Psychosis and Schizophrenia

Question 1

What is psychosis?

Answer 1

mental disorder

inability to distinguish between subjective experience and reality

Question 2

What is affected in psychosis?

Answer 2

thoughts
affective response
ability to recognise reality ability to communicate and relate to others

Question 3

What are the classic characteristics of psychosis?

Answer 3

lack of insight
hallucinations
delusions
disordered thought

Question 4

What is a hallucination?

Answer 4

a perception which occurs in the absence of external stimulus
experienced as originating in real space (not just in thoughts)

Question 5

What are the different types of hallucination?

Answer 5

olfactory 
gustatory 
somatic e.g. insects crawling on skin 
visual (simple - light flashes, complex - face or figure)
auditory (2nd or 3rd person)

Question 6

What is the most common type of hallucination?

Answer 6

auditory

Question 7

What is passivity phenomenon?

Answer 7

behaviour experienced as being controlled by external agency

Question 8

What can passivity phenomenon affect?

Answer 8

thoughts - e.g. thought broadcasting, withdrawal or insertion
actions and feelings

Question 9

What is thought broadcasting?

Answer 9

the belief that others can hear or are aware of your thoughts
e.g. someone refusing to explain their problem ‘I know you know what I’m thinking’

Question 10

What is thought insertion?

Answer 10

experiencing your own thoughts as someone else’s e.g. someone complaining of violent thoughts ‘put there by satan’

Question 11

What is thought withdrawal?

Answer 11

the belief that thoughts have been taken out of your mind

e.g. belief that a government agency is stealing your thoughts

Question 12

What are some common delusional themes in schizophrenia?

Answer 12

persecution 
grandiose 
nihilistic 
religious 
self referential experiences

Question 13

What are common auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia?

Answer 13

command
derogatory
conversing
running commentaries

Question 14

What are self referential experiences?

Answer 14

the belief that external events are related to oneself
can vary in intensity
e.g. people are talking about me, radio transmitting message for me, car reg plate containing hidden messages

Question 15

What are some differentials for psychotic symptoms?

Answer 15

dementia
delirium 
depression 
mania 
psycho-active substance use 
schizophrenia

Question 16

What core psychotic symptoms are present in schizophrenia?

Answer 16

delusions
hallucinations
passivity phenomena

Question 17

What are some positive symptoms in schizophrenia?

Answer 17

hallucinations
delusions
passivity phenomena
disorder of form of thought

Question 18

What are some negative symptoms in schizophrenia?

Answer 18

restricted range of affect
decreased social interaction
decreased motivation and interest
decreased speech

Question 19

What is the biggest risk factor for developing schizophrenia?

Answer 19

positive family history

Question 20

What is the speech like in schizophrenia?

Answer 20

pressurised

distractible

Question 21

How is schizophrenia diagnosed?

Answer 21

clinical diagnosis

Question 22

How is schizophrenia treated?

Answer 22

CBT

antipsychotics