Detecting Early Signs of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a widely misunderstood sickness. In spite of what most people believe, schizophrenics don't have a "split personality", are usually not violent, and are seldom dangerous either to themselves or others. Because an accurate diagnosis relies on the presence of a range of symptoms, it can be complex to diagnose. Still, countless mental health experts as well as family members and loved ones of people with schizophrenia all concur that there are certain recognizable early signs of schizophrenia.



Even though there exists the occasional sudden onset of the illness, for the majority it evolves gradually. Regularly people close to the patient will look back and understand that they have suspected for a long time that something impalpable was wrong with their loved one. Helpguide.org has ordered the wide array of symptoms into 5 categories: "negative" symptoms, hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech and disorganized behavior.



The so-called "negative" symptoms don't refer to a person's attitude, but rather to a lack of emotions or behaviors usually present in a healthy individual. These can include: a lack of emotional expression, as in no eye contact, flat voice, no facial expression; social withdrawal and isolation; a lack of motivation affecting personal hygiene and/or daily basic functioning at home, school or work; and conversation that is brief or nonexistent.



Delusions are such a common symptom that they occur in 90% of people who have the disorder. They often are quite complex and involve bizarre fantasies or ideas. There are several categories of delusions.



* Delusions of persecution: the ever elusive "they" are "out to get me"; sometimes involving bizarre conspiracies and plots.

* Delusions of reference: the person with schizophrenia sees a message just for him in something neutral like a billboard or tv commercial.

* Delusions of grandeur: either a belief that one is a famous or powerful person (Jesus Christ or President Washington), or that one has special powers (the ability to fly or teleport)

*Delusions of control: the idea that his or her thoughts are controlled by an outside force; common among such delusions are the belief that thoughts are broadcast or transmitted to others, thoughts are being inserted into the brain by others, or thoughts are being robbed by others.



Disorganized speech is the external manifestation of a schizophrenic person's fragmented thinking. People with the disorder often have trouble concentrating, and easily lose their train of thought. Family members may hear made-up words or languages, the person may leap from topic to topic, or change topics in mid-sentence. He or she may use perseveration, which is saying the same thing repeatedly. Or he may use clang, rhyming words in a way that is meaningless to anyone else.



Again because of fragmented thinking and processing in a person with schizophrenia, normal goal-oriented activities are disrupted. Disorganized behavior will exhibit as a decline in overall daily functioning - inability to care for himself, function at work or school, maintain normal interactions with others. It also may appear as emotional responses that are inappropriate and/or unpredictable, behaviors that have no purpose, or are impulsive and uninhibited.



It is typical to see early signs of schizophrenia begin to appear as soon as the late teens and early twenties, especially in men. The symptoms in women tend to exhibit later. Because the condition is so manageable with good treatment, it is extremely important to get competent professional help as early as possible. The purpose of the information provided here is to be a guideline for when to seek help, not for how to self-diagnose.



Looking for more information on early signs of schizophrenia? Be sure to visit the following authority website: http://www.schizophrenia-thebeardedladydisease.com.