5 Signs of Schizophrenia
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OptimistMinds
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Author bio
The Optimistminds editorial team is made up of psychologists, psychiatrists and mental health professionals. Each article is written by a team member with exposure to and experience in the subject matter. The article then gets reviewed by a more senior editorial member. This is someone with extensive knowledge of the subject matter and highly cited published material.
Hey Optimist Minds!
Are you curious about schizophrenia? Maybe you’ve heard the term being used but aren’t sure what that implies. Or, perhaps, you’re wondering whether you or someone you know have developed schizophrenia.
It is a psychiatric disorder characterised by thoughts or experiences that seem out of touch with reality. In addition to that, schizophrenic individuals have visibly different or peculiar behaviours that make them stick out.
In this video, we’re going to talk about some of the classic signs of schizophrenia. This information is meant to be used for educational purposes and not to label someone’s condition. Only a licensed therapist can diagnose or prescribe medication for schizophrenia.
Now, let’s begin.
Number One
Delusions.
Delusions are simply beliefs that are not true. Have you ever heard anyone speak about something far from reality with absolute conviction?
A delusion can be of varying kinds. Here are some examples of these types.
An erotomanic delusion is a belief that someone is in love with you.
Grandiose delusions involve believing that you are an exceptional person of great importance.
Paranoid or persecutory delusions deal with the belief of being attacked or targeted by others.
Somatic delusions are about the body and bodily sensations.
Someone with schizophrenia is likely to have some delusions like these.
Number Two
Hallucinations.
A hallucination is a perception of having seen, heard, touched, tasted or smelled something that wasn’t actually there. Though hallucinations can be caused by many conditions, schizophrenics tend to hallucinate quite often.
These sensory perceptions feel like they’re real but nobody else can perceive them. It’s common to have dark and scary hallucinations that make it hard for one to function well.
For example, you might be seeing something trying to attack or hurt you or constantly hear a voice in your head telling you to do something dangerous.
Number Three
Disorganised Speech.
Another typical sign of schizophrenia is when the individual speaks in an incoherent, incomprehensible way, which might not make any sense.
Someone schizophrenic may make up new words while talking, or speak in word salad; a confused or unintelligible mixture of seemingly random words and phrases.
You might also notice they have tangential and woolly thinking. The former is when the speaker shifts topics incoherently. The latter implies vague or imprecise words and ideas.
Number Four
Disorganised or catatonic behaviour.
Have you ever seen anyone lose control over their physical movements?
Much like disorganised speech, a person with schizophrenia is likely to have disorganised behaviour. Their body parts, movements, or posture might seem peculiar or off. It includes bizarre or inappropriate behaviour, actions or gestures.
Catatonia is a behavioural syndrome marked by an inability to move normally. It might look like someone locked in an awkward or difficult posture without visibly showing any discomfort.
Number Five
Negative symptoms.
The final sign on our list is also commonly seen in schizophrenics. Negative symptoms are labelled so because they involve the removal or withdrawal of certain actions and behaviours.
The DSM 5 has changed the description of negative symptoms to diminished emotional expression or avolition. Someone experiencing avolition will look like they are unresponsive to stimuli around them.
Did any of these signs remind you of someone you know? Do you think it’s possible they might be dealing with schizophrenia?
Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comment section. The Optimist Minds community will surely benefit from hearing your stories.
A link for further reading and the studies & references used in the making of this video are mentioned in the description below.
Thanks for visiting optimist minds, take care. Until next time.
Resources
Take Control of Schizophrenia with Personalized Therapy on BetterHelp
