Schizophrenia Treatment and Symptoms | Jagruti rehab

Introduction

Schizophrenia  is a long-term mental health condition that causes a range of different

psychological symptoms including

 Hallucinations – hearing or seeing things that do not exist

 Delusions – unusual belief not based on reality that often contradict the evidence ( false but

fixed beliefs)

 Muddled thoughts based on hallucinations or delusions Changes in behavior

 Difficulty to distinguish their own thoughts and ideas from reality.

Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Changes in thinking and behavior are the most obvious signs of schizophrenia. The first sign of

schizophrenia usually is social withdrawal.

A) Hallucinations

A hallucination is when a person experiences a sensation but there is nothing or

nobody there to account for it.

B) Delusions

A delusion is a false but fixed belief held with complete conviction, even though it is

based on a mistaken, strange or unrealistic view.

It may affect the way people behave. E.g. a delusion that someone is monitoring their actions.

Paranoid delusion may believe they are being harassed or persecuted. They may believe they are being

chased, followed, watched, plotted against or poisoned, often by a family member or friend.

Some people who experience delusions find different meanings in everyday events or

occurrences. They may believe people on TV or in newspaper articles are communicating messages to

them alone.

C) Confused thoughts (thought disorder)

Difficulty in keeping track of their thoughts and conversations. Some people find it

hard to concentrate and will drift from one idea to another (Loosening of associations).

They may have trouble reading newspaper articles or watching a TV programme.

People sometimes describe their thoughts as "misty" or "hazy" when this is

happening to them. Thoughts and speech may become jumbled or confused, making

conversation difficult and hard for other people to understand.

D) Changes in behavior and thoughts - Thought » Emotions » Behavior

A person's behavior depends upon person’s thought & may become more

disorganized and unpredictable, and their appearance or dress may seem unusual to others.

People with schizophrenia may behave inappropriately or become extremely agitated and

shout or swear for no reason.

Some people describe their thoughts as being controlled by someone else, that their

thoughts are not their own, or that thoughts have been planted in their mind by someone

else.

Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia

It represents a withdrawal or lack of function that you would usually expect to see in

a healthy person; for example, people with schizophrenia often appear emotionless, flat and

apathetic

A) Apathy

Socially withdrawn and experiencing an increasing lack of care about your

appearance and personal hygiene. Loss of interest and motivation in life and activities,

including relationships and sex, lack of concentration.

B) Alogia

Less likely to initiate conversations and feeling uncomfortable with people, or feeling

there is nothing to say.

C) Avolution

Overall movements are reduced, Patients sits idle or not going anywhere. Does not

wanting to leave the house.

D) Anhedonia

Unable to enjoy the things other enjoy, like going to movie or attending a party.