People with schizophrenia may have a number of symptoms involving changes in functioning, thinking, perception, behavior, and personality, and they may display different kinds of behavior at different times. It is a long term mental illness which usually shows its first signs in men in their late teens or early 20s, while in women, it tends to be in their early 20s and 30s. The period when symptoms first start to arise and before the onset of full psychosis is called the prodromal period. It can last days, weeks or even year
It can be hard to spot because there’s usually no specific trigger. You might only notice subtle behavioral changes, especially in teens. This includes:
A change in grades
Social withdrawal
Trouble concentrating
Temper flares
Difficulty sleeping
Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia
In this case, the word positive doesn’t mean good. It refers to added thoughts or actions that aren’t based in reality. They’re sometimes called psychotic symptoms and can include:
Delusions: These are false, mixed, and sometimes strange beliefs that aren’t based in reality and that the person refuses to give up, even when shown the facts. For example, a person with delusions may believe that people can hear their thoughts, that they are God or the devil, or that people are putting thoughts into their head or plotting against them.
Hallucinations: These involve sensations that aren't real. Hearing voices is the most common hallucination in people with schizophrenia. The voices may comment on the person's behavior, insult them, or give commands. Less common types include seeing things that aren't there, smelling strange odors, having a funny taste in your mouth, and feeling sensations on your skin even though nothing is touching your body.
Catatonia: In this condition, the person may stop speaking, and their body may be fixed in a single position for a very long time.
Disorganized Symptoms of Schizophrenia
These are positive symptoms that show that the person can’t think clearly or respond as expected. Examples include:
Talking in sentences that don’t make sense or using nonsense words, making it difficult for the person to communicate or hold a conversation
Shifting quickly from one thought to the next without obvious or logical connections between them
Moving slowly
Being unable to make decisions
Writing excessively but without meaning
Forgetting or losing things
Repeating movements or gestures, like pacing or walking in circles
Having problems making sense of everyday sights, sounds, and feelings
Explanation:
