Question

CASE STUDY.

You are working on an inpatient psychiatric unit and need to do an initial assessment of R.B., who has just been admitted. He has a diagnosis of schizophrenia, paranoid type. He is 22 years old and has been attending the local university and living at home with his parents. He has always been a good student and has been active socially. Last semester his grades began declining and he became very withdrawn. He spends most of his time alone in his room. His grooming has deteriorated; he can go days without bathing. For several weeks before admission, he insisted on keeping all of the blinds and curtains in the house closed. He refuses to join family gatherings and games. For the past 2 days he has refused to eat, saying, "They have contaminated the food." As you approach R.B., you note that he appears to be carrying on a conversation with someone, but there is no one there. When you talk to him, he looks around and answers in a whisper but gives you little information. He states, "They are watching me and told me not to cooperate.

Explain what a negative symptom of schizophrenia is, and identify at least three negative

symptoms of schizophrenia that R.B. might be experiencing.

1. Explain what a positive symptom of schizophrenia is, and identify at least two positive

2. symptoms of schizophrenia that R.B. might be experiencing

3 . What are the most important initial interventions in treating R.B.?

Answer 1

1 Positive symptom: makes the patient exaggerated or excited mode

Three symptoms are

--hallucinations maybe auditory, visual, tactile or olfactory,

RB is having auditory hallucinations, he is talking to some one in whisper.

--Delusion, he is having persecutonary delusion,

RB is telling they have contaminated the food

The other positive symptoms

--Referential delusion:

---Repititive movts which are not controlled.

2. Negative symptoms: the patient is very quiet , it takes away the patient from a normal life

---Anhedonia lack of pleasure

RB don't like games

--- can't do basics of life:

RB is not bathing

-----Apathy, withdrawal:

RB don't like gatherings

3. Important intervention

---Rehabilitation therapy

---Psycho education

---Cognitive therapy