Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder that causes severe impairment in several areas of functioning. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR), the age of onset of this disorder is from late teens to mid-30s. Symptoms include drastic changes in behavior, perception and emotions. Deficits in interpersonal relationships, ability to work or attend school, and the inability to care for oneself are often pronounced. Schizophrenics often have limited insight into their illness.
Delusions
Delusions are irrational beliefs that have no basis in reality. They develop from misinterpretations of actual experiences. The most common type of delusions caused by schizophrenia is a persecutory delusion. Sufferers of schizophrenia may believe that someone is watching or following them. Other types of delusions are religious and grandiose. Examples of religious delusions include the false belief that someone is God or has a direct contact to God. Delusions of grandeur include beliefs that someone is a celebrity, has superpowers or rules the world.
Hallucinations
Perceptions of stimuli that do not exist in reality are hallucinations. Stimuli may be perceived via one or more of the five senses. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), auditory hallucinations are the most common type of hallucination experienced by individuals with schizophrenia. They may report hearing one or more voices and verbally respond to voices that only they hear. Visual hallucinations, which involve seeing something that is not really there, are less common.
Incoherent Speech
Sufferers of schizophrenia have many speech impediments. Their disorganized thinking impairs their ability to form coherent sentences. They often lose track of conversations or respond to questions with answers that are completely unrelated to the inquiry. Since their mumblings are typically incomprehensible to others, they have a hard time communicating their thoughts and feelings to others.
Disorganzed Behavior
Schizophrenia causes behavior to be grossly disorganized or catatonic. Disorganized behavior ranges from outbursts of hysterical laughter to sudden agitation that occurs out of nowhere. The dressing habits of sufferers of schizophrenia may not be conducive to the weather or situation such as wearing a winter coat in the summer or leaving the house in pajamas.
Catatonia
Catatonic behavior involves severely decreased reactivity to surroundings. During catatonic stupors, individuals are totally unaware of what is going on around them and provide no response to stimuli. This symptom occurs less frequently nowadays due to advances in medicine that have led to more effective treatments for this disorder, according to MentalHealth.net.
References
- "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision"; American Psychiatric Association; 2000
- National Institute of Mental Health: What are the symptoms of schizophrenia?
- MentalHelp.net: Schizophrenia
