Schizophrenia

Often, psychosis is the first sign of schizophrenia. Psychosis is a psychological term for when a person has trouble telling the difference between what's real and what is not. That means they may feel, hear, or see things that aren't there, or believe things that aren't true.

Psychosis is more common than you may think. It can occur for a number of reasons, including sleep deprivation, amnesia, extreme stress, substance use, and illness.

What is schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a serious mental health condition that affects how you think, feel, and act. It can make you feel separated from reality, which can be confusing and upsetting for you and those close to you.

Schizophrenia often starts in the teen years or early adulthood, sometimes while someone is in college. There are many misunderstandings about this illness. Most people with schizophrenia are not dangerous or violent, even though the media sometimes suggests otherwise.

Although there is no cure for schizophrenia, a combination of medication, psychotherapy (talk therapy), and other treatments can help you manage your symptoms. A treatment team led by a psychiatrist usually oversees your care and monitors your symptoms and treatment. During a crisis, you may need to stay in a hospital until you are stabilized.

Symptoms of schizophrenia

Every person with schizophrenia is unique, as is their experience and symptoms. Here are some of the most common symptoms:

• Delusions: Strong beliefs that are clearly untrue (e.g., thinking aliens are controlling your thoughts).
• Hallucinations: Sensing things that aren’t there. Most commonly hearing voices, but also seeing or feeling things that aren’t real.
• Flat affect: Showing little emotion in facial expression or voice tone.
• Reduced speech: Speaking less or using fewer words.
• Lack of motivation or pleasure: Difficulty starting activities or feeling enjoyment in everyday life.
• Disorganized speech: Speaking in a way that seems mixed-up, scattered, or hard to follow.
• ​Disorganized or catatonic behavior: Unusual behavior such as talking to oneself, dressing oddly without purpose, or becoming unresponsive or motionless.

Diagnosing schizophrenia

Schizophrenia can look different from person to person, but doctors usually diagnose it when symptoms last at least six months, including at least one month of active symptoms like delusions or hallucinations.

Some people have symptoms like those of schizophrenia, but only for a shorter time. In these cases, it may be called schizophreniform disorder. The symptoms are the same, but they last between one and six months.

Schizoaffective disorder

Schizoaffective disorder is a mental health condition where someone has symptoms of both schizophrenia and either depression or mania at the same time.

To be diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, a person needs to have at least one symptom of psychosis for more than two weeks, along with significant changes in mood.

Delusional disorders

Delusional disorder is a mental health condition where someone has one or more ongoing false beliefs, even when there is clear evidence against them. These beliefs often seem realistic but are misunderstood, like thinking someone is being followed.

Most people with delusional disorder can function well in daily life, and their behavior usually seems normal except for the delusion. Hallucinations are rare and occur only when directly related to the delusion.

Types of delusional disorders:

• Erotomanic type: A false belief that another person is in love with the individual.
• Grandiose type: A false belief involving the individual being responsible for some great talent, insight or having made some important discovery despite acknowledgement from others and evidence.
• Jealous type: A false belief in which the individual believes his/her spouse or partner is unfaithful.
• Persecutory type: A false belief in which the individual believes he or she is being conspired against, cheated, spied on, followed, poisoned, drugged, maliciously maligned, harassed or obstructed in the pursuit of a person’s long-term goals.
• Somatic type: A false belief in which the individual believes he/she has bodily functions or sensations that are not present.
• Mixed type: This applies when there is no one specific delusional theme that predominates a person’s belief system.
• Unspecified type: This applies when the prominent delusion cannot be clearly determined.

Other specified schizophrenia spectrum and psychotic disorders

Other specified schizophrenia spectrum and psychotic disorders is a diagnosis used when someone has clear signs of psychosis or related symptoms but does not fully meet the criteria for a specific disorder like schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. In these cases, doctors explain why the diagnosis is not more specific. For example, symptoms might last only briefly or appear in an unusual way.

Unspecified schizophrenia spectrum and psychotic disorders is the term used when someone has psychotic symptoms, but there is not enough information to make a clear diagnosis.

Want to learn more about schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders?

Finding treatment

To explore mental health treatment and support options, visit our treatment services or support resource sections.