Understanding Schizophrenia: Causes, Symptoms, and Management

Explore Over 11,000+ Conditions, Medications, and Symptoms.

Get a personalized feed by signing up for free.

All Conditions

Schizophrenia

by Alike Medical Team ∙ Updated on June 13, 2023

Additional names

This group contains additional names: - Hebephrenia - Latent Schizophrenia - Catatonic Schizophrenia - Simple Schizophrenia - Schizoaffective Disorder - Paranoid Schizophrenia - Schizophreniform Disorder

General

Schizophrenia is a chronic psychiatric disorder, affecting approximately 1% of the population. Patients will experience relapsing episodes of reality distortion (psychosis) and might hear, see, or believe things that aren’t real.

1,838 people with Schizophrenia are on Alike.

"Alike is the place to get answers from people who firsthand share your health challenges"

Signs & symptoms

Schizophrenia’s symptoms are divided into "positive" and "negative" symptoms. "positive" symptoms are behaviors or thoughts new to the patient, and "negative" symptoms include the diminishing of abilities that the patient used to have. 75% of patients with schizophrenia will go through a *prodrome phase* before their first psychosis episode. During this period, the patients’ behavior or looks might change, and cognitive symptoms or mood swings might appear. *Positive symptoms* include: - Hallucinations – perceive stimuli that aren’t real, usually hearing voices. - Delusions – thoughts or strong beliefs that are incoherent with reality. - Strange postures or body movements. - Unusual ways of thinking or expressions. *Negative symptoms* include: - Lack of emotional expression. - Lack of motivation and apathy. - Social deprivation. - Diminished ability to feel pleasure. *Cognitive symptoms* include: - Memory deficits. - Verbal fluency difficulties. - Concentration difficulties.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is made via a psychiatric assessment, conducted by a psychiatrist – a medical doctor specializing in psychiatry. This assessment includes questioning, physical exams, cognitive exams, and other tests that might exclude other diseases or conditions.

Treatment

Treatment for schizophrenia includes antipsychotic medications, mainly treating the "positive" symptoms. Psychosocial therapy can help cope with the disease and improve social function and quality of life - including family therapy, group therapy, and cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Note

☝ We provide information on prescription and over-the-counter medicines, diagnosis, procedures and lab tests. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

National Institutes of Health ∙ World Health Organization ∙ MedlinePluse ∙ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

☝ All information has been reviewed by certified physicians from Alike

Latest Discussions

LouieJr

Schizophrenia Hallucinations and Meth Use: What's the...

Auren_X

I have **schizoaffective** (bipolar type) and a LOT of...

Ariel448

I have everything you named except **schizophrenia**....

bflyin83

I am diagnosed with **schizophrenia**, depression,...

toria26

I developed **schizophrenia** at 12 and yes u will get...

toria26

Feeling Overwhelmed and Hopeless

Alike Wisdom

Instantly get answers to medical questions with our AI, built from the collective wisdom of our community facing similar experiences

Schizophrenia Hallucinations and Meth Use: What's the Connection?

I have **schizoaffective** (bipolar type) and a LOT of physical problems, along with anxiety and cPTSD. I don’t judge! Always willing to make new friends :)

I have everything you named except **schizophrenia**. Always looking for new friends. ❤️

I am diagnosed with **schizophrenia**, depression, anxiety and ptsd. You can send me a dm at any time.

I developed **schizophrenia** at 12 and yes u will get worse. This disease doesn't get better

Feeling Overwhelmed and Hopeless

Alike is a transformative platform that goes beyond just bringing together patients; it meticulously connects individuals based on multiple critical factors, such as age, gender, comorbidities, medications, diet, and more, fostering a community of knowledge, support and empathy.

About Alike Wisdom Blog FAQ Editorial Team All Conditions All Posts All Communities Support

Your Privacy Stories Community Guidelines Terms of Use Privacy Policy Helplines Contact Us Group Chats Guidelines Moderation Process

Sign In