Signs and Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a mental illness that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. Symptoms of schizophrenia can seem strange to people who observe them. Some common symptoms of schizophrenia include psychosis, delusions, hallucinations, disorganized behavior, lack of emotion, reduced and disorganized speech, and memory problems.

Clinical Symptoms The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th Edition (DSM-5), is a clinical resource that practitioners use to diagnose mental health conditions. As with other conditions, specific clinical criteria need to be met for someone to be diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Positive Symptoms - Delusions: Fixed, false beliefs that don’t make sense in the context of a person’s culture. - Hallucinations: False sensory experiences that have no basis in the external world. - Disorganized speech: Words not linked together based on the normal rules of language. - Disorganized behavior: Not goal-directed and doesn’t make sense in context.

Negative Symptoms - Flattened affect: Appearing emotionless or having a very limited range of emotions. - Anhedonia: Lack of joy in things that used to bring pleasure. - Reduced speech: Speaking noticeably less than usual. - Lack of initiative: Loss of will to do things.

Cognitive Symptoms - Difficulty maintaining attention - Memory problems - Difficulty planning and structuring activities - Lack of insight: Difficulty understanding that they are ill.

Other Symptoms - Distractibility - Anger - Anxiety - Depression - Lack of insight - Sleep disturbances - Substance use

Myths About Schizophrenia Symptoms - Violence or aggression are common symptoms. - Having schizophrenia means a person is dangerous.

Psychiatric Assessment - Presence of at least two of the following symptom types for at least six months, with the psychotic features (delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized speech) being present for at least one month. - Significant problems with work and social functioning as a result of symptoms. - Symptoms are not caused by another medical or psychiatric condition or substance use.

Other Diagnostic Considerations - Family history of schizophrenia - Response to medication - Age at onset - Situational factors

Symptoms in Children and Teens - Strange thoughts - Difficulty differentiating between reality and imagination - Difficulty concentrating - Extreme moodiness - Social withdrawal - Odd behaviors

When to Consult a Doctor - Onset and duration of symptoms - Functioning in social and professional situations - Challenges in reaching out

Closely Related Conditions - Schizoaffective disorder - Delusional disorder - Psychotic disorder due to another medical condition - Substance-induced psychotic disorder - Brief psychotic disorder