Schizophrenia: What is it?

By: Anna Giammanco

Schizophrenia is a mental illness that is usually diagnosed in people between the ages of 16 and 30. The way a person thinks, feels, and behaves can be highly affected by Schizophrenia. Symptoms of this disorder can make functioning and performing everyday tasks very challenging. Symptoms of Schizophrenia can often differ between patients. Symptoms usually fall into three different categories (psychotic, negative, and cognitive).

Psychotic: Symptoms include changes in behavior and a person’s perception of the world. Symptoms vary on how often they occur. For some, symptoms can be less frequent or more frequent.

• Hallucinations: Hallucinations can occur in several forms. One can experience hallucinations visually, aurally, and through perceived taste or smell. Despite feeling very real, these hallucinations aren’t actually happening.
• Delusions: Delusions are powerful beliefs that a person with Schizophrenia has that are untrue and somewhat illogical.
• Ex: believing, voices on TV and Radio are sending special messages.
• Thought disorder: Unusual and nonsensical ways of thinking. Having trouble organizing thoughts and speech. Abnormal pauses in the middle of talking while concentrating on a thought.
• Movement disorder: Abnormal body movements such as repeating movements over and over.

Negative:

• Feeling a loss of motivation or lack of interest in daily activities, Isolating oneself and withdrawal from social life, having trouble functioning.
• Symptoms include: trouble sticking to tasks, feeling pressure in everyday life, having low energy, avoiding social interaction.

Cognitive:

• Having problems with memory and concentrating, having trouble processing information and using information after learning it.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Psychotherapy & Psychiatric Services. Contact our Manhattan, NY or Paramus, NJ offices respectively at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit https://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com