Symptoms of Schizophrenia • Disorganized thinking. •Disturbed Perceptions •Inappropriate Emotions and Actions
Symptoms of Schizophrenia
• Disorganized thinking.
•Disturbed Perceptions
•Inappropriate Emotions and Actions
Disorganized Thinking• The thinking of a person with
Schizophrenia is fragmented and bizarre and distorted with false beliefs.
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Disorganized & Delusional Thinking
“This morning when I was at Hillside [Hospital], I was making a movie. I was surrounded by movie stars … I’m Marry Poppins. Is this room painted blue to get me upset? My grandmother died four weeks after my eighteenth birthday.” (Sheehan, 1982)
This monologue illustrates fragmented, bizarre thinking with distorted beliefs – example of
delusions (“I’m Mary Poppins”).
Heather
Disturbed Perceptions• hallucinations- sensory experiences
without sensory stimulation.(Perceiving something that isn’t there.)
Jani – Tormented by hallucinations
Delusions (false beliefs)• Delusions of Persecution
• Delusions of Grandeur
“someone is following me” “I am a king”
Schizophrenia - Simulation
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Disorganized & Delusional Thinking
Many psychologists believe disorganized thoughts occur because of selective attention
failure (fragmented and bizarre thoughts).
Irrelevant and minute stimuli easily distract them. (grooves of a brick or the inflection of a
voice distracts their attention from a whole scene of from the speaker’s meaning.)
• Schizophasia - commonly referred to as word salad,
is characterized by an apparently confused usage of
words with no apparent meaning or relationship
attached to them.
• Example: Q: “Why do people believe in God?”
A: "Because He makes a twirl in life, my
box is broken help me blue elephant.
Isn't lettuce brave? I like electrons,
hello.“
• DSM-IV – no specific code for this disorder
although they include it as a symptom under the
diagnosis of schizophrenia
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Disorganized & Delusional Thinking
Inappropriate Emotions and Actions
• Laugh at inappropriate times.
• Flat Affect • Senseless,
compulsive acts.• Catatonia-
motionless Waxy Flexibility
Positive v. Negative Symptoms
Positive Symptoms
• Presence of inappropriate symptoms
Cognitive, emotional, and
behavioral excesses
Examples of Positive
Symptoms:•Hallucinations
•Bizarre delusions
•Incoherent speech
•Thought broadcasting
•Inappropriate/
Disorganized
behaviors
Positive v. Negative Symptoms
• Cognitive, emotional,
and behavioral deficits
– Examples of Negative
Symptoms
• Loss of
motivation
• Emotional
flatness
• Social withdrawal
• Slowed speech or
no speech
Negative Symptoms
• Absence of appropriate behaviors/responses
Heather-displaying positive symptoms, discussing negative symptoms
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Chronic and Acute Schizophrenia
When schizophrenia is slow to develop (chronic/process) recovery is doubtful. Such
schizophrenics usually display negative symptoms. (ie: withdrawl)
When schizophrenia rapidly develops (acute/reactive) recovery is better. Such schizophrenics usually show positive
symptoms. (respond better to drug therapy)