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Symptoms Of Schizophrenia

The symptoms of schizophrenia are not always constant, and will vary between people. They even change over time for any given patient.

There are two classes of symptoms for schizophrenia, according to the DSM-IV (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition). Some are considered positive symptoms and some are negative. These terms are not used in the context of “good” or “bad”, but rather they describe symptoms that have been added to your behavior or symptoms where certain behaviors are lost or lacking.

Positive Symptoms

The general public is more familiar with the positive symptoms, because they can be dramatic and very visible behaviors. The specific delusions will vary from patient to patient, but a person with schizophrenia will tend to repeat their own particular delusions with each psychotic episode.

– Hallucinations of all kinds (visual, auditory, tactile or even olfactory).

– Paranoid delusions that others are watching you, or trying to harm you.

– The idea that your thoughts are being broadcast to others who are listening to what you are thinking.

– The irrational belief that many things in your environment are directly related to you, such as things being said on television.

– Disorganized speech and difficulty completing coherent statements when speaking. This is often referred to as “word salad”.

– Delusions of grandeur or the belief that you are someone of great importance or have special or extraordinary abilities.

Negative Symptoms

Negative schizophrenia symptoms are usually more subtle, and are not always present in the same degree as the positive symptoms. One of the problems with the negative symptoms is that most mediations will not treat this aspect of the disease. During any periods when the positive symptoms are not active, the negative ones usually persist.

– Lack of emotional response to stimulus.

– Lack of interest, motivation and energy in general.

– Reluctance or inability to speak.

– Reduced levels of facial expression, or a flat and blank expression.

– A deficiency of basic social skills, or any interest in social interactions.

There can also be a range of other cognitive symptoms associated with schizophrenia:

– Difficulty understand simple concepts

– Disorganized thoughts

– Poor concentration

– Difficulty remembering past events

– Problems expressing thoughts or ideas to others

– Problems integrating thoughts, feelings and behavior

 

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