What Are the Early Signs of Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that often causes a split with reality, resulting in patients seeing or hearing things that aren't there.

Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. People who have schizophrenia may lose touch with reality and see or hear things that aren't there, believe things that aren't true, and/or not display emotions. 

It’s not always possible to tell if someone is schizophrenic, but some early signs may include: 

• Depression
• Social withdrawal
• Hostility 
• Suspicion
• Extreme reactions to criticism
• A decline in personal hygiene
• Flat, expressionless gaze
• Inability to cry or express joy 
• Inappropriate laughter or crying
• Oversleeping or insomnia
• Forgetfulness
• Inability to concentrate
• Odd or irrational statements
• Strange use of words or way of speaking

Other signs and symptoms that are often present in people who have schizophrenia may include:

• Abnormal behaviors that occur because of schizophrenia (psychotic manifestations called “positive symptoms”)
  • Hallucinations: hearing, seeing, feeling, smelling, or tasting things that aren't there
  • Delusions: paranoia, believing untrue things, irrational fears
  • Disorganized thinking or speech 
• Normal behaviors that stop because of schizophrenia, are called “negative symptoms”
  • Lack of emotional display or not showing facial expressions (“flat affect”)
  • Not moving or speaking much
  • Lack of basic hygiene
  • No interest in spending time with others or doing things that once were enjoyable
  • Reduced motivation 
  • Difficulty planning, starting and sustaining activities
• Cognitive symptoms affecting thinking and memory 
  • This can cause problems with:
    • Learning and remembering
    • Making sense of new information
    • Solving problems
    • Focusing or paying attention
    • Decision making
    • Understanding speech or other types of communication
• Emotional symptoms
  • Anxiety 
  • Depression