Positive and negative symptoms

What is schizophrenia ?

• severe mental illness where contact with reality and insight are impaired

• an example of psychosis

What is a positive symptom ?

• addition to normal behaviour

• severe and short term

What is delusions of grandeur ?

• positive symptom

• false and unusual beliefs about one’s power, wealth or other traits

What is delusions of persecution ?

• positive symptom

• persistent, false beliefs they are being harmed, harassed or conspired against 

What is cataleptic stupor ?

• positive symptom

• may spend long periods immobile, unresponsive or rigid 

what is auditory hallucinations ?

• positive symptom

• sees, hears, or smells things that do not exist outside their mind

What is negative symptoms ?

• when ‘normal’ behaviours are missing

• less severe and long term

What is failure to maintain normal posture ?

• trouble balancing staying still

what is apathy ?

• loss of motivation to carry out tasks and result in lower activity levels

What is loss of drive ?

• loss of motivation

What is speech poverty ?

• reduced frequency and quality of speech