Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia can cause:

• Positive symptoms – In this case, "positive" does not mean "good." Positive symptoms are abnormal experiences or behaviors that occur because of schizophrenia. Examples of positive symptoms include: 
  
  • Hallucinations – These are when you hear, see, feel, smell, or taste things that aren't there. For example, people with schizophrenia often hear voices in their head telling them to do things when there isn't really anyone talking. 
  • Delusions – These are when you believe things that are not true. For example, people with schizophrenia sometimes believe that they are a famous person who is dead. 
  • Disorganized thinking or speech – People with schizophrenia have trouble thinking in an organized way. They can talk a lot about many things before getting to the point. Sometimes, they make up words or say things that do not make any sense. 
• Negative symptoms – In this case, "negative" does not mean "bad." Negative symptoms are normal behaviors that stop because of schizophrenia. Examples of negative symptoms include: 
  
  • Not showing much emotion and not changing your facial expression 
  • Not moving or talking much 
  • Not taking showers or keeping clean 
  • Not having much interest in spending time with people or having fun 
• Cognitive symptoms – Cognitive symptoms are symptoms that affect thinking and memory. People with schizophrenia have trouble: 
  
  • Learning and remembering 
  • Understanding speech or other forms of communication 
  • Making sense of new information 
  • Solving problems 
• Emotional symptoms – People with schizophrenia often also have symptoms of anxiety or depression. 

• At Health & Psychiatry, Dr. Sajan and her team perform an initial psychiatric evaluation for all new patients seeking help for their schizophrenia. She uses the information gathered during the assessment to identify the biological, psychological, and social factors that play a role in your symptoms. 
• Your treatment plan may include: 
  
  • Medication that help control symptoms  
  • Different types of counseling and support.