging studies in childhood schizophrenia provide evidence for progressive structural brain abnormalities. (Androutsos Ch, 2012)
  • Support 3: For this reason, the DSM-IV and ICD-10 criteria for schizophrenia are valid for all age spectrums, but their application in earlier ages is difficult, and the particular developmental characteristics of each developmental phase should be taken into consideration. (Androutsos Ch, 2012)

Subargument # 3: Schizophrenia not only has a negative impact on the life and social life of patients but also has a certain degree of impact on society. For example, schizophrenia leads to confusion and emotional disorders, which leads to an increase in violent crime. At that time, there were multiple methods that could help treat schizophrenia.

  • Support 1: Treatment options for people with schizophrenia include: Antipsychotic medications, Family therapy in which the whole family learns to help the affected teen, Individual therapy, Social skills classes, Support groups. In some cases, teenagers with schizophrenia need temporary residential treatment. During this time, the teen lives in the treatment facility and professionals monitor them around the clock. They also receive medication management and daily therapy sessions. (Florida Behavioral Health in Parenting, 2019) 
  • Support 2: Psychotic symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations, with subsequent suspiciousness and hostility, may result in aggressive behavior. Or, aggression may be impulsive and caused by an environmental frustrating event. Patients may be more aggressive and violent during acute episodes. (Maurizio Pompili, MD, Ph.D., Andrea Fiorillo, MD, Ph.D., Psychiatric Times, 2015)
  • Support 3: There has been a consensus that violence risk is increased in schizophrenia. Much of this research was summarised in a meta-analysis in 2009 (Fazel et al, 2009). It reported an average fourfold increase in violent crime in men with schizophrenia, compared to men without schizophrenia. (Vishal Bhavsar, 2015)

Subargument # 4: The current medicine for the treatment of teenage schizophrenia can effectively help young people treat mental illnesses, but they also bring many side effects in either physical and mental.

  • Support 1: Antipsychotic drugs, Social skills training, vocational rehabilitation, and psychologic and educational support Schizophrenia cannot be cured, although hallucinations and delusions may be controlled with antipsychotic drugs, such as haloperidol, olanzapine, quetiapine, and risperidone. Children are particularly susceptible to the side effects of antipsychotic drugs. Side effects may include tremors, slowed movements, movement disorders, and metabolic syndrome (which includes obesity, type 2 diabetes, and abnormal levels of fat in the blood). (By Josephine Elia, MD, 2019)
  • Support 2: Some of the most common side effects of antipsychotics, which are prescribed for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, are “increased appetite (and resulting weight gain), increased prolactin (women may lactate and men grow breast tissue), somnolence [sleepiness], and restlessness,” according to Siegel. (Ashley Laderer, 2020)
  • Support 3: Because medications for schizophrenia can cause serious side effects, people with schizophrenia may be reluctant to take them. Willingness to cooperate with treatment may affect drug choice. For example, someone who is resistant to taking medication consistently may need to be given injections instead of taking a pill. (Mayo Clinic 2020)

Conclusion

  • As a result, the abnormal signal of teenager schizophrenia is not easy to detect in the early stage. The diagnosis of adult schizophrenia does not apply to teenager schizophrenia. Most parents will understand the symptom as adolescence and ignore the seriousness of problems. The harm caused by schizophrenia is far greater than we thought, it can cause emotional and mobility disorders in patients. Interpersonal relationships and social security will be affected. Studies have found that, unlike adult schizophrenia, most teenager schizophrenia is genetically inherited. Genetic inheritance is a lifelong disease and only can reply on medicine control or psychotherapy. However, taking antipsychotic medicine will bring many sequelae. Therefore, medical treatment is not the best treatment plan. Many researchers developed different treatment plans for patients of different ages. Measures have also been taken to prevent teenager schizophrenia. 
  • Are you or a friend around you who needs help? If you need to, please don’t be anxious and seek help from professional institutions in time.

Reference: 

 

2 thoughts on “Melody Lin-MA2-D1”

  1. 1. Melody specific show her topic, schizophrenia, and her thesis statement in her outline. And she focused on some questions: what is juvenile schizophrenia; the difference between adult schizophrenia and juvenile schizophrenia; what are the current impacts and treatments of schizophrenia and its treatment What are the pros and cons of these treatments? Each of her subargument answered 4 questions separately. Readers will not worry that different questions will appear in a paragraph and cause confusion in the composition. In the conclusion, Melody restated the answers to the four questions before and left a question for the reader. At the end, Melody attached reference which contains all sources her found.

    2.There is no transition sentences between the subarguments. This may make readers feel overwhelmed by the changes in the content of the composition. If you add transition sentences at the end of the first three subarguments, this outline will be more perfect.

  2. Hey Melody,
    Your outline is really nicely detailed about Schizophrenia and how it affects adolescenet. As seen above, you have included really detailed subarguments on each of the topics above. And your evince and data seems valid. The only thing I would suggest is maybe making a statement on the hook that would immediately catch your targeted audience’s attention such as a stat about people with mental illness?

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