BOF: 2.42
A 23-year-old male university
student is brought in to casualty by his flatmates. He says that he can hear
people talking about him over the radio.
He feels there is a plot against
him and that the people in charge of the radio station are trying to turn his
friends against him. At times he can hear voices in his head and he also feels
that these people take control of his actions at times.
His friends are concerned about his behaviour and ask you whether drug or
alcohol abuse could play a part in the aetiology of his condition.
You reply that the agent that can be considered a risk factor for development
of this condition is:
a) Cigarettes
b) Alcohol
c) Heroin
d) Cannabis
e) LSD
Answer
d)
The patient has schizophrenia. The diagnosis is made on the basis of several
first rank symptoms.
The first rank symptoms of schizophrenia are:
·
Auditory hallucinations in the third person and or voices
commenting on their behaviour
·
Thought withdrawal, insertion and broadcast
·
Primary delusion
·
Delusional perception
·
Somatic passivity and feelings (patients believe that their
thoughts, feelings or acts are under the control of others)
(The likelihood of a patient having schizophrenia is increased if they have
more of these symptoms)
Cannabis use is considered a risk factor for the development of schizophrenia
