What is Schizophrenia and what are some symptoms?

Question

Please explain it, not just a link with big words ill never understand...I think my dad may have it and lately hes acted very strange so is there anyway to diagnose it (unprofessionally) before I ask professional help?

Answer 1

It usually begins in the late teens and early twenties, so unless your dad has had symptoms for a long time or untreated acute episodes in the past, it's unlikely he has schizophrenia. But here is a description of the illness and the major symptoms used to establish a diagnosis:

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is an illness that is biogically based. You inherit a predisposition for the disorder which is generally triggered by stress. The typical age of onset is in the late teens to early 20's (the college years).

The general characteristics include both "positive" (acute) symptoms and "negative" (residual) symptoms and there is a prodromal phase, acute phases and residual phases. There are a lot of technical aspects to the correct diagnosis which I won't elaborate, but in general the characteristic signs are any combination of the following:

"Positive" signs:
-Hallucinations (primarily auditory, less often visual and rarely tactile, gustatory or olfactory)
-Delusions (fixed or variable, paranoid/persecutory and grandiose, somatic, erotomanic, nihilistic, etc.-they run the gamut of various types, "ideas of reference" where a person believes that random events have a special meaning meant just for them, delusions of thought control or thought insertion)
-Disorganized Thinking ("Loose associations" where thoughts are strung together with little cohesiveness, "perseveration" where a person gets stuck on the same thought or theme over and over like a needle that skips on a record and keeps replaying )
-Disorganized Behavior (catatonic excitement, catatonic stupor which is like posturing-usually only seen in extremely severe cases and rarely any more)
-Poor Concentration and inability to focus on a thought, sometimes "blocking" where a thought becomes interrupted in midstream)
-Disorganized speech (incoherence, rambling or circumstantial speech-lots of fancy terms like echolalia, word salad, verbigeration, clanging)
-Inappropriate Affect (inappropriate giggling, tears, silliness, etc. that is out of context to the situation)

"Negative" signs:
-social withdrawal and preference to isolate
-flattened or blunted affect (emotional expression)
-Amotivation (lack of motivation, apparent apathy)

There are 5 distinct types:
1-Paranoid: most organized thinking of the types-prominent delusions and hallucinations
2-Disorganized (Hebephrenic): Grossly disorganized thinking and behavior predominates and inappropriate affect
3-Catatonic: catonia, rarely seen any more
4-Undifferentiated: no clear predominant symptoms
5-Residual: Primary negative symptoms-often seen as a "burned out" version where there are fewer positive or acute symptoms

Schizophrenics often are able to maintain jobs in low stress environments with minimal interpersonal demands once they are stabilized. Others may work in sheltered employment with support and guidance. Social skills are greatly impaired and schizophrenics often have great difficulty reading the social cues most of us take for granted and thus they misjudge or misread social situations which reinforces their tendency to self-isolate as do paranoid symptoms. Intimacy is exceptionally difficult as well and they rarely form close or deep bonds with others, making it difficult to function as husbands and parents. They tend to appear aloof and distant emotionally, although often this is a way of coping with feelings of being overwhelmed by other people's emotional expression and demands.

Medication often serves to either completely control the acute symptoms or dampen their impact, but tends to have minimal impact on the negative symptoms. The side effects are often horrendous and intolerable and this leads to a familiar pattern of stopping medication, beginning the trend of repeated courses of decompensation leading to re-hospitalization.

The ineffectiveness of meds and the emotional blunting they can cause often leads to attempts to self-medicate with alcohol or marijuana (usually) which often increase symptoms.

Schizophrenics often perceive the world in unigue and idiosyncratic ways which can cause them difficulty in complying with social norms and expectations, even simple things like generally accepted standards for cleanliness or hygiene. It can also lead them to exceptional creativity and expression in arts and abstract disciplines. Examples of famous schizophrenics are the poet and artist, William Blake (I have many of his works in my office for inspiration) and John Nash, the Nobel Prize winner featured in the movie "A Beautiful MInd".


Try and get your dad to see a counselor or psychiatrist and go with him if he'll allow you. Family can often be very helpful in prviding information about symptoms a person may not recognize themself and you can be instrumental in his treatment.

Answer 2

Here are the symptoms of schizophrenia:
(1) delusions (beliefs/thoughts that seem real, but are not true)
(2) hallucinations (seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, feeling things that aren't there)
(3) disorganized speech (they may have "word salad" in which they say random things that don't make sense
(4) grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior
(5) negative symptoms (flat affect, not caring, emotionally disconnected)
There must also be social/occupational dysfunction: Doesn't do as well at work, with social relationships, or taking care of himself as he once did.

Other info:
Most people first show symptoms in the late teens to early 20s.

There are 5 types of schizophrenia: Paranoid type, Disorganized type, Catatonic Type, and Undifferentiated type.

Emotional changes- People with schizophrenia may suffer from depression or anxiety due to the isolating effects of the disorder. They may be isolated by family and friends. Up to 50% of all patients with schizophrenia may also meet criteria for substance abuse due to self-medicating with drugs and alcohol.

I also wanted to dispel some schizophrenia myths:
Schizophrenia does not mean that you have multiple personalities. People with schizophrenia may be psychotic (hallucinations, etc), but they do not split. Multiple personalities is NOT Dissociative Identity Disorder.

People with schizophrenia are not violent. There is no evidence that shows that people with schizophrenia are more violent than the rest of the population. However, if a person with schizophrenia commits a crime, the media jumps on top of it and blows it out of proportion.

People with schizophrenia are not stupid. They may be disorganized, but most still have average intelligence.

Schizophrenia cannot be cured. Okay, this one is true. Schizophrenia is a persistent, serious mental illness. It can't be cured. But the symptoms can be successfully controlled with medication. While not perfect, the medication can address most symptoms. In severe cases, fully integrated treatment, combining medication, therapy, psychosocial services, and case management is helpful.

Another myth: Schizophrenia does exist. There is biological proof that people with schizophrenia have large ventricles in their brain and decreased gray matter.

There is really no way to get him diagnosed unprofessionally. You may need to get the help from a family member first or just ask a professional. There's no reason for you to struggle with it alone.

Answer 3

Prognosis can by and large be difficult- for any disease (physical, mental). I don't forget after I was first starting off school I was once lovely harassed out and felt alone. I traditionally had weird feelings of some one attacking me and that i even thought I heard some voices. I suggestion might be I had schizophrenia. However, they did not last and that i believe my stress and loneliness have been causing me to act weird. So despite the fact that you might exhibit some signs of a ailment, it does not necessarily mean you've it. If that have been the case, i'd have about sixteen character problems and 38 physical conditions. This is why if whatever would not think correct - and that i imply after a targeted period of time- you must search official aid. Self-diagnosis can drive you loopy. Labels could be a very strong factor. I have not learn the guide due to the fact twelfth grade, but when you have not, you must opt for up GRENDEL. He was labeled as a violent monster and because of each person labeling him as so, he commencing to behave find it irresistible. The equal factor might occur to kids in college. They possibly lableed early on, such as a foul kid, and in view that of this labeling, they will turn out to be dangerous - or badder than they honestly are due to the fact that's how they are handled. So, I feel i will see how being labeled schizophrenic, could intent you to exhibit some symtoms. It might just be all in your head - due to the fact that is how people have labeled and anticipated you to be.

Answer 4

Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder. People with psychosis do poorly on reality testing... which means they tend to have thoughts and beliefs that are not real. These are characterized by delusions and hallucinations.

An example of a delusion would be the belief that people are conspiring against you or watching you and following you when of course they are not. Often, people with delusions like these are also paranoid... meaning that they don't just believe these things but are overly worried, suspicious and alert.

Hallucinations can be hearing, seeing or smelling things that simply are not there. Most often, hallucinations are auditory, meaning people hear voices or sounds that nobody else hears. In more severe cases, they will see things that are not there. Could be people, animals, objects, flashes of light, etc.

Answer 5

It is mental disorder with severe malfunction of mood.
Iife time prevalence is 1% in general polulation.
It can be diagnosed if the few or all the symptoms are present since at least 6 months.
1. positive symptoms- like hearing voices eventhough it is not present. violent behaviour, talking irrelavently, talking to somebody who is not present, detachment from reality, unable to work anything.
2. negative symptoms- like depressed mood, catatonia means patients sits in the same posture since hours and sometime days without moving. dissheveled, depressed mood.

acting strage is generally not the way to diagnose it. but acting strange since long time can be clue to having some mental illness like pshychosis.

If someone have such kinds of symptoms in friends or family then seek pshychiatric care because such persons are dangerous to themselves and sometime to others also. there are a lot of medicine available to treat schizophrenia. some person can back to normal life after treatment and some need life time support even with treatment.

Answer 6

I have schizophrenia and i have many different symptoms. I hear voices that are negative. I've had uncontrollable behavior that was not characteristic of my behavior as a youth. The symptoms of schizophrenia usually occur when boys turn 18, later for girls. Your dad should've had these symptoms for a long time. I suggest you get your dad a psychiatric evaluationfrom a phychologist or psychiatrist.

Answer 7

Simply as possible. A neurotic person builds sand castles in the sky. A psychotic person tries to live in them. Schizophrenia is a psychotic condition whereas a person has lost a sense of what's real and reasonable and what is not. If your father is acting in a way that is bizarre and totally out of character (for him), you should seek professional help.

Answer 8

A loss with reality -- not just seeing things, or hearing things either. Perhaps they get zany ideas that aren't real: maybe they believe in a government conspiracy that includes scientologists as foot soldiers in the war to convert us all (honestly have seen this one explained by a patient to me in the hospital!), maybe they think all of a sudden their children have been possessed and they need to be killed to purify them (yet again, another one I met!). They've lost touch with our reality, for a constructive version of their own; these realities they have made, feeling very much as real as our own "fixed" realities. Alot of the time, they stay away from people, and don't have very good conversational traits when they get worse.

I guess thats the most clear-cut definition I could give, without quoting fancy smancy research papers.

Answer 9

Well, there are different types of schizophrenia with different symptoms which include (as far as i understand):
- hallucinations: unreal sensations, like hearing sounds, seeing things, etc.
- unorganized speech: like talking in one topic then suddenly changing into another & sometimes using new language!
- delusions: wrong beliefs like paranoid thoughts (all people hates him, etc)
- changes in movement: like sitting rigid, unwilling to move or respond
- changes in emotions: apathy, being happy in a situation he should be sad and vice versa
- withdrawal from society and failure in work.

But as I said, there are different types so you can find one of these symptoms but not the others.

Answer 10

"Schizophrenia" is nothing more than a word used to label people that psychiatrists believe are improper or abnormal in society.

It is not a disease or medical disorder, despite claims or implications made here and elsewhere. There is no scientific proof that "schizophrenia" exists as a brain abnormality, disease or "chemical imbalance". Brain images can only show that some people can "think" differently, not that they are "built" differently or have some sort of genetic or biological problem.

HOWEVER, people who are often labelled with the tag "schizophrenia" can be suffering from symptoms that are caused by other things which go unnoticed or even ignored by the psychiatric system.

1) A complete medical exam is essential to identify any physical or nutritional problems that can cause emotional difficulties.

2) If the problem is emotional in origin (eg. difficulties with relationships, or the effects of a major emotional trauma or loss) then a specific counselling program may be beneficial. (see http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/directory/search.asp)

In my opinion, it is important to steer clear of Psychiatry at all costs. A label of "schizophrenia" is highly likely to entrap someone in what is a HIGHLY coercive DRUG system which denies the most basic of human rights to the individual.

Read "Mad In America: Bad Science, Bad Medicine, and the Enduring Mistreatment of the Mentally Ill" by Robert Whitaker - http://www.madinamerica.com/ for more of an indepth background on psychiatric fraud and the junkscience behind the "schizophrenia" label. It's an eye opener!

See this video on YouTube where numerous psychiatrists, gathering at an annual convention, freely admit that their profession is unscientific and provides no cures of any kind! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHu7Ik36128