schizophrenia symptoms

For more information about schizophrenia symptoms check out Antipsychotic Help

Q: Schizophrenia symptoms?
Let me ask you something:

If you have had the so called “symptoms” of “schizophrenia” at some point or another in your life and never been labeled as “schizophrenic” does that make you not schizophrenic?

If you have ever been labeled as “schizophrenic” and never actually had the symptoms of schizophrenia does that make you more schizophrenic?

What do “you” understand the symptoms of “schizophrenia” to be?
Same question and additional information:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AnkoOQuoIyuEuTVnE9NiClrsy6IX?qid=20070408085443AA7AjKt

My other questions from before these on Schizophrenia:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AkzhVcTut5lg9a_Ba0Kbm_Dty6IX?qid=20070404161544AAwKsAF

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AkYcuBSg.gpD2PSfgIm_wV7ty6IX?qid=20070404182349AAJVE0i

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AjJiQYInBTXxDvIloCjW_Hbty6IX?qid=20070404071404AAO6AvP

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AgHD4NKGUG_p9BTCkCZfY9Pty6IX?qid=20070404071105AAHj8Eg

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AkYcuBSg.gpD2PSfgIm_wV7ty6IX?qid=20070403103726AAeiwiK

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AkzhVcTut5lg9a_Ba0Kbm_Dty6IX?qid=20070403102341AA7oxrO

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AvDaBFVAPrUz.WnCahacGsrty6IX?qid=20070402192219AAC834A

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AnP7Asp7gpN4btji60rAUhbty6IX?qid=20070402103500AAculzx

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ArSYfqSbsyfXV.k6Uw_KHk7ty6IX?qid=20070401095417AAfDhv1

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AorpcSfaySvCzcUOOOEmfFfty6IX?qid=20070330110136AAKBLdu

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AgKwx69YyCwGaCPKmQuGOJXty6IX?qid=20070325231132AASQ6WY

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AkzhVcTut5lg9a_Ba0Kbm_Dty6IX?qid=20070316183215AAtE6QA

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AorpcSfaySvCzcUOOOEmfFfty6IX?qid=20070316152948AAvZJLl

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AvDaBFVAPrUz.WnCahacGsrty6IX?qid=20070316151447AA2yYhX

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AhG9Rmlxb53J.InM5RKcaZbty6IX?qid=20070312042250AA0CKWH

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ar_crvGg0B31lAs05BbiuvLty6IX?qid=20070312041617AAFVsnA

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AjJiQYInBTXxDvIloCjW_Hbty6IX?qid=20070311151953AAnUT7a

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AnP7Asp7gpN4btji60rAUhbty6IX?qid=20070223210336AA8DkpY
Has anybody gotten these answers yet? No, I didnt think so?

1. Evidence That Establishes the validity of “schizophrenia” “depression” or other “major mental Illnesses” as biologically-based brain diseases.

2. Evidence For A Physical Diagnostic Exam such as a scan, blood, urine, genes, spinal fluid, etc that can distinguish individuals with these diagnoses (prior to treatment with drugs), from individuals without these diagnoses.

3. Evidence For a Base-line Standard of a neurochemically balanced “normal” personality, against which an “imbalance” can be measured and corrected by pharmaceutical means.

4. Evidence That Any Psychiatric Drug can correct a “chemical imbalance” attributed to a psychiatric diagnoses, and is any thing more than a non-specific alterer of physiology.

5. Evidence That Any Drug can reliably decrease the likelihood of violence or suicide.

6. Evidence That Psychotropic Drugs do not in fact increase the overall likelihood of violence and suicide

A: The word “schizophrenia” is simply a label used to categorise a list of psychosocial traits that Psychiatry considers to be improper or abnormal in society. Psychiatry defines these traits as a “mental illness”, and promotes it as a “disease” that requires “treatment”.

It is not a “disease”, despite claims made in certain peoples answers here. There is NO credible scientific evidence that shows the existence of what constitutes “schizophrenia” as a biological/neurological disorder, brain abnormality or “chemical imbalance”.

“For a disease to exist there must be a tangible, objective physical abnormality that can be determined by a test such as, but not limited to, blood or urine test, X-Ray, brain scan or biopsy. All reputable doctors would agree: No physical abnormality, no disease. In psychiatry, no test or brain scan exists to prove that a ‘mental disorder’ is a physical disease. Disingenuous comparisons between physical and mental illness and medicine are simply part of psychiatry’s orchestrated but fraudulent public relations and marketing campaign.” Fred A. Baughman Jr., MD (Neurologist, Pediatric Neurology), & Fellow at the American Academy of Neurology.

“Chemical imbalance…it’s a shorthand term really, it’s probably drug industry derived… We don’t have tests because to do it, you’d probably have to take a chunk of brain out of someone – not a good idea.” Dr. Mark Graff, Chair of the Committee of Public Affairs for the American Psychiatric Association. July, 2005.

Symptoms that psychiatry labels as “schizophrenia” (or it’s related disorders), can stem from any number of variable sources. Many people have overcome disorders such as “bipolar” and “schizophrenia” through effective megavitamin therapy and effective nutrition. A growing wealth of evidence supports that underlying nutritional deficiencies can cause even the most severe mental disorders, including “schizophrenia”. [1,2,3,4,5,6]

You may also be interested to know that the work undertaken by pioneers such as Dr. Lars Martensson and the late Dr. Loren Mosher show that there is also another way – far safer and more effective than psychiatric restraint, drugs and electro-shocks. For over a decade Loren R Mosher, MD, held a central position in American psychiatric research. He was the first Chief of the Center for Studies of Schizophrenia at the National Institute of Mental Health, 1969-1980. He founded the Schizophrenia Bulletin and for ten years he was its Editor-in-Chief. He also led the Soteria Project, which demonstrated that effective rehabilitation is possible without harmful antipsychotic drugs. Soteria provided a safe and sane environment where schizophrenic patients could stay, medication-free, with a young, nonprofessional staff trained to listen to and understand them and provide companionship. The idea was that schizophrenia can often be overcome with the help of meaningful relationships, rather than with drugs, and that such treatment would eventually lead to unquestionably healthier lives. The results were fantastic. Over just 6 weeks, patients recovered as quickly as those treated with medication in hospitals. [7,8]

Bottom line? Psychiatry is a belief-system, a “faith”, not a science. Despite the huge marketing strategies, the so-called “research” and all the propaganda thrown at the world, there is not one iota of scientific evidence that proves that “schizophrenia” or ANY mental illness, in fact, exists as an actual –medical disease–.

If you have been told differently then know this: You have been lied to.

For more information, please visit:

http://groups.msn.com/psychbusters
Decoding Psychiatric Propaganda

See also http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/articles/default.htm#S
and http://www.webcom.com/thrive/schizo/

Q: Could you have schizophrenia symptoms without being schizophrenic?
I have been having symptoms similar to Schizophrenia. Alucinations, problems of speech, feeling no emotion. I was wondering if you can have these symptoms for a while for some reason and not develop schizophrenia. (I recently stopped taking a medicine).
I wonder if this symptoms will go away

A: BH’s Brother- that doesn’t make sense. Of course you can have a symptom of something and not actually have it. (It can also be a symptom of something else)

Often schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are confused because sometimes the symptoms can be extremely similar. (Both can include hallucinations, mood swings, confusion/disorder, etc…) It all depends. Schizophrenia won’t go away without medication, bipolar sometimes does (though sometimes it will come back stronger)

Q: schizophrenia symptoms?
do they come and go, or do they just stay there until treated with medication?

i use to think that they waxe and wane….

A: from my experience they just stay until treated with medication

Q: What would outsiders see at the onset of schizophrenia symptoms?
Would 16 likely be too early for these manifestations to appear? What symptoms would appear as the disease progressed?

A: Anger. Sadness. Drug abuse. Grades drop at school. Not able to concentrate. My son started the above symptoms around 17. And, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 20, when he started hearing voices, and talking to himself.

Q: What is the youngest age that schizophrenia symptoms can manifest?
Like can a 3 year old show symptoms?

A: hmmmmm ask a psychiatrist♦

Q: What’s the difference between negative and positive symptoms of schizophrenia?
i read this about schizophrenia… could someone explain it

Schizophrenia is often described in terms of positive and negative (or deficit) symptoms.[16] The term positive symptoms refers to symptoms that most individuals do not normally experience but are present in schizophrenia. They include delusions, auditory hallucinations, and thought disorder, and are typically regarded as manifestations of psychosis. Negative symptoms are things that are not present in schizophrenic persons but are normally found in healthy persons, that is, symptoms that reflect the loss or absence of normal traits or abilities. Common negative symptoms include flat or blunted affect and emotion, poverty of speech (alogia), inability to experience pleasure (anhedonia), lack of desire to form relationships (asociality), and lack of motivation (avolition). Research suggests that negative symptoms contribute more to poor quality of life, functional disability, and the burden on others than do positive symptoms.[17]

A: Yes, there is a difference between positive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia.

People most commonly get confused because they think of a different definition for these terms. Positive=good. Negative=bad. That isn’t how it works in schizophrenia. Think of it like money. Positive=you have something. Negative=you don’t have something.

So, using that definition, positive symptoms are things that schizophrenics experience that mentally healthy people do not. It is considered positive because they have something that other people do not. Like what you read said, what they have that others don’t is hallucinations, delusions, and thought disorders. If you took a test that determined whether or not you hallucinate (there isn’t actually a test that does this), a person that hallucinates would test “positive.”

Negative symptoms are things that schizophrenics do not have that mentally healthy people do have. Like having a negative bank account…you don’t have money but other people do. So, mentally healthy people show emotions on their face that are appropriate to the situation. They have a tone of voice that matches emotions. Schizophrenics can lack these expressions or tones of voice…therefore they have a flat or blunted affect. That lack of emotion and tone is negative because it isn’t there. Same goes for the rest of the symptoms. A mentally healthy person is usually capable of speaking (not including mute people obviously). A schizophrenic person may sometimes be unable to speak. Negative because the ability to speak does not exist.

As for the last sentence of what you read, research does show that people who experience a lot of negative symptoms function worse than those who experience mainly positive symptoms. This is because, if you cannot speak or cannot motivate yourself or cannot experience pleasure…you are highly unlikely to be able to hold a job, have lasting relationships, or just socialize with people. The lack of motivation can become so severe that some schizophrenics do not practice normal hygiene routines because they cannot motivate themselves to do so. Or they can’t motivate themselves to clean a house or cook meals. This leads to poor quality of life. A high amount of negative symptoms also leads to a higher chance of suicide attempts. If nothing you do brings you pleasure, not even old favorite hobbies…life begins to seem pretty meaningless.

Another really basic difference between positive and negative symptoms is that positive symptoms signal psychosis. Negative symptoms do not.

Q: What are some illnesses that have similar symptoms to Schizophrenia?
I’m just curious and this is not to offend anyone, but a lot of the symptoms of Schizophrenia sound like symptoms of other mental illnesses.
Since there is no proven way of diagnosing someone Schizophrenic, then what are some illnesses that could be mistaken for Schizophrenia?
You can be diagnosed with it but there is no way to prove for sure. They have to go by what symptoms a person has and assume, which I think is pretty much BS, because like the first answerer said, it could just be anxiety overload.

A: I am not an expert but I have known some people with schizophrenia and it truly is a distinct illness. There can be different kinds I realize but when people are hallucinating or being directed to do or think irrational things by their own thoughts it is not just anxiety. True schizophrenia is not BS is it a real illness. I know some illnesses are not as clearly recognizable and may be used for people inappropriately but I have never known schizophrenia to be like that. Unless you think the person is making up their symptoms for some reason. I think time is the greatest factor because unfortunately schizophrenia does not go away. Some people can be treated effectively with medication but many can’t and sometimes the meds loose their effectiveness or cause too many side effects. If you have someone in your life with this problem you should try to be supportive and be there for them however you can.

Q: What are the early symptoms of schizophrenia?
What age do the symptoms of schizophrenia usually appear? What are the chances of someone being schizophrenic if they have no known family history of it? And any other important information about schizophrenia that you have please.

A: Social Isolation
Depression
Mood Swings
Obsessive Compulsive Behavior
Anxiety
Difficulty making decisions
Poor concentration
The chance for the general population is 1%
email me if you have more questions evilfudge17@yahoo.com

Q: why one of the symptoms of schizophrenia is increased interest in religion and philosophy?
i was reading about schizophrenia and one of the symptoms mentioned this and i don’t really get it..

thanks in advance
no i am not as far as i know-schizophrenic .

A: good question! I have read the same thing, and yes, my psychotic episodes involved religious aspects. In my opinion i would say maybe b/c of all the rules involved and the fear of punishment – scares them to a whole new level (AIDs is another one commonly over-feared during a psychotic episode). also there are many mystical aspects to religion- to someone who is all of a sudden slip into a psychosis, not knowing what is going on with there mind may turn to religion as some kind of explanation. .. hope you understand what im trying to say

EDIT: i think i wrote this backwards .. i believe it probably starts w/looking for some explanation of what is going on w/them… then other thoughts/theories follow

Q: How do you differentiate between negative symptoms of schizophrenia and depression?
Is it possible for someone who has been suffering long term from depression (17 years) to be actually suffering from negative symptoms of schizophrenia?

The person concerned does not have hallucinations, visual or auditor . Has never had them.

A: I never heard of anyone being diagnosed with schizophrenia without having hallucinations or delusions (the positive symptoms).

Q: What are the signs/symptoms of schizophrenia?
I read that it’s when you hear voices but there was another that
said when you see things. So is there more than one type of schizophrenia and if so can you please tell me the
signs/symptoms. Any help would be appreciated.

A: Signs and symptoms of schizophrenia may include:

Delusions — personal beliefs not based in reality, such as paranoia that you’re being persecuted or conspired against
Bizarre delusions — for example, a belief in Martians controlling your thoughts
Hallucinations — sensing things that don’t exist, such as imaginary voices
Incoherence
Lack of emotions or inappropriate display of emotions
A persistent feeling of being watched
Trouble functioning at work or in social situations
Social isolation
Difficulty with personal hygiene
Clumsy, uncoordinated movements
Generally, schizophrenia causes a slowly progressive deterioration in the ability to function in various roles, especially in your job and personal life. The signs and symptoms of schizophrenia vary greatly. A person may behave differently at different times. He or she may become extremely agitated and distressed, or fall into a trance-like, immobile, unresponsive (catatonic) state, or even behave normally much of the time. Signs and symptoms that occur continuously and progressively may indicate schizophrenia.

In general, schizophrenia has symptoms that fall into three categories — negative, positive and cognitive:

Negative signs and symptoms
Negative signs and symptoms may appear early in the disease, and a person may not think he or she needs treatment. They’re referred to as negative because they indicate a loss of behavior or of a personality trait. Negative signs generally accompany a slow deterioration of function, leading to your becoming less sociable. Such signs may include:

Dulled emotions (lack of expression)
Inappropriate emotions (laughing while expressing terrifying images)
A change in speech (speaking in a dull monotone)
Positive signs and symptoms
Positive signs include hallucinations and delusions. They’re called positive because they indicate a trait or behavior that’s been added to the personality.

Hallucinations. Hallucinations occur when you sense things that don’t exist. The most common hallucination in schizophrenia is hearing voices. You may carry on a conversation with voices that no one else can hear. Or you may perceive that voices are providing you instructions on what to do. Hallucinations may result in injuries to other people.
Delusions. Delusions are firmly held personal beliefs that have no basis in reality. The most common subtype of schizophrenia is paranoid schizophrenia, in which you hold irrational beliefs that others are persecuting you or conspiring against you. For example, some people with schizophrenia may believe that the television is directing their behavior or that outside forces are controlling their thoughts.
Cognitive signs and symptoms
These signs and symptoms tend to be more subtle than positive and negative ones. Cognitive signs and symptoms may include:

Problems making sense of incoming information
Difficulty paying attention
Memory problems

Q: Positive and negative symptoms for schizophrenia or any psychotic disorder?
My question is can people who have schizophrenia be completely relieved of positive symptoms due to taking anti psychotics, but still have negative symptoms linger? In all my reading I haven’t found the answer. So if someone who knows could help me out it would be appreciated.

Thanks.

A: Yes, absolutely. Residual Schizophrenia is designed as exactly that — absence of hallucinations and other positive symptoms, with some emotional withdrawal.

Q: When Does Schizophrenia Symptoms Start To Really Show?
When Does Schizophrenia Symptoms Start To Really
Show?? Like What Age Does It Really Affect You?
Can You List The Symptoms For Them.
Not Trying To Dignose Myself Just Wondering, Because It Seems Intresting…

A: Most of the time, schizophrenia does not begin to manifest until early adulthood and adulthood. That is, between the ages of 20-35. If you are a teen, it is VERY unlikely for you to be showing actual symptoms of schizophrenia. The symptoms of schizophrenia vary with the subtype of schizophrenia, but the subtype you’re most accustomed to, paranoid schizophrenia, is mainly characterized by delusions and hallucinations not caused by anything else (like a fever). If you were having delusions and/or hallucinations, you more than likely would not really know they were not real and therefore would not be questioning them. Schizophrenia is more than “hearing voices”, as even normal people can experience auditory hallucinations even in a normal mindset. For example, when I think and fantasize, I can hear my thoughts and the voices and sounds clear as day. This is normal. If you are consciously hearing voices in your head, and you know they are in your head, then this is not a symptom worth fretting about. Another lesser recognized symptom (because this is typically absent in paranoid schizophrenia but present in other subtypes) is disorganized thoughts and behavior. This is more than simply losing your train of thought. It means that your thoughts are completely disconnected from each other. If you talk/think like, “I like salads but the fish in the sea needs help with finding the apples that I stashed in the fridge” then you have a problem! The biggest and least considered symptom is that you are having a significant level of social interference because of your behavior which is beyond simple awkwardness.

Like a previous answerer said, do not self-diagnose yourself as this causes more problems than it solves, for both you and your doctors. Before coming to the conclusion that you may have schizophrenia or any other mental illness, do a lot of research and go to a doctor.

Q: Can i use vitamins to cure my symptoms of schizophrenia?
I was diagnosed with schizophrenia and my psychiatrist is going to start a study on an anti phycotic drug on me. I’m having alot of problems with the negative and cognative symptoms of schizophrenia. And i was told that using “orthomolecular psychiatry” with vitamins and stuff like that would help me alot, or even cure me of these symptoms.. But im already taking an antidepressant and an antipsychotic medication. What do you think i should do.. PLEASE HELP>.

A: Yes Vitamins will CERTAINLY help! I myself was going through certain difficulties and doctors here in the U.S. gave me antidepressants but I was told the same thing as you and they gave me some GREAT vitamins that are injected and they certainly cured me but they are only sold in Mexico cause they are Real strong vitamins compared to capsules and those they are injected vitamins.

Google them they are called Bedoyecta Tri get about two packs if your case is really severe each pack contains 5 of them and you put one every two days I only needed 7 of them and I needed help REALLy bad

Antidepressants help alot too but try avoiding them they can be helpfull but try avoiding them if you take the vitamins and yes you can take the vitamins even though you are taking antidepressants

Hope you feel better

Q: Do antipsychotics elevate negative symptoms in schizophrenia?
Do typical antipsychotic drugs (‘major tranquilizers’) aggravate negative symptoms related to cognition such as attention and memory deficits, cohesion of thought and emotion recognition in schizophrenia and schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (schizoid personality in particular) by depressing the activity of the CNS? Does this happen in the case of atypical antipsychotics too?

If minor stimulants (such as caffeine or nutritional supplements) are taken in combination with depressants, does each one thwart the other one’s activity? What is a way to compensate for the effect of antipsychotics on negative symptoms, and alleviate them?

A: No. They do not elevate negative symptoms. When they are working, they reduce cognitive dysfunction (i.e. improve memory and attention, executive function, etc). They also are not “major tranquilizers,’ but some do have a strong sedating effect that often wears off after a few weeks to a couple months. The sedation is caused by blocking hisitmine receptors (H1) in the brain. That is different than suppressing the CNS like sedatives/benzos do. At least a handful of atypicals have antidepressant effects as well. There is some use of the narcolepsy med Provigil in countering the sedation. It has varying success. A stim like Ritilin might help, but if the problem is bipolar, it could also invite a flip to mania, and I’m not sure what problems it might create in a schizophrenic brain. A better solution would first be to try one of the more activating atypicals like Ability or Geodon. Mileage varies, some people are sedated, some are activated, some activated too much. The big issue, however, is how well the med treats the primary symptoms.

As for depression, at least a few atypicals are used in refractory depression as well as for bipolar depression (in addition to mania).

The meds are always a trade off with the illness. Sedation or hallucinations and disorganized thinking? Sedation or suicidal depression? It’s not a difficult choice once you understand what is going on and recognize that the meds are not causing the more serious symptoms. If you are overly sedated, talk to your pdoc about trying a different AAP or adding something on. From my experience, the sedation usually wears off within a few weeks, but I’m at bipolar doses, not those used for schizophrenia. Odds are that coffee won’t touch it, but eating well and exercising does help. Oh, and no, coffee and food work on different systems. They won’t thwart the purpose of the AAPs.

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