diagnosis and symptoms of schizophrenia

what is schizophrenia

severe mental disorder involving behavioural and psychological changes where sufferers have difficulty distinguishing what is from what is not

what are positive symptoms

experiences or behaviours added to normal functioning

examples of positive symptoms

• delusions

• hallucinations

what are delusions

bizarre, false beliefs that feel completely real to the person e.g. believing aliens or spies are controlling their thoughts or behaviour

what are hallucinations

delusional perceptions where a person experiences something without external stimulus

true or false: hallucinations are most commonly auditory

true

describe auditory hallucinations

hearing voices or sounds e.g. hearing ones own thoughts spoken aloud or voices referring to person in third person or by name

what are visual hallucinations

seeing things that are not present e.g. lights, objects or faces

what are olfactory hallucinations

smelling strange or unpleasant odours that have no real source

what are tactile hallucinations

sensations of touch without cause e.g. feeling bugs crawling under the skin

define paranoid

refers to an intense and irrational fear that others are out to harm, watch or persecute the person

in schizophrenia these often appears as persecutory delusions

what grandiose mean

exaggerated beliefs about one’s importance, power, or identity, such as believing you are royalty, a celebrity, or have special powers

what are negative symptoms of schizophrenia

involve absence or reduction of normal behaviours, emotions or motivation

examples of negative symptoms

• social withdrawal

• lack of emotional expression

• reduced energy and motivation

• reduced activity

• poor hygiene

what is catatonia

negative symptom involving immobility, where person may remain fixed in one position for long periods

what is waxy flexibility

symptom where person’s limbs remain in whatever position they are placed by someone else

what is meant by the active phase of schizophrenia

when person is showing either positive or negative symptoms of the disorder

what are the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia

at least one clearly present symptom or 2 present less clearly from the main domains:

• positive symptoms

• negative symptoms

• reduced social or occupational functioning

symptoms present for at least 1 month

what conditions must be excluded before diagnosing schizophrenia (differential diagnosis)

• depressive or bipolar disorder with psychotic features

• drug or medication effects

• medical conditions

• schizoaffective disorder

• autism spectrum disorder unless prominent delusions or hallucinations are present

how does schizophrenia differ from other psychotic disorders

schizophrenia typically presents with a broader range of psychotic symptoms and greater functional impairment

what symptoms can cause psychotic symptoms similar to schizophrenia

• alcohol

• stimulants

• hallucinogens

• steroids

• antihistamines

• sympathomimetics

what medical conditions can mimic schizophrenia

• head injury

• CNS infection

• brain tumours

• post-epileptics states

• metabolic disturbances

• endocrine disorders

how do mood disorders with psychotic features differ from schizophrenia

In mood disorders, psychotic symptoms are usually mood-congruent (matching depression or mania)

what is acute psychotic disorder

condition involving transient (short-lasting) psychotic symptoms

what sleep-related phenomena can involve hallucinations

hypnagogic hallucinations (while falling asleep) and hypnopompic hallucinations (while waking up)

what characterises delusional disorders

presence of at least one non-bizarre delusion without thought disorder, prominent hallucinations, mood disorder, or flattened affect

what distinguishes paranoid personality disorder from schizophrenia

paranoid personality disorder involves pervasive suspiciousness and distrust without clearly defined delusions

what is schizotypal personality disorder

disorder marked by odd or eccentric behaviour without clearly circumscribed delusions

differential diagnosis of schizophrenia