schizophrenia is most characterized by

Schizophrenia is a mental illness characterized by a patient’s abnormal misinterpretation
of reality, referred to as psychosis. The patient’s behavior seems
bizarre to others because the behavior is inappropriate to reality. However, the
behavior is appropriate to the patient based on their misperception of reality.
For example, all of us become paranoid when walking down an unfamiliar dark
street as part of our survival mechanism. However, a paranoid schizophrenic
may become paranoid over normal activities around the house such as the
familiar mail carrier dropping mail in the mail box. The paranoid schizophrenic
may see the familiar mail carrier as a threat and react appropriately to the
patient’s reality but inappropriately according to everyone else. In addition,
some schizophrenic patients may be unable to distinguish between fantasy and
reality. For example, a schizophrenic may be obsessed with watching old western
movies and then put on a full western costume complete with two toy guns
and a badge and walk the streets thinking he is the sheriff protecting everyone
in town from the “bad guys.” It is important that the nurse understands that the
schizophrenic behavior is usually appropriate according to the patient’s perceived
reality. The inappropriateness of the patient’s behavior is a result of the
misperception of reality by the patient. In this chapter, you will learn about
schizophrenia and the interventions that mitigate symptoms for the patient.