Schizophrenia is a complex and often misunderstood mental health condition characterized by long-term episodes of psychosis that have a significant impact on a person and their ability to function in everyday life. Schizophrenia is a chronic, multifactorial disease, the exact causes of which are not yet fully understood, but schizophrenia is thought to result from an interaction of genetic, biochemical and environmental factors. Schizophrenia usually begins in early adulthood, with males being diagnosed between the ages of 16 and 25 and females a little later.

Types of schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a mental health disorder that has a range of symptoms and can affect a person's thinking, feeling and behaviour. Schizophrenia is a complex condition that includes several different types defined by dominant symptoms or combinations thereof. Identifying the main types of schizophrenia helps doctors apply an individual treatment plan and predict the course of the disease.

Paranoid schizophrenia

Paranoid schizophrenia is the most common type. It is characterized by highly expressed false beliefs (delusions) and auditory hallucinations, usually persecutory or grandiose. Patients may feel that they are being followed or that they are being assigned a special, often mystical, mission. Despite these distorted beliefs and experiences, cognitive functioning often remains relatively intact.

Disorganized schizophrenia

Disorganized schizophrenia, formerly known as hebephrenic schizophrenia, is characterized by marked disorganization of speech and behavior. Patients may have difficulty following a logical conversation, and their speech may be incoherent or unintelligible. Behavior can be unpredictable and independent of social norms. This type also includes emotional flatness or unreasonable emotions that do not match the situation.

Catatonic schizophrenia

Catatonic schizophrenia is a rarer form characterized by extreme motor symptoms, both in the sense of hyperactivity and lack of activity. Patients may experience catatonic stupor, in which they remain immobile or unable to move for long periods of time, or catatonic agitation, in which they become hyperactive and restless. Another feature of this type is maintaining a certain posture for a long time.

Undifferentiated schizophrenia

Undifferentiated schizophrenia includes cases that do not fit into any of the above types, or when the patient has several different types of symptoms that are not pronounced enough to be assigned to a specific type. This is a kind of "catching basket" for diagnosis when the symptoms are too varied or variable.

Residual schizophrenia

Residual schizophrenia is diagnosed in patients who previously had clear symptoms of schizophrenia but now experience primarily negative symptoms such as social withdrawal, emotional withdrawal, lack of motivation, and general apathy. Positive symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations are greatly reduced or completely eliminated.

Treatment for each type of schizophrenia may vary depending on the predominant symptoms and their impact on the patient's quality of life.


What are the symptoms of schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a complex mental disorder defined by a variety of symptoms that affect the patient's thinking, feeling, and behavior. Schizophrenia symptoms can vary greatly between individuals, but can generally be divided into three main categories: positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms. The occurrence and intensity of these symptoms can change over time, and their management is essential in treating schizophrenia and improving patients' quality of life.

Positive symptoms

Positive symptoms add new behaviors or experiences to individuals and include hallucinations, delusions, distorted thinking, and disorganized behavior.

  • Hallucinations are false sensations when a person sees, hears, feels, smells something that is not really there. Auditory hallucinations, such as hearing voices commenting on the person or telling them to do things, are the most common.
  • Delusions are strong false beliefs that persist despite evidence to the contrary. Delusions may be of persecutory, grandiose, or other themes where the patient may believe that he is a special person or that other people are harming him.
  • Disorganized thinking is manifested by difficulty following thoughts or speech. This may indicate that the patient's speech is slurred, incoherent or difficult to understand. Disorganized or strange behavior can include unpredictable or inappropriate behavior in social situations that does not conform to normal norms or the situation.

Negative symptoms

Negative symptoms reflect deficits in normal behavior or feelings, including lack of emotion, language, or initiative, social withdrawal, and lack of activity.

  • Reduced emotional expression means that the person expresses emotions less through facial expressions, gestures or intonation.
  • Lack of speech or initiative (alogia) manifests as reluctance to speak or inability to initiate actions.
  • Social withdrawal and lack of activity indicate the patient's reluctance to participate in social activities or loss of interest in everyday activities and hobbies.

Cognitive symptoms

Cognitive impairment refers to the loss of cognitive functions, including attention, memory, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.

  • Attention and concentration disorders make it difficult to process information and perform tasks.
  • Memory problems are usually related to short-term memory disorders that prevent memorizing new information.
  • Difficulties with decision-making and problem-solving can make it difficult to make everyday decisions and assess situations properly.

How to manage everyday life with schizophrenia?

Managing daily life with schizophrenia is a complex process that requires an integrated approach that includes medical treatment, psychosocial support and adaptation of daily lifestyle. Schizophrenia is a chronic condition that has a significant impact on the patient's social functioning, work ability, family and relationships with other people. Proper management of the disease can help reduce symptoms, improve quality of life, and promote the patient's independence and integration into society.

Medical treatment

  • Antipsychotic therapy: The mainstay of treatment for schizophrenia is the use of antipsychotics, which help control psychotic symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations. It is important to communicate regularly with your doctor so that medication doses can be properly adjusted and the risk of side effects can be reduced.
  • Psychotherapy: Individual or group therapy sessions can help a patient better understand their condition, learn to overcome daily challenges, improve communication skills, and deal with social and emotional difficulties.

Psychosocial support

  • Social skills training: Programs designed to develop social skills can help people with schizophrenia communicate more effectively with others, strengthen their social lives, and improve personal relationships.
  • Occupational therapy: Classes and activities that help develop practical skills and work habits can be very helpful in promoting independence and integration into the labor market.

Daily lifestyle adaptation

  • Balanced diet and physical activity: A balanced diet and regular physical activity can help control side effects of antipsychotics, such as weight gain, and improve overall health.
  • Sleep hygiene: Good sleep is important for reducing stress and maintaining mental health. It's important to develop healthy sleep habits, such as regularly going to bed and getting up at the same time, and avoiding caffeine and screens before bed.
  • Stress management: Stress management techniques, including breathing exercises, yoga or meditation, can help reduce anxiety and improve your emotional state.

Social and community support

  • Patient and family education: Providing information about schizophrenia to patients and their families is vital to understanding how to best support the person with the condition.
  • Community support groups: Participating in community support groups can provide valuable social connections, peer support and practical advice for dealing with everyday challenges.

In managing daily life with schizophrenia, it is important to maintain close cooperation with health care professionals, to seek ongoing psychosocial support and to apply lifestyle adaptations that can help reduce the symptoms of the disease and promote a better quality of life.


Information sources

  1. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine
  2. "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)"
  3. American Journal of Psychiatry
  4. Schizophrenia Bulletin
  5. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

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