The symptoms of schizophrenia are divided into three categories: positive, negative and cognitive. Positive symptoms are hallucinations, delusions and other behaviors not seen in normal people, while cognitive symptoms reflect a change in the way a person thinks. Negative symptoms reflect an absence of normal function. Negative symptoms may appear months or years before positive symptoms, last longer and are harder to treat than positive symptoms, according to an article published in Psychiatric Times called "Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia: The Importance of Identification and Treatment" by Dawn Velligan, PhD and Larry Alphs, PhD on March 1, 2008.
Social Symptoms
People with schizophrenia have many negative behaviors related to social skills. They often have difficulty with social interactions and have few, if any, friends. They may have trouble carrying on a conversation and may prefer to be alone rather than spend time with other people. They may speak haltingly, avoid eye contact, and seem to lack empathy for others. A lack of expression and emotion characterizes many schizophrenics. The Harvard Medical School Family Medical Guide states that, when questioned, people with schizophrenia express a full range of emotions, but they seem to be unable to show their feelings. Social withdrawal may also be related to paranoia and distrust of others.
Inability to Carry Out Normal Activities
Negative symptoms affect the ability live a normal life. People with schizophrenia often appear to have no motivation to live on their own, hold a job or participate in activities typical for adults. Because of this, only 10 to 20 percent are able to hold down a full or part time job, and most people with schizophrenia need public assistance to survive. Many lack the ability to live on their own and need to stay in a sheltered, structured environment. People with schizophrenia are not able to plan ahead or follow through on plans. Although they would like to have a job, live alone and take care of themselves, they don't know where to begin and lack the ability to take the steps necessary to achieve this.
Lack of Self Care
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia often result in poor hygiene and lack of personal care. People may wear dirty clothes and forget to wash their hair or bathe. They fail to see the negative social consequences of not presenting a proper appearance and may be less concerned with the negative consequences of the behaviors than their loved ones or caretakers are, Velligan and Alphs state. A person with schizophrenia will often be made fun of or avoided by others, which feeds into paranoia and a sense that others are talking about him or laughing at him, which actually may be happening.
