Schizophrenia 1
Disturbances in perception. Specifically, a person hears, sees, tastes, smells or feels something that does not actually exist. Auditory disturbances are most common; that is, they hear noises or voices, often talking to them or about them.
Hallucinations
These symptoms effect a person's ability to make/carry out plans and to finish tasks. A marked reduction in energy is noted.
Reduced motivation
This group of side effects includes tremors, muscle stiffness and tics. The risk of these movement side effects may be lower with the second-generation medications than with the older drugs.
Extrapyramidal effects
When examining thought content, this type of delusion is the false belief that irrelevant/insignificant remarks, events, or objects have personal meaning or significance. E.g., when someone watches a movie and believes there is a message in the movie that is meant specifically for them.
Ideas of reference
This term refers to rapid, often exaggerated changes in mood, where strong emotions or feelings (e.g., uncontrollable laughing or crying, heightened irritability or temper) occur.
These symptoms effect a person’s ability to connect thoughts and to communicate with others in a way that is clear and logical as their thoughts may be jumbled or blocked. E.g., jumping subject-to-subject; using made-up words; talking about irrelevant/unrelated topics and ideas
Disorganized thought process & speech
Usually one of the earliest symptoms noted. A person may become more sensitive to and aware of other people, or they may withdraw and pay little or no attention to others. The person may become suspicious and worried that others are avoiding them, talking about them or feeling negatively toward them, and begin to spend more time alone.
Social withdrawal
This is a condition that causes people to have repetitive involuntary movements of the tongue, lips, jaw or fingers. The risk of these side effects is highest with first-generation antipsychotics.
Tardive dyskinesia (TD)
The fixed belief that a person's thoughts can be heard or known by people around them, and that their thoughts are being broadcasted by the television, radio, or the internet.
Thought broadcasting
A person experiencing this type of delusion is unable to recognize reality and strongly believe people or groups, like the government, intend to harm/target them. These beliefs are often unrealistic or bizarre. E.g., “My neighbours break into my house at night and steal the clothes out of my closet."
Persecutory
The name for symptoms that add to or distort the person’s normal functioning. These symptoms include delusions, hallucinations and disorganized thought, speech and behaviour
Positive symptoms
Reduced emotional expressiveness. Evidenced by a lack of facial expression, a monotonous voice, fixed or prolonged staring, and less expressive body language than before the illness began.
Reduced emotional expression (flat affect)
This is a rare but serious complication. Signs include fever, muscle stiffness and delirium (e.g., disorientation and confusion). This condition can be life threatening and requires immediate treatment.
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome
This term refers to the outward expression of a person's internal emotions. Often described by terms that range from: constricted, shallow, flat (emotionless), normal.
Affect
The exhibition of unusual styles and levels of physical movement. For example, such a person may move their body erratically or not at all. This state may continue for minutes, hours, even days. This form of motor behaviour is most often characterized by lack of movement and communication.
Catatonia
Firmly held false beliefs that have no basis in fact or in the person’s culture. The person feels so strongly about these beliefs that they will not accept other people’s attempts to argue against or disprove the beliefs
Delusions
These symptoms “take away” from a person’s usual ability to accomplish tasks and enjoy life. They include reduced motivation, social withdrawal, reduced emotional expression, loss of interest and pleasure, and reduced verbal communication.
Negative symptoms
This medication is often used to treat and/or help control extrapyramidal side effects (EPS).
Benztropine (Cogentin)
Usually reported by the patient, this portion of the MSE captures how a patient is feeling internally. Examples include: anxious, sad, depressed, angry, elated, etc.
Mood
When this is experienced, a person stops speaking suddenly and without explanation while in the middle of a sentence. People who experience this symptom may report that they feel like the thought has been removed from their brains.
Thought blocking