Learning about your loved one exhibiting signs of Schizophrenia or any other mental disorder can be disconcerting. However, educating yourself about the condition and what to look out for can help the affected person get the necessary treatment, manage the illness, and lead a fulfilling life. If left untreated, this condition can have adverse effects. So, read on to learn more about the early and common symptoms, and some Schizophrenia myths.

What is Schizophrenia
Affecting nearly every 1 in 300 people globally, Schizophrenia is a challenging neurological disorder that makes it difficult for people to understand and interpret reality. Although not as common as other psychological disorders, this mental health disorder hinders a person’s ability to think with a clear mind, function normally, manage emotions, and socially interact with others. Delusions, disordered speech, hallucinations, lack of motivation, and thinking challenges are some of the most common signs of Schizophrenia.

While the disorder can occur at any age, the average age of onset for Schizophrenia is late teens to early 20s for men, and late 20s to early 30s for women, following their first episode of psychosis. People affected by Schizophrenia exhibit symptoms that can severely impact daily activities and relationships. Fortunately, with the right support and therapy, many people with this condition have been able to function independently and enjoy rewarding lives.

Early signs of Schizophrenia
In some cases, Schizophrenia can appear without warning. However, the disorder progresses slowly for most people, with subtle signs and a gradual decline in function, before the first severe episode. Most often, family and friends can gauge the change in behavior without knowing the exact reason.

In this early stage, called the prodromal phase, sleep, emotions, motivation, communication, and thoughts may start showing some changes. The affected person may appear more eccentric, emotionless, depressed, and reclusive to others.

Some of the early signs of Schizophrenia include:

Hostility, extreme reaction to criticism
Social withdrawal and depression
Lack of expressions and emotions
A random outburst of inappropriate emotion— laughing or crying
Insomnia or oversleeping
Lack of concentration and memory

Although these signs are not exclusive to Schizophrenia— they can result from a range of causes— they can still be a cause for concern. So, keep an eye out for these early signs, and seek expert advice.

Top 5 Schizophrenia signs
Similar to any illness, the severity, duration, and frequency of symptoms of this mental disorder can vary. Not everyone with Schizophrenia will show all the symptoms; they may also change over time. But, the most common Schizophrenia signs can be categorized into these five categories.

Hallucinations
This group of symptoms includes experiencing sensations that do not exist. While these can include any of the five senses— hearing, sight, touch, smell, and taste— hearing voices and sounds (auditory hallucinations) are the most common in Schizophrenia. The voices usually involve people you know and tend to worsen when alone.

Delusions
These are firmly-held beliefs that a person has that do not change despite clear facts and evidence. Delusions are one of the most common Schizophrenia signs, occurring in 90% of affected individuals. These can include:

Delusions of Grandeur: Belief that one is famous or has special abilities
Delusions of Reference: Thinking that someone on the radio or TV is sending a message just for you
Delusions of Persecution: Belief that someone (“they”) is out to harm you
Delusions of Control: Believing that external forces control your actions and thoughts

Cognitive issues
People with cognitive signs of Schizophrenia often struggle to organize their thoughts, remember things, or complete tasks. This disrupts any goal-oriented activity. In addition, self-care or interacting with others becomes challenging. These issues may appear as:

A lack of impulse control
A decline in daily functions
Lack of awareness that one is ill
Unpredictable emotional responses
Bizarre behavior

Disorganized speech
Schizophrenia patients may have trouble organizing their thoughts, which can lead to speech-related issues. Affected individuals may:

Respond with irrelevant answers
Lose track of what they are talking about
Speak incoherently
Makeup meaningless words that they understand (Neologisms)
Repeat oneself again and again

Negative symptoms
These symptoms refer to the absence of normal behavior, like:

Having no enthusiasm or interest in any activity
Not being able to carry on a conversation
Having trouble with planning and sticking to everyday activities
Limited facial expressions, lack of eye contact, or speaking in a flat voice
Catatonia in rare cases (not moving or talking for a while)

Debunking Schizophrenia Myths

Myth 1: People with Schizophrenia are dangerous

Fact: Although affected people may show violent behavior, they cause no harm to others.

Myth 2: Schizophrenia and split personality are the same

Fact: These are two different mental health disorders. People with Schizophrenia are more distant from reality and do not have split personalities.

While there is no definitive cure for Schizophrenia, timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment plans can help improve the condition to a great extent. Psychotherapy is one of the most effective treatment options to manage the symptoms.