Psychosis and Schizophrenia

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary and definitions related to psychosis and schizophrenia, providing a clear understanding of crucial terms discussed in the lecture.

Psychosis

An amalgamation of psychological symptoms resulting in a loss of contact with reality.

Schizophrenia

A heterogeneous clinical syndrome characterized by impairment in social or occupational functioning and symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized behavior.

Positive symptoms

Symptoms that add abnormal experiences, such as hallucinations and delusions.

Negative symptoms

Symptoms that reflect a decrease or loss of normal function, such as avolition and anhedonia.

Hallucinations

False perceptions of sensations without corresponding external stimuli; most commonly auditory.

Delusions

Fixed, false beliefs maintained despite contrary evidence; can be bizarre or non-bizarre.

Avolition

The loss of motivation to initiate and perform self-directed purposeful activities.

Anhedonia

A loss of pleasure or interest in activities that were once enjoyable.

Disorganized thoughts

Thought processes that are circumstantial, tangential, or incoherent.

Expressed Emotion (EE)

A family environment characterized by high levels of criticism, hostility, or emotional over-involvement, which can exacerbate symptoms of psychosis.