Diagnosis and classification of schizophrenia Flashcards
What is schizophrenia?
A type of psychosis, a severe mental disorder in which thoughts and emotions are so impaired that contact is lost with external reality.
What are positive symptoms?
Symptoms which reflect an excess or distortion of normal functioning e.g. hallucinations and delusions
What are negative symptoms?
Symptoms which reflect a loss of normal functioning e.g. Speech poverty and avolition
What are hallucinations?
Sensory experiences of stimuli that have either no basis in reality or are distorted perceptions of things that are there.
What are delusions?
Erroneous beliefs that hold no basis in reality
What is speech poverty (alogia)?
The lessening of speech fluency and productivity, which reflects slowing or blocked thoughts
What is avolition?
Loss of motivation to carry out tasks, resulting in lowered activity levels