Schizophrenia Unit: Delusions and Thought Disturbances

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering common schizophrenia-related delusions and thought disturbances described in the lecture notes.

Delusions of persecution

Feeling like people are out to get them, watching them, or trying to hurt them.

Grandiose delusion

Believing they are super important, like a famous person or even a god.

Delusions of reference

Thinking that everyday things, like a TV show, are sending secret messages just for them.

Delusions of control or influence

Feeling like someone else or something is making them think, feel, or do things.

Somatic delusions

Believing strange things about their body, like aliens doing surgery on them or being pregnant when they're not.

Nihilistic delusion

Thinking they don't really exist or that the whole world isn't real.

Erotomanic delusions

Believing a famous person or someone important is secretly in love with them.

Jealous delusions

Believing their partner is being unfaithful with someone else.

Delusion

Believing something that isn't true or real, even when shown proof.

Loose associations

Talking about lots of different things very quickly, jumping from one idea to another without much sense.

Neologism

Making up new words that only they understand.

Clang associations

Picking words because they sound alike or rhyme, not because they make sense.

Word salad

Saying a jumble of words that don't go together at all, like a mix-up of words.

Circumstantiality

Taking a very long time to get to the point, telling lots of extra details that aren't needed.

Perseveration

Saying the same words or sentences over and over, even when asked a different question.

Echolalia

Copying what other people say, like an echo.

Tangential thinking

Talking about something else and never coming back to what they were supposed to be talking about.