If you get schizophrenia, you might have: Delusions, or false beliefs that don't change, even when you're given new ideas and facts. A hard time remembering things. Disordered thoughts.
The symptoms of schizophrenia are usually classified into: positive symptoms – any change in behaviour or thoughts, such as hallucinations or delusions. negative symptoms – where people appear to withdraw from the world around then, take no interest in everyday social interactions, and often appear emotionless and flat.
Every person with schizophrenia will have a unique experience of the world, but there are common themes. Some schizophrenia symptoms that a person might experience include illogical thoughts, hallucinations, delusions, and unusual movements.
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.
It is still possible to be healthy with schizophrenia and live a typical or even long life. Certain strategies may make a significant impact. These can include avoiding smoking, counteracting the effects of schizophrenia medication, finding a safe living environment, and treating chronic illnesses.
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.
Doctors also believe the brain loses tissue over time. And imaging tools, like PET scans and MRIs, show that people who have schizophrenia have less “gray matter” -- the part of the brain that contains nerve cells -- over time.
Common early signs of schizophrenia vary by age group and include: Young children: Delayed development. Older kids and teens: Depression, isolation, behavioral problems (e.g., stealing) or changes (e.g., bizarre or unusual thoughts or actions), and trouble focusing.
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.
Schizophrenia involves a range of problems with thinking (cognition), behavior and emotions. Signs and symptoms may vary, but usually involve delusions, hallucinations or disorganized speech, and reflect an impaired ability to function.
That's the challenge for some people with schizophrenia. They may seem like they've lost touch with reality, seeing or hearing things that aren't there or having beliefs that aren't supported by facts. They may also have a lack of personal insight that makes them unaware they have any symptoms at all.
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.
Early Warning Signs of Schizophrenia
For example, a teen who's developing the illness might drop their group of friends and take up with new ones. They may also have trouble sleeping or suddenly start coming home with poor grades.
There are currently no blood tests or scans that can prove if you have schizophrenia. During the assessment, your psychiatrist will talk to you about your mental health. They will ask you questions about things like your symptoms, experiences, feelings, thoughts, and actions.
Responses suggest that about 37 percent of schizophrenia patients were happy most or all of the time, compared with about 83 percent for those in the comparison group. Approximately 15 percent of schizophrenia patients reported being never or rarely happy.
People with schizophrenia can have trouble distinguishing reality from fantasy, expressing and managing normal emotions and making decisions. Thought processes may also be disorganized and the motivation to engage in life's activities may be blunted.
Avoid alcohol and drugs.
It can be tempting to try to self-medicate the symptoms of schizophrenia with drugs and alcohol. But substance abuse complicates schizophrenia treatment and only worsens symptoms. If you have a substance abuse problem, seek help.
Borderline schizophrenia is a term that is used to describe the occurrence of both BPD and schizophrenia. However, it is not an established diagnosis. BPD and schizophrenia are separate conditions that can occur together. They also share many similarities.
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.
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.
Schizophrenia is frequently associated with significant distress and impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational, and other important areas of life. People with schizophrenia are 2 to 3 times more likely to die early than the general population (3).
Overall, people who live with schizophrenia have lower IQ scores than those who don't experience the condition. There are people who live with schizophrenia who have higher IQ scores, and they appear to have somewhat different symptoms than those with lower scores.
In some conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, areas of damage are visible on brain scans. This is not the case with schizophrenia. It is not currently possible to diagnose schizophrenia using brain imaging alone.