Schizophrenia is one of the most common mental illnesses. At the same time, thinking, emotional sphere, perception suffer. Motivation and interest in new things, the desire to communicate with people disappear. Delusions and hallucinations are noted.
Thinking, speech, and emotional disorders in schizophrenia
Schizophrenia as a mental illness encompasses many symptoms that are not caused by any organic damage. Intelligence does not suffer either. The main thought disorder is delirium. Delirium usually has a specific content, it is concentrated around a specific topic. It seems to the patient that he is being pursued or controlled by some forces. Ideas of sinfulness, illness, personal greatness, or, conversely, insignificance and vulnerability are frequent. The more the disease progresses, the more the patient is confident in his ideas.
Thinking disorders also include the sensation of transmitting thoughts to other people, putting other people's thoughts into the head by some forces from the outside. The process of generalization is distorted, the patient cannot single out the main thing and constantly clings to insignificant signs. Reasoning is noted - lengthy pretentious reasoning on insignificant reasons. Subjects for patients with schizophrenia are ambiguous, because their judgments proceed simultaneously in several directions. The purposefulness of thinking also suffers, which makes it unproductive.
In schizophrenia, there are speech disorders. The lexicon of patients becomes peculiar, using independently invented word forms. The speech is inexpressive, the patient almost does not change intonation, he has poor facial expressions. There is a tendency to rhyme statements. Emotional disturbances in schizophrenia are very distinct, first of all, it is the poverty of emotions and coldness. The patient looks aloof and reacts poorly to stimulation. On the other hand, the emotional response to stimuli associated with the topic of delusion can be exaggeratedly intense.
Personality and movement disorders
Among personality disorders, autism and changes in the motivational-need sphere are noted. Autism is characterized by the disappearance of social orientation. The patient is not looking for communication, is not guided in his behavior by the assessment of other people. The circle of interests narrows, nothing prompts to activity, everything previously interesting loses its meaning. There is no desire to do anything, although in theory the patient knows the necessary procedure. Emotional attachment to loved ones disappears. Only moments related to the content of delirium can motivate to action.
There is a form of schizophrenia in which movement disorders are also observed. The patient may fall into a stupor or extreme motor excitement. He categorically does not want to get out of the stupor, holding a bizarre and even uncomfortable-looking pose. When excited, the patient moves quickly, screams and can harm anyone.
