4 Warning Signs of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is one of the most debilitating mental illnesses. The onset is later in life so most people don't know what symptoms to look for. You cannot be diagnosed with Schizophrenia until 18 but there are many people who show warning signs earlier than that. Here are 4 of these signs to look out for. According to the DSM IV in order to be diagnosed with Schizophrenia you need to have 2 or more of the following symptoms for at least a month in duration. When the first signs of Schizophrenia begin to show a person might have all of these symptoms for a shorter duration in time.

1)Delusions- This is where a person believes they are something they are not. This can range from them thinking they are Jesus or some other major religious disciple, to thinking they are a celebrity of some sort.

2) Hallucinations- This is where the person believes they are seeing or hearing things that do not exist. This is one of the most difficult parts of having the disorder because the lines between reality and fantasy are not drawn. The person affected with the disorder truly believes what they hear and see to be real.

3)Disorganized Speech- This is when the person speaks incoherently. The sentences do not flow and they are impossible to follow. The might not even speak in full sentences but rather random words that do not belong together.

4)Catatonic Behavior- This is when the person literally sits and doesn't speak or move. The person also neglects their daily hygiene and health and starts to look disheveled.

There are also 3 subtypes for Schizophrenia. If someone is diagnosed with Schizophrenia they will fall into one of these subtypes or Undifferentiated Type which is where they don't meet any of the criteria of the 3 below.

Paranoid- They think the world is after them. They might border up windows, not watch TV, avoid public, and feel that everyone is out to get them.

Disorganized- This is when there is disorganized speech and behavior.

Catatonic- This is when the person won' talk, move, or might repeat speech and movement.

These 4 warning signs might help you be able to recognize if someone you know has the onset of schizophrenia. It is a very hard mental illness to handle but help is out there if you find yourself in a situation with someone who shows signs of schizophrenia.