Introduction. Schizophrenia to a considerably great degree impairs the social functioning of the persons affected in the spheres of interpersonal and occupational contacts, as well as self-care. It brings about serious cognitive, perceptual, motor and emotional deficits, inevitably leading to the social withdrawal of patients. This phenomenon may assume various forms, from the limitations in interpersonal relations, through narrowing these relations to only some circumstances, to the total cessation of social contacts. Objective. The objective of the study is presentation of the most important problems related with social functioning and quality of life of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, based on scientific studies conducted in Poland and worldwide. State of knowledge. The family of a schizophrenia patient exerts a great effect on the social functioning. While undertaking proper actions the family may become a co-therapist and significantly facilitate the patient's adjustment to life in society and his/her playing a specified role. Analysis of disorders in social functioning of patients with schizophrenia, in the context of social cognition, indicates the fact that these disorders have their source in the lack of capabilities for identification of own and other people's internal states, whereas mentalization is the essence of social cognition. Conclusions. Therapy, any psychosocial impact as well as rehabilitation, neutralizes the causes for patients' withdrawal from social life. Training of social skills is necessary which teaches patients to return to the situation when they would be able to function properly in their environment.

This article is a case study of a 28-year-old patient diagnosed with F23. The report is preceded by an extensive literature review describing the situation of the mentally ill, in which psychiatry intermingles with spirituality and the sacrum.The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between religion/spirituality and schizophrenia as well as to draw attention to the complex problem of differential diagnosis of religious and spiritual problems. When is psychiatric treatment enough and when is intervention of a priest really essential?The authors discuss the problem of mental disorders in connection with religion and spirituality in the clinical context. The article shows that it is very important that the processes of diagnosis and treatment take into account the patients’ individual traits, beliefs, values and spirituality.

The concept of “hysteria” comes from the Greek word “hystera” (uterus) and dates back to the time of Hippocrates, at least. Modern classifications differ regarding the area encompassed by the concepts of dissociation and conversion differ. Mental health professionals in the United States (DSM-5) use a standard classification of mental disorders codifying dissociative disorders as a distinct class of disorders, but subsumes conversion disorders under “somatoform disorders”. The history of hysteria is as long as the history of mankind. Apparently, both the essence and mechanisms of dissociative disorders remain unchanged despite the fact that many years have passed. According to Owczarek et al., dissociative symptoms are caused by the malfunctioning of defence mechanisms and anxiety. This article provides an overview of the available literature on the etiology and pathogenesis of dissociative disorders as well as disorders such as amnesia, dissociative fugue, trance and possession.

The basic purpose of this article is to compare how people with low and high self-esteem rated particular values. Additionally, the authors look at gender differences concerning the attitudes toward certain values.The study involved 268 individuals aged 19-24 (M= 21.71, SD= 1.54). The participants were surveyed using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (SES) and the Rokeach Value Survey (RVS). The results were considered significant at p<0.05. The findings demonstrated that people with lower self-esteem had higher opinion of values like Conformity, Pleasure, and Comfortable Life as well as some Instrumental Values (Self-Control and Politeness), when compared against the individuals with higher self-esteem. On the other hand, they were found to value Courage. There were no differences concerning the way individuals with high and low self-esteem rated Social Recognition, A Sense of Accomplishment and Self-Respect.Also, the authors noticed that men were more likely to appreciate Hedonistic and Intellectual values, while women attached greater significance to Relational values. There were no gender differences concerning the rating of Aesthetic and Subjective values.

On 10-11th March in Warsaw, in the Conference Center Muranow, there was held a scientific conference “Schizophrenia-Forum”, organized for the nineteenth time. In this edition, particular attention was paid to educational aspects, by virtue of the fact that among the participants of the Conference there was a large number of young physicians specializing in psychiatry.The formula of the two-day Conference based on the experts’ debates in a particular way affected the participants, so the conference was very interesting, it enabled the exchange of experiences and reflections on the problems of schizophrenia. The conference was attended by leading scientists and clinicians, for example: Marek Jarema, Janusz Rybakowski, Andrzej Czernikiewicz, Jerzy Samochowiec, Dominika Dudek and others, which is why it allowed to enrich the knowledge of the diagnosis and treatment of psychotic disorders and good presentation of mature clinical thinking. The organizer of the Conference was the Foundation III Department of Psychiatry, “Syntonia” and the guest of honor was Dr. Peter Falkai - Head of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich. The lecture by Professor Falkaia entitled Schizophrenia treatment guidelines, at a plenary lecture, was presented in English, translated simultaneously, and was divided into parts: the characteristics of schizophrenia, guidelines for pharmacotherapy of schizophrenia, pharmacotherapy of schizophrenia - states of acute pharmacotherapy of schizophrenia - long-term treatment, side effects of long-term pharmacotherapy and conclusions. After a two-day Conference the hugely popular workshop sessions took place. They were addressed to physicians during specialization. All workshop sessions were very popular, as well as the entire conference, which became a forum for the exchange of information, ideas and experiences, sometimes intriguing, inspiring and innovative but never blank. At the end of the Conference the certificates were distributed and there was the opportunity for guests - visiting the permanent exhibition “1000 years of history of Polish Jews,” Polin, located at the Conference Centre Muranow. XIX Conference on Schizophrenia Forum 2016 was an interesting event cognitively and it maintained a high level of scientific and substantive jurisdiction important events in Polish psychiatry.