Schizophrenia is one of many mental disorders that include chronic psychotic symptoms, so distinguishing this condition from other psychotic disorders can sometimes be tricky. To make such distinctions, clinicians will often assess whether psychotic symptoms occur together with a mood episode, or whether significant cognitive impairment is present, among recognizing other signs and symptoms.
Though not an official diagnostic term, what are often called the positive symptoms of schizophrenia refer to abnormal features that are present (as opposed to absent).
Common positive symptoms of schizophrenia include:
In contrast to the positive symptoms above, the negative symptoms of schizophrenia refer to the absence of typical, common, or normal features that most individuals regularly exhibit.
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia include the following:
Though not yet an official diagnostic criterion for a DSM V diagnosis of schizophrenia, the onset of schizophrenia is often preceded by or accompanied by a marked reduction in cognitive functioning. According to research, neurocognitive functioning for those with schizophrenia can be significantly below neurotypical individuals in certain aspects of mental functioning.3,4
Cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia include impairment of the following:
The prodromal phase of schizophrenia is a period that can last up to 24 months before an individual meets full criteria for the illness. During this phase, some early warning signs may include isolated symptoms of the illness, along with a significant decline in IQ, general cognitive functioning, academic achievement, communication skills, or verbal memory. In contrast to schizophrenia, other disorders that may also have psychotic symptoms, like depression with psychotic features, don’t typically include such a drastic reduction in cognitive (and especially verbal) functioning.
The onset of schizophrenia in children and adolescents is often insidious—rather than acute—with the illness typically developing for many months before the first psychotic symptoms manifest, usually in the form of auditory hallucinations and delusions. Further complicating the diagnosis of schizophrenia in children and adolescents is that other childhood disorders— such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), pervasive developmental disorder, depression, conduct disorder can resemble the early signs of schizophrenia. Furthermore, treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with high doses of psychostimulants (like Vyvanse), as well as heavy cannabis use, can trigger psychotic symptoms that mimic schizophrenia.5
Some warning signs of schizophrenia may include the following:
Source : Choosingtherapy.com