clinical characteristics

• positive symptoms

  represent an excess of normal functioning

  delusions - bizarre beliefs that seem real to schizophrenic but aren't real - persecution (being watched/followed) - grandeur (in a position of power over others)

  hallucinations - bizarre unreal perceptions of environment: auditory, visual, olfactory or tactile

  disorganised thinking and speech - problems organising thought processes lead to incoherence (neologisms, word salad, clang)
• Negative symptoms

  loss of normal functioning

  Alogia - poverty of speech - reduction in the amount and quality of speech - produce fewer words - difficulty spontaneously producing them

  Avolition - reduction of interests and desires as well as inability to initiate and persist in goal directed behaviour - reduction in self initiated involvement in activities that are available to the patient
• DSM-V criteria

  diagnosis of schizophrenia requires two or more (positive and negative) symptoms to persist for at least 6 months - only 1 symptom required if symptoms are considered particularly problematic