Paranoid schizophrenia – considered the most severe type. It is characterised by strange delusions, such as believing that one's thoughts are being broadcast over the radio. Hallucinations, especially bizarre ones, are also common to the condition.
The difference between a paranoid schizophrenic and a paranoid personality is the lack of hallucinations and delusions in the paranoid personality. In other words, they are suspicious about the motives of others, but they do not hear voices or have visual hallucinations found in schizophrenia.
How do doctors test for schizophrenia? There are no laboratory tests to diagnose schizophrenia. Instead, a doctor will perform a physical evaluation, review your medical history, and may use various diagnostic tests, such as a blood test, MRI, or CT scan to rule out any other conditions.
In most people with schizophrenia, symptoms generally start in the mid- to late 20s, though it can start later, up to the mid-30s. Schizophrenia is considered early onset when it starts before the age of 18. Onset of schizophrenia in children younger than age 13 is extremely rare.
Unfortunately, most people with schizophrenia are unaware that their symptoms are warning signs of a mental disorder. Their lives may be unraveling, yet they may believe that their experiences are normal. Or they may feel that they're blessed or cursed with special insights that others can't see.
In this early phase of schizophrenia, you may seem eccentric, unmotivated, emotionless, and reclusive to others. You may start to isolate yourself, begin neglecting your appearance, say peculiar things, and show a general indifference to life.
If you think someone you know may have symptoms of schizophrenia, talk to him or her about your concerns. Although you can't force someone to seek professional help, you can offer encouragement and support and help your loved one find a qualified doctor or mental health professional.
Paranoid type
Delusions and hallucinations are still elements of a schizophrenia diagnosis, but experts no longer consider paranoid schizophrenia a distinct subtype.
A variety of self-awareness deficits are more severe and pervasive in patients with schizophrenia than in patients with schizoaffective or major depressive disorders with or without psychosis and are associated with poorer psychosocial functioning.
They may believe other people are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts, or plotting to harm them. They may sit for hours without moving or talking. These symptoms make holding a job, forming relationships, and other day-to-day functions especially difficult for people with schizophrenia.
There's no single test for schizophrenia and the condition is usually diagnosed after assessment by a specialist in mental health. If you're concerned you may be developing symptoms of schizophrenia, see a GP as soon as possible. The earlier schizophrenia is treated, the better.
Residual Schizophrenia
This specific type is characterized by when an individual doesn't display positive symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia (hallucinations, delusional thinking), although they still have the negative symptoms or more mild schizophrenia symptoms (no expression of emotions, strange speech).
People who have psychotic episodes are often totally unaware their behaviour is in any way strange or that their delusions or hallucinations are not real. They may recognise delusional or bizarre behaviour in others, but lack the self-awareness to recognise it in themselves.
Most people with schizophrenia make a recovery, although many will experience the occasional return of symptoms (relapses). Support and treatment can help you to manage your condition and the impact it has on your life.
Symptoms of Borderline Schizophrenia
Level of functioning in work, interpersonal connection, or self-care is impaired by the symptoms for a significant portion of time. Change in functioning is significant compared to previous level of functioning. Continuous signs of the disturbance for a six-month period.
You could have: Hallucinations: Seeing or hearing things that aren't there. Delusions: Mistaken but firmly held beliefs that are easy to prove wrong, like thinking you have superpowers, are a famous person, or people are out to get you. Disorganized speech: Using words and sentences that don't make sense to others.
Causes of Schizophrenic Episodes
Stress. Substances (such as alcohol, cannabis, or cocaine) Loss (such as a break-up, the death of a loved one, or the loss of a job) Lack of sleep.
As is the case with many major neuropsychiatric illnesses, the typical age of onset for schizophrenia is in late adolescence or early twenties, with a slightly later onset in females.
Personality disorders such as antisocial, borderline, histrionic, narcissistic, avoidant, dependent and obsessive-compulsive types have been detected in one third to one half of schizophrenia patients (Nielsen, Hewitt & Habke, 1997; Solano & Chavez, 2000).
Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS) and sleep problems are common in patients with schizophrenia. The symptom of EDS in schizophrenia can be attributed to various causes including neurobiological changes, sleep disorders, medication or as a symptom of schizophrenia itself.