Schizophrenia Through the Carer's Eyes: Reflective Account, NRSG370

This reflective account, written by a student, explores the experience of a caregiver handling a patient with schizophrenia. The assignment details a case involving a 20-year-old patient admitted to the emergency room with symptoms of schizophrenia, drawing from the perspective of a psychologist involved in the patient's care. It highlights the challenges faced by the patient, the impact on the family, and the importance of psychological interventions, including cognitive therapies and family awareness programs. The student reflects on the emotional toll on the caregiver and the significance of coping skills in managing the illness, while also referencing relevant literature to support the discussion on the treatment and management of schizophrenia.

Running head: Schizophrenia through the carers eyes
Schizophrenic through the carers’ eyes
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Authors note:

1SCHIZOPHRENIC THROUGH THE CARERS EYES
In this reflective account I would like to throw light on someone else’s experience in
handling schizophrenic patient. This gave me heightened awareness on practical
improvement and ways to provide high quality care. Schizophrenia is a serious mental
disorder and around 29 million people are affected worldwide (Alanen, 2018). Its treatment is
life long and needs a range of health professional like psychologists who with the help of
cognitive therapies try to care for the patient.
Reporting
The campus police admitted a 20-year-old boy to the emergency room. His professor
said that the young boy barged in his room and accused him of taking extra tuition money
accused him. The boy showed strange behavioural symptoms upon admitting. The boys close
friends informed his psychiatrist that from past few months he paid less visit to them. He
cared less about his social pursuits. A doctor who was treating him said that his symptoms
were indicating that of schizophrenia and referred him to a psychiatrist for cognitive based
medications. The clinical psychologists started his treatment by trying to find the cause of the
illness. Treatment of schizophrenia often combines drug therapy but psychological
counselling is also given importance (Bighelli et al, 2018). The psychologists tried to
intervene by understanding the patient’s action and counsel him to control his mood.
Response
The psychologist was very keen on bringing out the patient from his situation. It was
heart wrenching for the psychologist to see the patient suffering from hallucinations as he
was so young. He was just 20 year old and from the professors it has been known that he was
a bright student who could make a bright future (Goldsmith et al, 2015). On interacting with
him during counselling, the psychologist made a special bonding. However the fact that

2SCHIZOPHRENIC THROUGH THE CARERS EYES
schizophrenic is a deadly disease and can stay for a lifetime is demotivating in this cure of
illness. His parents were deeply affect with this condition of their only child.
Relating
Being a caregiver it is not easy to see a patient suffering which prevails for lifetime. A
psychologist goes through many patients with mental illness but schizophrenia is a different
situation where the patient goes through other physical side effects also like tremors and
restlessness. The psychotherapy treatment would help to deal with the everyday activities like
communication, self-care and communication. The main idea of treating the patient was to
make the person get aware about his wellbeing so that it would adjust him to live with
schizophrenia (Kurtz et al, 2016). The therapy of the psychologist was aimed to address the
common symptoms of schizophrenia and minimise the relapses and hospital visit. The coping
skills would help him to cope with persistent indications.
Reasoning
Schizophrenia shows symptoms of poor functioning ability, problems with working
memory and trouble paying attention. The psychological treatment must aim in awareness so
that he can control his feelings during similar tremors (Stafford et al, 2015). The boy was a
young person and the psychologist made sure that he understands his symptoms better.
Individual psychotherapy deals with the regular scheduled tasks assigned by the
psychologists to ensure that he can cope with the situation faster.
Reconstruction
Upon understanding of the situation there can be action plans initiated for betterment
in the boy’s condition. Family plays an important role in schizophrenic patient as they stay
with them for a long time (Van Oosterhout et al, 2016). Therefore, it can be said that family

3SCHIZOPHRENIC THROUGH THE CARERS EYES
awareness regarding this issue is crucial in bringing a positive change and minimising the
future tremors that the young boy may face. The psychologists must initiate problem solving
skill and coping strategies to the family of the patient with respect to schizophrenia.
From the above discussion, it can be concluded that schizophrenia is a deadly disease
and its symptoms can prevail for a lifetime. A psychologist play a keen role in management
of such illness, as they can understand the symptoms better. The mental ailment is dangerous
and affects young aged people more. The psychologist aims in bringing in change in his
treatment by using coping skills so that he can get used to the schizophrenic symptoms,
which may prevail for lifetime.

4SCHIZOPHRENIC THROUGH THE CARERS EYES
References:
Alanen, Y. O. (2018). Schizophrenia: Its origins and need-adapted treatment. Routledge.
Bighelli, I., Salanti, G., Huhn, M., Schneider‐Thoma, J., Krause, M., Reitmeir, C., ... &
Furukawa, T. A. (2018). Psychological interventions to reduce positive symptoms in
schizophrenia: systematic review and network meta‐analysis. World
Psychiatry, 17(3), 316-329.
Goldsmith, L. P., Lewis, S. W., Dunn, G., & Bentall, R. P. (2015). Psychological treatments
for early psychosis can be beneficial or harmful, depending on the therapeutic
alliance: an instrumental variable analysis. Psychological medicine, 45(11), 2365-
2373.
Kurtz, M. M., Gagen, E., Rocha, N. B., Machado, S., & Penn, D. L. (2016). Comprehensive
treatments for social cognitive deficits in schizophrenia: A critical review and effect-
size analysis of controlled studies. Clinical psychology review, 43, 80-89.
Stafford, M. R., Mayo-Wilson, E., Loucas, C. E., James, A., Hollis, C., Birchwood, M., &
Kendall, T. (2015). Efficacy and safety of pharmacological and psychological
interventions for the treatment of psychosis and schizophrenia in children, adolescents
and young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PloS one, 10(2), e0117166.
Van Oosterhout, B., Smit, F., Krabbendam, L., Castelein, S., Staring, A. B. P., & van Der
Gaag, M. (2016). Metacognitive training for schizophrenia spectrum patients: a meta-
analysis on outcome studies. Psychological medicine, 46(1), 47-57.