Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsEarly SignsTypes of SymptomsCausesWho Gets It?DiagnosisTreatmentAre People Dangerous?OutlookPreventionNext in Schizophrenia GuideWhat Are the Different Types of Schizophrenia?
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Early Signs
Types of Symptoms
Causes
Who Gets It?
Diagnosis
Treatment
Are People Dangerous?
Outlook
Prevention
Next in Schizophrenia Guide
Schizophrenia is a long-term mental health condition. It’s not the most common mental illness, but it can be the most chronic and disabling. Symptoms may be difficult to diagnose and treat because the person may not be aware they are showing signs of schizophrenia. Symptoms like delusions and hallucinations can vary from person to person.
Even with a proper diagnosis and effective treatment, schizophrenia can be challenging to manage because someone may think they no longer need medication or other support.
There is no cure for schizophrenia, but most symptoms can be effectively treated and quality of life improved.
This article will discuss everything you need to know about schizophrenia, including early signs, causes, diagnosis process, treatment, outlook, and whether schizophrenia can be prevented.
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What Are the Early Signs of Schizophrenia?
Theearly signs of schizophreniainclude slow but steady changes in someone’s mood, thinking, and social functioning. Examples include changing friend groups, sleep problems, irritability, or a noticeable decline in school or work performance.
Early signs often occur in adolescence, making it hard to distinguish between symptoms and nonspecific adolescent behavioral changes.
Psychosis as an Early SignA first episode ofpsychosisis the most telltale early sign of schizophrenia. Psychosis is a mental state in which an individual cannot tell the difference between what’s real or imagined. It occurs when there’s a disruption in typical brain functioning.
Psychosis as an Early Sign
A first episode ofpsychosisis the most telltale early sign of schizophrenia. Psychosis is a mental state in which an individual cannot tell the difference between what’s real or imagined. It occurs when there’s a disruption in typical brain functioning.
What You Need to Know About Prodromal Schizophrenia
Types of Schizophrenia Symptoms
Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia (Psychotic Symptoms)
Positive symptoms are symptoms that deviate from a person’s typical way of thinking, behaving, and experiencing reality (i.e., abnormally present symptoms).Positive symptoms of schizophrenia include:
Disorganized Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Disorganized symptoms include:
The 3 Phases of Schizophrenia
Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia include:
People experiencing cognitive symptoms may not pay attention and process information from conversations or remember medical appointments and other significant events or dates.
Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Negative symptoms in schizophrenia are symptoms in which some aspect of functioning has been withdrawn or lost (i.e., abnormally absent).
Negative symptoms may be mistaken for signs of depression. They include:
Positive and Negative Schizophrenia Symptoms
What Causes Schizophrenia?
Research suggests a combination of risk factors related to genetics and environmental factors influence whether or notsomeone may develop schizophrenia.
Genetic factors can be seen in twin studies. Researchers have found that even if identical twins are raised separately, if one sibling has schizophrenia, the other has a 1 in 2 chance of developing it. For nonidentical twins, there is a 1 in 8 chance.
Environmental factors include:
Cannabis and SchizophreniaThe use of cannabis (marijuana) and psychosis are linked (i.e., cannabis-induced psychosis). Growing evidence suggests people who start using cannabis in their younger years and people who use cannabis frequently have an elevated risk of developing schizophrenia.
Cannabis and Schizophrenia
The use of cannabis (marijuana) and psychosis are linked (i.e., cannabis-induced psychosis). Growing evidence suggests people who start using cannabis in their younger years and people who use cannabis frequently have an elevated risk of developing schizophrenia.
Other possible causes or risk factors include differences in brain structure and neurotransmitter functioning, particularly dopamine and glutamate.Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that send communicative signals throughout the body.
Signs of Drug-Induced Schizophrenia and Treatment Options
Who Gets Schizophrenia?
Anyone can develop schizophrenia. Estimates suggest some 0.25% to 0.64% of U.S. adults are diagnosed with schizophrenia.This doesn’t reflect the number of people living with undiagnosed schizophrenia.
Does Age or Gender Play a Role?It’s rare for people under age 12 or over age 40 to receive schizophrenia diagnosis.Diagnosis typically occurs between the ages of 16 and 30, after a first episode of psychosis.Males often receive a diagnosis earlier in life than females. For example, males may be diagnosed in their teens and early 20s, whereas females may not be diagnosed until their late 20s and early 30s.
Does Age or Gender Play a Role?
It’s rare for people under age 12 or over age 40 to receive schizophrenia diagnosis.Diagnosis typically occurs between the ages of 16 and 30, after a first episode of psychosis.Males often receive a diagnosis earlier in life than females. For example, males may be diagnosed in their teens and early 20s, whereas females may not be diagnosed until their late 20s and early 30s.
It’s rare for people under age 12 or over age 40 to receive schizophrenia diagnosis.Diagnosis typically occurs between the ages of 16 and 30, after a first episode of psychosis.
Males often receive a diagnosis earlier in life than females. For example, males may be diagnosed in their teens and early 20s, whereas females may not be diagnosed until their late 20s and early 30s.
How Childhood Schizophrenia Is Diagnosed
How Is Schizophrenia Diagnosed?
Diagnosis is based on criteria in theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition(DSM-5).It involves a psychiatrist or other trained healthcare provider evaluating symptom history over the past six months and conducting a further examination to rule out other possible symptom causes.
Diagnosis Complications
How Schizophrenia Is Officially Diagnosed
How Is Schizophrenia Treated?
Treatment goals include helping someone manage their symptoms, improve functioning, and achieve life goals.
Current effective treatments include:
Additional care options, if necessary, include:
What Are the Different Types and Benefits of Therapy?
Are People With Schizophrenia Dangerous?
If you or a loved one are struggling with psychosis and are at risk of self-harm, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area. For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
What’s the Outlook for People With Schizophrenia?
People with schizophrenia can lead independent, productive, and rewarding lives. As with any chronic illness, there is a spectrum of how people will respond to treatment and cope over time. Many people may experience symptom remission while others continue to experience symptom relapses. Optimism is said to play a positive role in outcome.
Can Schizophrenia Be Prevented?
Treatments to prevent schizophrenia continue to be studied. While treatment can help prevent symptom relapse, no treatment has yet been shown effective in preventing schizophrenia.More research is necessary to make evidence-based claims about whether prevention is possible due to the complex nature of how mental illness develops.
What Is Mental Health Counseling?
Summary
Schizophrenia is a long-term mental health condition with a spectrum of symptoms ranging in severity. Causes are complex and involve genetic and environmental factors. Schizophrenia can affect anyone. There is no cure or known prevention for schizophrenia. Getting a diagnosis can be complicated.
Several treatments can reduce symptoms and improve all aspects of everyday functioning. People with schizophrenia are no more violent or dangerous than anyone else.
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Alliance of Mental Illness.Schizophrenia.National Institute of Mental Health.What is schizophrenia?World Health Organization.Schizophrenia.American Psychiatric Association.What is schizophrenia?National Alliance on Mental Illness.Schizophrenia.National Health Service.Schizophrenia.Stilo SA, Murray RM.Non-genetic factors in schizophrenia.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2019;21(10):100. doi:10.1007/s11920-019-1091-3Lieberman JA, Small SA, Girgis RR.Early detection and preventive intervention in schizophrenia: From fantasy to reality.AJP. 2019;176(10):794-810. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2019.19080865
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Alliance of Mental Illness.Schizophrenia.National Institute of Mental Health.What is schizophrenia?World Health Organization.Schizophrenia.American Psychiatric Association.What is schizophrenia?National Alliance on Mental Illness.Schizophrenia.National Health Service.Schizophrenia.Stilo SA, Murray RM.Non-genetic factors in schizophrenia.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2019;21(10):100. doi:10.1007/s11920-019-1091-3Lieberman JA, Small SA, Girgis RR.Early detection and preventive intervention in schizophrenia: From fantasy to reality.AJP. 2019;176(10):794-810. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2019.19080865
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Alliance of Mental Illness.Schizophrenia.National Institute of Mental Health.What is schizophrenia?World Health Organization.Schizophrenia.American Psychiatric Association.What is schizophrenia?National Alliance on Mental Illness.Schizophrenia.National Health Service.Schizophrenia.Stilo SA, Murray RM.Non-genetic factors in schizophrenia.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2019;21(10):100. doi:10.1007/s11920-019-1091-3Lieberman JA, Small SA, Girgis RR.Early detection and preventive intervention in schizophrenia: From fantasy to reality.AJP. 2019;176(10):794-810. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2019.19080865
National Alliance of Mental Illness.Schizophrenia.
National Institute of Mental Health.What is schizophrenia?
World Health Organization.Schizophrenia.
American Psychiatric Association.What is schizophrenia?
National Alliance on Mental Illness.Schizophrenia.
National Health Service.Schizophrenia.
Stilo SA, Murray RM.Non-genetic factors in schizophrenia.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2019;21(10):100. doi:10.1007/s11920-019-1091-3
Lieberman JA, Small SA, Girgis RR.Early detection and preventive intervention in schizophrenia: From fantasy to reality.AJP. 2019;176(10):794-810. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2019.19080865
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