You are a college student living on campus at the dorms.  Your roommate who you have known for a few months begins to act different than when you first met him at the beginning of the semester. During this time, you have developed a good friendship.  As of late you are becoming increasingly concerned that he is having great difficulty in completing homework assignments and going to classes. At times he appears to be speaking to someone when no other students are present.  While you are aware that he occasionally drinks alcohol off campus, you are unsure as to whether he has been using drugs.  You have encouraged him to speak to his parents, who you met on parent’s weekend, but he has not done so.  What are additional behaviors and symptoms that he is exhibiting that would lead you to conclude that he is becoming psychotic and perhaps has schizophrenia? How would you go about getting help for your roommate?  In what ways can you continue to be a support to him while is going through these challenges. 

Compare and contrast the gender differences between males and females regarding onset, course, and experience of schizophrenia. Include specific statistics and information from the text in your response.

Describe the different types of intervention, treatment, and community supports needed for a good quality of life for a person living with schizophrenia.  The text offers a fairly comprehensive overview of resources for people diagnosed with schizophrenia.  Develop a *new* resource that you believe will improve the wellbeing of people living with a psychotic disorder.

Compare and contrast changes in the brain and neurocognitive functioning of people diagnosed with schizophrenia versus people without this diagnosis.  Be sure to reference the relevant technological and diagnostic tool used in referencing changes and differences in brain.

Compare and contrast the first generation and second generation antipsychotic medications used in reducing symptoms associated with schizophrenia (and other thought/psychotic disorders). Describe the antipsychotic medications influence upon dopamine and other neurotransmitters. What are the long-term side effects of antipsychotic medications?