Classification of Schizophrenia

• Schizophrenia 


  A mental illness that usually occurs in late adolescence or early adulthood. In the DSM it is classified as psychosis, as the sufferer has no concept of reality.
• Positive symptoms

  These are symptoms that are not usually present in a normal person. Positive symptoms reflect an excess or distortion of normal functioning. People with schizophrenia often suffer terrifying symptoms such as hearing internal voices not heard by others, or believing that other people are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts, or plotting to harm them. These symptoms may leave them fearful and withdrawn. Their speech and behaviour can be so disorganised that they may be incomprehensible or frightening of others
• Delusions of persecution


  the belief that others want to harm, threaten or manipulate you. Schizophrenics may believe that they are being spied on, that nasty rumours are being spread about them or that people are plotting to kill them
• Delusions of grandeur 


  This is the idea that you are an important individual, even god-like and having extraordinary powers
• Delusions of control


  Individuals may believe that they are under control of an alien force that has invaded their mind and body
• Hallucinations 


  Disturbances in perception. False perceptions that have no basis in reality
• Negative Symptoms 


  Symptoms which cause a decline in functioning. Negative symptoms appear to reflect a loss of normal function.
• Speech poverty 


  the inability to speak properly, characterised by lack of ability to produce fluent words
• Avolition


  The reduction, difficulty, or inability to start and continue with goal-directed behaviour
• Comorbidity 


  Refers to more than one disorders or diseases that exist alongside a primary diagnosis, which is the reason a patient gets referred and or treated. So in this context it is the occurrence of two illnesses or conditions together
• Symptom overlap


  there is considerable overlap between the symptoms of schizophrenia and other conditions, despite the claim that the classification of positive and negative symptoms would make for more valid diagnoses.
• Issues with symptom overlap


  The lack of distinction calls to question the validity of both the classification and diagnosis of schizophrenia