Although it is not formally recognized as part of the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia, numerous studies subcategorize the symptoms of schizophrenia in 5 dimensions.
Delusions: They are a type of positive symptoms of schizophrenia. They usually lead to errors in the interpretation of perceptions or experiences. The most frequent delusional content in schizophrenia is the persecutory type, but there may be other thematic varieties, including referential, somatic, religious or grandiose.
Hallucinations: They are also a type of positive symptom of schizophrenia and can occur in any sensory channell (auditory, visual, olfactory, gustatory or tactile), although auditory hallucinations are by far the most frequent and characteristic of schizophrenia.
Positive symptoms of schizophrenia generally reflect an excess of normal function and, in addition to delusions and hallucinations, may include distortions or exaggerations of language and communication (disorganized speech) as well as behavior (extremely disorganized, catatonic, or agitated).
The positive symptoms of schizophrenia are well known because they are dramatic, they are often the reason for taking a patient to professional medical attention, and they also lead to legal interventions; They are also the main objective of antipsychotic drug treatments.
Classically 5 types of schizophrenia symptoms are distinguished:
Praise: Communication dysfunction. Restriction in the fluency and productivity of thought and speech.
Flattened or dull affect: Restriction in the range and intensity of emotional expression.
Social isolation: Reduction of social and interactive impulse.
Anhedonia: Reduced ability to experience pleasure.
Abulia: Reduced desire, motivation, or persistence. Restrictions on the initiation of goal-oriented behaviors.
The negative symptoms of schizophrenia are usually considered as a limitation of normal functions and are usually associated with prolonged hospitalizations and poor social functioning. Although this reduction in normal functions may not be as striking as the positive symptoms, it is interesting to appreciate that the negative symptoms of schizophrenia are what ultimately determine whether a patient will have a good or bad evolution.
Obviously, when positive symptoms are out of control, patients will present a disruption in their ability to relate to other people, but it will be the degree of negative symptoms that determines in the long term whether they can live independently, maintain stable social relationships or rejoin working life.
The symptoms of schizophrenia are the limitation of attention and the limitation for information processing, manifested as disturbances in verbal fluency (ability to produce spontaneous language), difficulties in learning series and limitation in executive function (problems that require fixed attention in a sustained way, concentration, prioritization and modulation of behavior based on social norms)
In a summarized way we can group the cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia in the following list:
Symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hostility, the abusive verbal behaviors and the explicit violence can occur as a reflection of the presence of positive symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations and can be confused with positive symptoms.
Behavioral interventions can be especially helpful in preventing violence linked to poor impulsivity through reduction of provocations from the environment.
The affective symptoms of schizophrenia are frequently related to this disease, but this does not necessarily mean that they meet the diagnostic criteria for a comorbid anxiety or an affective disorder..
However the depressed mood, anxious mood, guilt, tension, irritability, and worry frequently accompany schizophrenia.
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