Basic Facts

(Information sourced from Mental Health Association NSW.)

Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that affects a person's ability to think, feel, and behave. It affects how they see the world, themselves and others. It is characterized by a range of symptoms, including hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking.

Early phase may include:

eccentric traits, lack of motivation, lack of emotion, being a recluse.

The person can become isolated, neglectful, and show an indifference to life. Their day to day performance in life may deteriorate.

About 1% of the population have schizophrenia. Symptoms usually begin between 16-30 years of age.

Symptoms may be mild or severe. Some people have one episode, others have multiple episodes, and still others have unrelenting symptoms that need ongoing treatment.

A diagnosis usually entails having two of the the symptoms for at least 30 days.

Symptoms are divided into Positive and Negative.

Positive symptoms (psychotic or active) reflect a inability to function normally, and includes:

Delusions - false personal beliefs involving illogical or strange thoughts or fantasies. It may be paranoia.

Hallucinations - sounds or sensations that only exist in the person's mind. Hearing voices, or a visual or olfactory hallucination.

Grossly disorganised/Abnormal Motor Behaviour (including Catatonia) - behaviour from childlike to unpredictable agitation that affects day-to-day life, impairing self-care, work and social interactions.

Disorganised thinking (speech) - fragmented thinking, difficulty in concentrating and maintaining train of thought. 

Negative symptoms are the absence of normal behaviours and includes:

Lack of emotional expression of Affective Flattening - unchanging facial expression, poor eye contact and body language, sudden moves.

Loss of motivation or Avolition - inability to converse, disconnection, speaking flatly

Loss of Feeling or Anhedonia - disinterest in social or recreational activities, can't form relationships. Little joy. Loner.

Other effects of Schizophrenia:

Relationship problems. Drug and alcohol abuse. Increased suicide risk.

Causes:

Not clearly understood, schizophrenia is affected by biological, psychological, social and environmental factors.