What are Positive and Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia?

September 30, 2023 | by Sravani Pathakamuri | Posted in FAQ's

What are Positive and Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia symptoms are often categorized into positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms. Here’s a detailed breakdown:

  1. Positive Symptoms: These symptoms involve an excess or distortion of normal functions and are “added” experiences not typically seen in the general population:
    • Hallucinations: Perceiving things that others do not, such as hearing voices, seeing things, feeling sensations, or smelling odors that aren’t present.
    • Delusions: Firmly held false beliefs that persist despite evidence to the contrary. Delusions can include paranoia, grandiosity, or beliefs of being controlled.
    • Disorganized Thinking: Difficulty organizing thoughts, resulting in fragmented or incoherent speech that may be challenging to follow or make sense of.
    • Disorganized or Abnormal Motor Behavior: This can manifest as unpredictable, agitated, or repetitive movements. In severe cases, it may lead to catatonia, where there’s a lack of movement or response.
  2. Negative Symptoms:
    • These symptoms reflect a decrease or loss of normal functions and abilities, often resulting in a reduction or absence of certain behaviors or experiences:
    • Affective Flattening: Reduced emotional expressiveness, where facial expressions, gestures, voice tone, and responses appear limited or muted.
    • Alogia: Difficulty or reduction in speech output, manifesting as poverty of speech (short, minimal responses) or poverty of content (lengthy, but lacking meaningful information).
    • Anhedonia: Reduced ability to experience pleasure or interest in previously enjoyable activities or life events.
    • Social Withdrawal: Difficulty engaging in social activities, maintaining relationships, or showing interest in others.
    • Avolition: Decreased motivation to initiate and sustain purposeful activities, often leading to neglect of personal hygiene, responsibilities, and self-care.
  3. Cognitive Symptoms:
    • These symptoms involve challenges related to thinking processes and understanding information:
    • Impaired Working Memory: Difficulty holding and using information in one’s mind over short periods, affecting learning and problem-solving.
    • Impaired Attention: Difficulty focusing and maintaining attention on tasks or activities.
    • Executive Dysfunction: Challenges in planning, organizing, initiating, and completing tasks, impacting decision-making and goal-setting.

It’s important to note that each person with schizophrenia may experience a unique combination and severity of these symptoms. Treatment often includes a combination of antipsychotic medications, therapy, community support, and skills training to manage symptoms and improve overall functioning and quality of life. Early intervention and consistent care are crucial for effective management of schizophrenia.

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