VERIFIED CONTENTAuthor: lek. Tomasz Nęcki

Schizophrenia is constantly recognized as one of the most serious mental diseases and indeed, if left untreated, it can have an extremely negative impact on the lives of patients. Effective treatment, however, allows patients to function normally, but in order to apply it, it is necessary first to diagnose the disease. The sooner the patient starts taking the appropriate medications, the better, which is why knowing the early symptoms of schizophrenia is beneficial.

Schizophrenia is a disease that typically begins in early adulthood, but both children and the elderly can struggle with it. The most associated symptoms are usually delusions and hallucinations, in practice, however, firstly, they do not always dominate the clinical picture, and secondly, psychotic symptoms may not necessarily be the first symptoms of schizophrenia.

The disease may begin with the appearance of really various ailments, including mood and social functioning.

Early symptoms of schizophrenia: changes in mood and emotional expression

One of the early symptoms of schizophrenia ischanges in the patient's behaviorthat his relatives may associate with the onset of depressive disorders.

We are talking about such problems as e.g. low mood, but also its significant fluctuations. Characteristic for psychotic disorders is also the reduction of affect, i.e. the weakening of emotional expression - patients with schizophrenia may seem completely devoid of feeling emotions and they may have the same face both when something very good happens in their life and when something very good happens. them having extreme negative experiences.

In the course of schizophrenia, anhedonia, i.e. the loss of the ability to feel happiness, may also appear. Sometimes it happens that patients completely abandon their previous interests, even those they previously focused all their attention on.

Early symptoms of schizophrenia: withdrawal from social life

One of the first symptoms of schizophrenia ischanges in social functioning . It is not uncommon that the person with whoma psychotic process develops, she begins to isolate herself from people close to her - both friends and family members. Importantly, it is usually difficult to find a rational justification for such a procedure - the patient may suddenly, without any reason, begin to spend time alone.

Early symptoms of schizophrenia: bizarre behavior

A potential symptom of schizophrenia that should definitely not be underestimated is the variousbizarre behavior . A sick person may start collecting various, completely useless things - considered by others to be rubbish - and claiming that they are of extraordinary value. It may also happen that he will start to accumulate huge stocks of food products, the reasons for which he will not be able or will not want to explain.

In the case of schizophrenia, there may also be a situation in which the sick person begins to dress completely differently than usual, or to make unusually flashy, bizarre makeup. It should be especially disturbing when this type of behavior appears in a person who previously dressed even too ordinary on a daily basis, in a way that did not distinguish him from the crowd.

Early symptoms of schizophrenia: suspicion and unusual beliefs

Above has already been mentioned some of the symptoms most associated with schizophrenia, which are delusions .However, before the patient starts to display strongly delusional beliefs, he may have some other, less inherently unbelievable statements.

In the early stages of schizophrenia, patientscan be very suspicious- this may also be the source of their tendency to isolate themselves from other people. They may be convinced that others envy them, want to hurt them in some way, or that the whole world - family members or work colleagues - has allied against the patient.

Initially, the patient may appear to be somewhat critical of his own judgment, yet it can be difficult to convince him that he is actually wrong and that no one is going to act against him.

Early symptoms of schizophrenia: cognitive impairment

A problem that may be one of the first symptoms of the psychotic process iscognitive deterioration . It is especially evident in adolescents who develop schizophrenia - they may suddenly begin to struggle with learning difficulties for no reason.

As with students, problems with concentration or remembering can be easily identified by observing thatThey get worse grades, so in adults the diagnosis of cognitive dysfunctions is sometimes more difficult, but it is not impossible. Above all, a situation in which a previously well-organized and successful professional person begins to have problems with performing even the simplest activities should arouse vigilance.

Early symptoms of schizophrenia: unpredictability

Patients with schizophrenia can beunpredictable- sometimes they get very angry for no reason, and there are also situations in which they will experience seizures without any reason unrestrained laughing or crying.

It happens that in the initial stage of schizophrenia, patients use completely incomprehensible words, and that it is difficult to communicate with the patient - it happens that during conversations the patient talks about one thing, and the interlocutor about something completely different and all attempts to bring the patient back to the original topic of discussion may fail.

Early symptoms of schizophrenia: why should you start treatment as soon as possible?

The period preceding the onset of full-blown schizophrenia is sometimes referred to as the prepsychotic state (prodrome). In some people, there are clear indications of schizophrenia, while in others, the symptoms are so discreet that even exceptionally experienced psychiatrists find it difficult to identify the existence of this problem.

Regardless of whether the patient shows more or less severe potential early symptoms of schizophrenia, it is definitely worth visiting a specialist if in doubt.

Scientists still do not agree as to whether it is justified to start treatment with antipsychotic drugs in people with a prepsychotic condition. However, it is worth considering the opinion of those who postulate that the duration of untreated psychosis may affect the prognosis of patients.

It is suggested that the longer the time elapses from the onset of the first symptoms of schizophrenia to the commencement of its treatment, the worse the prognosis of patients may be. Ultimately, when something bothers the relatives of a potentially ill person, it is not worth delaying - it is best to start persuading them to visit a specialist as soon as possible, because it is often difficult to convince a person suffering from schizophrenia to seek specialist help.

Category:

Psychiatry