Jennifer+Kim+Schizo

Insulin shock therapy which is also known as Insulin coma treatment is not a viable clinical treatment. It therapy itself is not so safe to the patient and is painful. John Nash, the main character in the movie “A Beautiful Mind,” also suffered from everyday comas after getting the treatment. I would say that John Nash was an unusual case. If the illness was something that could be treated without medication, it would not be treated as unusual symptom to behave like a schizophrenic patient in the society; it would rather be treated as a cold that can be treated easily. Because it requires the medication along with the change in society, I believe schizophrenic is unusual as it is portrayed in the movie. The advantage of the therapy is that its’ effect is proven, but on the other hand, it is disadvantageous in that it is not plausible fully due to several failures. The treatment calms the patients, but once the amount of insulin injected overwhelms the patient’s level of blood sugar, it is possible for the patient to get restless and this is why the therapy is seen as risky despite the fact that it is the only medical treatment for schizophrenic. During the 1960s and 1970s, the only treatment known for schizophrenia was the ICT. However, with the advance in medication, today the mental disorder is often treated with other types of medications and therapies. The symptoms for schizophrenia are different among the patients. They may demonstrate auditory hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized and unusual thinking and speech. In my opinion, the worst type of schizophrenia would be the auditory hallucinations and the least would be disorganized. I think the auditory hallucination can lead to other symptoms especially the disorganized and unusual thinking and speech. Because he or she hears the hallucinations, he will be distracted from his or her normal thoughts and be disorganized. As one hears the sound ringing in your ears after keeping hearing it, the patients with the symptom would have hard time to be able to get rid off the sound completely. As I have said above, I say that the least is disorganized type because normal people suffer also from disorganization and from experience, it can be controlled easily with help of others or materials like diary, organizers. Antipsychotic medication is a way used today to treat schizophrenia. It improves the outlook for individual patients and the medications reduce the psychotic symptoms and allow the patient to function more effectively and appropriately. Another is the psychosocial therapy in which focuses on improving the patient’s social functioning. There also is a rehabilitation programs that emphasize social training somewhat like the psychosocial therapy and the program includes vocational counseling, job training, problem solving and money management skills etc.
 * 1) Was insulin shock therapy a viable clinical treatment?
 * 1) Was John Nash an unusual case, or do you think that many schizophrenic patients can be taught to function in society with without medication?
 * 1) What are the dangers and/or advantages of this type of treatment (re: insulin shock therapy)?
 * 1) What is the difference between the treatment of schizophrenia in 1960-1970 and today?
 * 1) What are the various types of schizophrenia? Which would you consider the worst case to have? The least worst? Explain why for each.
 * 1) What treatments are being pioneered today for schizophrenia?