Changes

Positive symptoms are easy-to-spot behaviors not seen in healthy people and usually involve a loss of contact with reality. They include hallucinations, [[delusions]], thought disorder, and disorders of movement. Positive symptoms can come and go. Sometimes they are severe and at other times hardly noticeable, depending on whether the individual is receiving treatment.

Positive symptoms are easy-to-spot behaviors not seen in healthy people and usually involve a loss of contact with reality. They include hallucinations, [[delusions]], thought disorder, and disorders of movement. Positive symptoms can come and go. Sometimes they are severe and at other times hardly noticeable, depending on whether the individual is receiving treatment.

'''Hallucinations:'''  A hallucination is something a person sees, hears, smells, or feels that no one else experiences. "Voices" (auditory hallucinations) are the most common type of hallucination in schizophrenia. Many people with the disorder hear voices that may comment on their behavior, order them to do things, warn them of impending danger, or talk to each other (usually about the patient). They may hear these voices for a long time before family and friends notice that something is wrong. Other types of hallucinations include seeing people or objects that are not there (visual hallucinations), smelling odors that no one else detects (olfactory hallucinations - although this can also be a symptom of certain brain tumors), feeling things like invisible fingers touching their bodies (tactile hallucinations)when no one is near and tasting things when there is no substance present in the person's mouth (gustatory hallucinations).

*'''Hallucinations:'''  A hallucination is something a person sees, hears, smells, or feels that no one else experiences. "Voices" (auditory hallucinations) are the most common type of hallucination in schizophrenia. Many people with the disorder hear voices that may comment on their behavior, order them to do things, warn them of impending danger, or talk to each other (usually about the patient). They may hear these voices for a long time before family and friends notice that something is wrong. Other types of hallucinations include seeing people or objects that are not there (visual hallucinations), smelling odors that no one else detects (olfactory hallucinations - although this can also be a symptom of certain brain tumors), feeling things like invisible fingers touching their bodies (tactile hallucinations)when no one is near and tasting things when there is no substance present in the person's mouth (gustatory hallucinations).

'''Delusions''':  Delusions are false personal beliefs that are not part of the person's culture and do not change, even when other people present proof that the beliefs are not true or logical. People with schizophrenia can have delusions that are quite bizarre, such as believing that neighbors can control their behavior with magnetic waves, people on television are directing special messages to them, or radio stations are broadcasting their thoughts aloud to others. They may also have delusions of grandeur and think they are famous historical figures or that they are highly important. People with paranoid schizophrenia can believe that others are deliberately cheating, harassing, poisoning, spying upon, or plotting against them or the people they care about. These beliefs are called delusions of persecution. In addition, individuals may experience ideas of reference, whereby they may experience messages from the TV, radio or newspaper meant specifically for them, that no-one else can see/hear or understand. Ideas of reference can also include "secret signals" from other people, such as the way an innocent person across the road stops to let someone pass, or the way in which a receptionist holds the telephone.

*'''Delusions''':  Delusions are false personal beliefs that are not part of the person's culture and do not change, even when other people present proof that the beliefs are not true or logical. People with schizophrenia can have delusions that are quite bizarre, such as believing that neighbors can control their behavior with magnetic waves, people on television are directing special messages to them, or radio stations are broadcasting their thoughts aloud to others. They may also have delusions of grandeur and think they are famous historical figures or that they are highly important. People with paranoid schizophrenia can believe that others are deliberately cheating, harassing, poisoning, spying upon, or plotting against them or the people they care about. These beliefs are called delusions of persecution. In addition, individuals may experience ideas of reference, whereby they may experience messages from the TV, radio or newspaper meant specifically for them, that no-one else can see/hear or understand. Ideas of reference can also include "secret signals" from other people, such as the way an innocent person across the road stops to let someone pass, or the way in which a receptionist holds the telephone.

'''Thought Disorder''':  People with schizophrenia often have unusual thought processes. One dramatic form is disorganized thinking, in which the person has difficulty organizing his or her thoughts or connecting them logically. Speech may be garbled or hard to understand. Another form is "thought blocking," in which the person stops abruptly in the middle of a thought. When asked why, the person may say that it felt as if the thought had been taken out of his or her head. Finally, the individual might make up unintelligible words, or "[[neologisms]]." In addition, some people experience having their thoughts "removed" from their minds (thought withdrawal), that others are putting thoughts into their head (thought insertion) or that everyone can hear the indvidiual's thoughts (thought broadcast).

*'''Thought Disorder''':  People with schizophrenia often have unusual thought processes. One dramatic form is disorganized thinking, in which the person has difficulty organizing his or her thoughts or connecting them logically. Speech may be garbled or hard to understand. Another form is "thought blocking," in which the person stops abruptly in the middle of a thought. When asked why, the person may say that it felt as if the thought had been taken out of his or her head. Finally, the individual might make up unintelligible words, or "[[neologisms]]." In addition, some people experience having their thoughts "removed" from their minds (thought withdrawal), that others are putting thoughts into their head (thought insertion) or that everyone can hear the indvidiual's thoughts (thought broadcast).

'''Disorders of Movement''': People with schizophrenia can be clumsy and uncoordinated. They may also exhibit involuntary movements and may grimace or exhibit unusual mannerisms. Such movements are often side effects of the anti-psychotic medications used to treat the primary symptoms of schizophrenia (Tardive Dyskinesia - TD - or Extra-Pyramidal Side Effects - EPSEs).  They may repeat certain motions over and over or, in extreme cases, may become catatonic. Catatonia is a state of immobility and unresponsiveness. It was more common when treatment for schizophrenia was not available; fortunately, it is now rare.

*'''Disorders of Movement''': People with schizophrenia can be clumsy and uncoordinated. They may also exhibit involuntary movements and may grimace or exhibit unusual mannerisms. Such movements are often side effects of the anti-psychotic medications used to treat the primary symptoms of schizophrenia (Tardive Dyskinesia - TD - or Extra-Pyramidal Side Effects - EPSEs).  They may repeat certain motions over and over or, in extreme cases, may become catatonic. Catatonia is a state of immobility and unresponsiveness. It was more common when treatment for schizophrenia was not available; fortunately, it is now rare.

== Negative symptoms ==

== Negative symptoms ==