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Understanding Schizophrenia Abnormal Psychology Nicole Wilson November 6, 2001 Schizophrenia is a serious brain illness that causes changes in how you think, feel, and behave. It is perhaps the most puzzling and disabling clinical syndrome. Schizophrenia most often corresponds to the popular conceptions to madness or lunacy (Nevid 2000). The illness strips the mind of intimate connections between thoughts and emotions and replaces it with distorted perceptions, false beliefs, and illogical ideas. Some people think that it is the disease of having a split personality, which is not true. There are many common symptoms of schizophrenia. Research has found that both positive and negative symptoms exist. Some common symptoms are delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking, problems in thinking, lack of motivation, moving slowly, and social isolation, lack of interest or initiative, change in affect (Csernansky 2002). The positive symptoms are delusions- false beliefs that are not logical and have no basis in reality, and hallucinations- hearing or seeing things that are not real. Other senses such as touch, taste, or smell may also be affected. Negative symptoms include disorganized thinking, abnormal behavior, and speech- jumping from one topic to another. A person with schizophrenia may also experience problems concentrating and remembering details of life, lack of motivation to eat, bathe, or change clothing. Problems relating to others and showing emotion because of change in affect, moving as little as possible, social isolation from the outside world and lack of interest or motivation are often common in theses patients (Navid 2002). Schizophrenia usually develops in late adolescence or early adulthood. The average age for the first schizophrenic episode is experienced in the early or mid-twenties. Most common cases of schizophrenia start with what is called the prodromal phase, which is the period of deterioration. The prodramal phase is characterized by difficulty in meeting requirements of daily living and of daily responsibilities. Over time the person’s behavior becomes more eccentric and absurd and psychotic symptoms become visible in the patient many call this the acute phase.
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