Characteristics

• Positive characteristics of SZ

  Hallucinations

  Delusions

  Disorganised thinking
• Hallucinations

  Auditory hallucinations are the most common (hearing things that aren’t there).

  Visual - seeing things that aren’t there, eg distorted facial expressions.

  Olfactory - smells that aren’t there.

  Tactile - feeling things that aren’t there.
• Delusions

  Delusions of grandiosity - believing they are an important historical / political figure.

  Delusions of reference - believing people are trying to send messages or make contact through tv / radio.

  Delusions of persecution - paranoid delusions where they believe others are trying to harm them / plotting against them.

  Erotamanic - false belief that someone is in love with them.

  Nihilistic - belief that a major catastrophe will occur.

  Somatic - focus on preoccupations regarding health & organ function.
• Disorganised thinking

  Result of abnormal thought processes.

  Patient has trouble organising thought processes which then manifest in their speech.

  This can be quickly switching between topics (derailment) mid sentence or speaking gibberish (word salad).

  People with SZ often report that their thoughts are not their own and have been inserted by a third person.
• Negative characteristics

  Avolition

  Alogia

  Flat effect

  Anhedonia

  Catatonic behaviour
• Avolition

  Difficultly beginning or keeping up with goal related activity.

  Loss of motivation to carry out day to day tasks.

  Apathy.

  Andreason identified 3 signs of avolition - poor hygiene, lack of energy, lack of persistence in work or education.
• Alogia

  Reduction in amount and quality of speech.
• Flat affect

  Reduction in range and expression of emotion.
• Anhedonia

  Loss of pleasure from all activity. This can include eating, social contact or activities they used to enjoy.
• Catatonic behaviour

  Can range from fast, repetitive movements, to no movement at all.

  Unexpected gestures and loud utterances.

  Echopraxia - mimicking the movement of those around them.

  Immobile for long periods of time.