Schizophrenia is Characterised by:
Distortion of thinking.
- Delusions – fixed, firm and false belief held contrary to any evidence provided.
Distortion of perception.
- Hallucinations. These could be auditory which are most common, i.e. hearing voices. Could also be visual, olfactory (smell, taste or tactile hallucinations).
Negative symptoms.
- Social withdrawal.
- Isolation.
- Apathy.
Symptoms may also include:
- Delusions of control or influence, thought insertion (thoughts being inserted into the brain from outside) and thought withdrawal (thoughts being withdrawn from one’s brain from outside).
- Incoherence or irrelevant speech.
- Inappropriate and incongruent behaviour.
Treatment
- Antipsychotic medications. This could be in the form of tablets or long acting injections (Depot Injections).
- Patients with schizophrenia may need support in housing, benefits and other areas of life.