As with most mental illnesses, the signs of schizophrenia are not always obvious. So, people often think that the condition is associated with a split personality, although in fact it is not.
The inability to separate reality from fantasy is the main (but far from the only) symptom of schizophrenia, the symptoms of which usually appear at the age of 16-30. And although the existing classifications are imperfect, experts say that there are a number of symptoms that everyone should know.
Speech problems
Many people with schizophrenia have communication difficulties. This, doctors say, is because their thoughts are confused, so it is difficult for them to articulate anything. As a result, a person's speech turns into separate words that are located in a random order, and therefore have no meaning.
Cognitive impairment
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In schizophrenia, normal brain function is impaired, so memory, concentration, organization and planning abilities are significantly impaired. And this symptom, perhaps more than others, affects the daily life of patients.
Agitation
In the same way as with speech, disorganized movement can be a symptom of schizophrenia. First of all, this is a large number of "jerky" movements that a person makes to the place and not, as well as the inability to distinguish the right hand from the left, clumsiness and even the inability to move.
Hallucinations
Hallucinations are a classic symptom of schizophrenia. Most often these are auditory (voices, music, or a working mechanism) and visual (from color circles to people who do not exist) hallucinations, but sometimes patients report tactile sensations (feeling of touch) or strange smells. Although it is important to understand here that hallucinations can accompany other mental disorders, including bipolar disorder (bipolar disorder).
Delusions
The stories that patients come up with to explain hallucinations to themselves are delusions. They can be strange and paranoid, but they can also be conditionally normal, depending on the severity of the person's condition. But they, again, are not a hallmark of schizophrenia, since delusions are accompanied by very different mental states.
Isolation and suicidal thoughts
Patients with schizophrenia immerse themselves in themselves, become more withdrawn, communicate less with friends and family, and pay little attention to things that previously attracted them. Manifestations very similar to depression can be accompanied by monotonous movements and a “glassy” gaze.
In the absence of social support and treatment, all this becomes the reason for the emergence of suicidal thoughts and concrete actions. Statistics show that patients with schizophrenia are more likely to commit suicide than others.
MARINA LEVICHEVA