Schizophrenic

During the 1950s, mentally disordered people who were harmful to society and

themselves could be treated with medications and were able to return safely to their

communities. Unfortunately in the 1980s, the cost of health care increased more than any other cost in our national economy. Strategic planning has been made to reduce costs, as a result,

"The political decision made to deinstitutionalize chronic mental patients started with the appearance of phenothiazine medications. Dramatically reducing the instability influenced by psychosis, these medications were of great significance to many individuals with serious mental disorders. At both the state and federal levels,

legislators looked at the high cost of long-term psychiatric hospitalization. Social

scientists guaranteed them that community-based care would be in the best interests of

all concerned: the mentally ill and the general, tax-paying public." (Barry 13)

It was believed that a social breakdown syndrome would develop in chronically mentally ill persons who were institutionalized. The characteristics of this syndrome were

submission to authority, withdrawal, lack of initiative, and excessive dependence on the

institution.

Even though deinstitutionalization seemed like the logic thing to do, the actual

execution of the concept has been greatly undermined by the lack of good community

alternatives. The largest majority of individuals using community mental health treatment services are the homeless. Nearly half of the homeless are chronically mental ill. These

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individuals are usually separated from their families and are all alone on the dangerous street. These homeless schizophrenics stay away from social structures such as community health treatment centers. Since they start a new life of independence they often stop taking their medications, become psychotic and out of place, and begin to live on the street. Since the schizophrenics are deinstitutionalized they are thrown into a whole new world of independence that they are not familiar with. Since their brain functions are different than the usual human being they cannot cope with the problems of life. The schizophrenics drive themselves crazy wanting to kill themselves and others in order to escape from this unfortunate world that they live in

Schizophrenia is the most common psychoses in the United States affecting

around one percent of the United States population. It is characterized by a deep

withdrawal from interpersonal relationships and a retreat into a world of fantasy. This

plunge from reality to fantasy results in a loss of contact from reality that can vary from mild to severe. They is more than one acceptable definition for psychosis. The psychoses are different from other groups of psychiatric disorders in their degree of severity,

withdrawal, alteration in affect, impairment of intellect, and regression.

The severity of psychoses is considered major disorders and involves confusion

in all portions of a person's life. Psychosis is seen in a wide range of organic disorders

and