A neurological disorder characterized by an inability to tell the difference between reality and fabrication, schizophrenia affects 1 percent of the U.S. population, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The Mayo Clinic notes that the symptoms start at different times, depending on the patient's gender--during the teens and 20s in men and in the 20s and 30s in women. Schizophrenia is a chronic condition that requires treatment throughout the patient's life.
Loss of Reality
A characteristic of a schizophrenic is a loss of reality, which is also one of the positive symptoms. The patient can have hallucinations in which she sees or hears things that do not exist. Hallucinations also can occur with other senses, such as touch. The NIMH adds that hearing voices is the most common hallucination. Another sign of a loss of reality is having delusions--the patient holds a false belief that can be an altered perception of life. For example, the patient may think she has super powers. The Mayo Clinic notes that delusions are the most common symptom of schizophrenia.
Mood Changes
Changes in mood and personality can occur months before the positive symptoms start to show, the Mayo Clinic notes. The patient can have a flat affect, appearing to have a lack of emotion. He also can have depression and mood swings, which can result in a loss of motivation and a neglect of personal hygiene. The patient can appear odd to others, which can worsen symptoms of social withdrawal and isolation.
Thought Disorder
Thought disorder is considered a positive symptom of schizophrenia, as positive symptoms are psychotic behaviors that are not normally seen. The patient can have disorganized thinking, in which she cannot connect thoughts together. This can result in garbled speaking that is difficult for other people to understand. A thought disorder also can result in thought blocking, in which the patient stops talking mid-thought. The NIMH notes that when a schizophrenic patient experiences thought blocking, she says it feels as though "the thought had been taken out of her head." The patient also may make up meaningless words.
Movement Disorder
The fourth positive symptom of schizophrenia, movement disorder is characterized by agitated and abnormal motions. The patient can either have a repetition of certain movements or catatonia, in which the patient does not move or respond. The NIMH notes that catatonia was more common when there were no schizophrenia treatments.
