Characteristics Of Schizophrenia Flashcards
What is schizophrenia?
A profound disruption of cognition and emotion, which affects a person’s language/thought/perceptions/sense of self. It’s a syndrome (there is not one defining symptom).
What is a positive symptom of sz?
Addition to typical behaviour.
Hallucinations, delusions, disorganised thinking.
What is the negative symptom of sz?
They take away from typical behaviour.
Atypical symptoms that are disruptions to normal emotions/behaviours.
Avolition, alogia, flat affect, anhedonia, catatonic behaviour.
Describe and give examples of hallucinations.
They are unusual false sensory experiences that can be related to the surrounding environment or be random.
Auditory are most common (hearing voices). Visual hallucinations (seeing things that aren’t there/distorted things). Can be also olfactory or tactile.
Describe and give examples of delusions.
They are strongly held false beliefs and they persist even when there is evidence against beliefs.
Delusions of grandiosity - believing they are an important historical figure (eg. Jesus).
Delusions of persecution - believing others are out to get them.
Describe and give examples of disorganised thinking.
They are a result of abnormal thought processes. The patient has trouble organising thought processes which manifests into speech, it can be rapidly switching between topics or speaking gibberish (word salad).
People with sz report that their thoughts are not their own and are placed there by a 3rd party.
Describe and give examples of avolition.
Difficulty beginning or keeping up with a goal-directed activity. There is a loss of motivation to carry out day to day tasks. 3 signs of avolition; poor hygiene, lack of energy, lack of persistence in work/education.
Describe and give examples of alogia.
A reduction in amount and quality of speech.
The patient can sometimes delay responses in conversation.
Eg, ‘name as many animals as you can’ - patient would struggle, not due to lack of knowledge but to spontaneously produce the words.
Describe and give examples of flat affect.
A reduction in the range and expression of emotion, for example facial expressions/eye contact/body language. Lack of prosody in speech.
Describe and give examples of anhedonia.
A loss of pleasure from all activity including eating/social contact/activities they used to find pleasure in.
Describe and give examples of catatonic behaviour.
It can range from fast, repetitive movements to no movement at all. Unexpected gestures and loud utterances. Echopraxia - mimicking the movement of those around them. Rigid and unnatural postures and immobile for long periods of time.
