Signs You Have Schizophrenia

Delayed Development Of Motor Skills

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If, as a child, it took you longer than normal to start walking, it could be a very early sign that you will develop schizophrenia as you grow up. This doesn't always appear at the same time and can be different for everyone. So maybe ask your parents when you learned to walk!

Not Developing Language Skills Quickly

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This is another early development problem that can be a sign of schizophrenia. If you, or a child you know struggles or struggled to start speaking meaningful phrases before they're three years old they might be at risk. This isn't the only thing that can cause this though!

Slow Social Development

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Another early sign of schizophrenia is not developing ways to communicate without words at an early age. This includes the use of gestures like pointing or waving, or failing to use suitable facial expressions to portray the emotions you're feeling.

Struggling To Concentrate

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We all get distracted at some point or another, whether it's by the TV, our phones or something else. But, especially in teenagers, if they struggle to stay on task it could be a sign of early schizophrenia. This also goes for spacing out in social situations or at school!

A Decline In Function

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If your teenage self suffered from a small decline in function during your teenage years then you may suffer from schizophrenia. Some people suffered from a decline in mental function before being diagnosed. Maybe you were comfortable at something but then began struggling!

Wanting To Stay Inside

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If you find yourself wanting to stay inside your home then this could be another sign. Especially if you haven't always been this way, for example, as a child or young teenager you were always up for getting some fresh air, but as you've grown up you find yourself introverting!

Feeling Lonely

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Schizophrenia isn't the only thing that can cause you to feel lonely, but we all know this isn't a feeling that anyone would want to get used to. This is more of a problem if you feel as though you're lonely when you are actually surrounded by a wide group of people who support and appreciate you.

Feeling Depressed

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Depression and loneliness often, unfortunately, come hand in hand. Depression can be one of the toughest battles that anyone can face, often feeling as though things just aren't going to get better. Things do always tend to get better though, and there are plenty of people you can talk to who can help!

Increased Levels Of Aggression

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If you are normally a calm and composed person, but you have recently found yourself becoming more annoyed and aggressive towards either yourself or others it could be a sign of schizophrenia. This is another thing that can be controlled, and something that can be mitigated against.

Having Auditory Hallucinations

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Some people who suffer from schizophrenia often claim to hear sounds that turn out to be false perceptions. Essentially, they are hearing things in their heads that others obviously can't hear. These often appear to be loud noises, whispers or constant murmering.

You're Sensitive To Sounds Or Light

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Now, we all hate being surprised by a loud bang attacking our ears or a blinding light penetrating our eyes. But if you find quiet noises or dim lights causing you annoyance or other problems this could be another sign. It might be worth determining what you can and can't handle looking at or hearing.

Talking To Yourself

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Spending a lot of time talking to yourself, having real conversations and even laughing at yourself could also be a sign of schizophrenia. Especially if this affects the relationships you have with other people around you. This also shouldn't be mixed in with children who have imaginary friends which is common.

Closing Off Your Emotions

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If you are unable to communicate your emotions to other people, choosing to remain closed off emotionally, you could be suffering. This usually occurs because they end up only trusting themselves, or they might feel as though no one else will be able to help them. Some people even feel embarrassment.

Having Visual Hallucinations

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This might be one of the most well-documented and publicised symptoms of schizophrenia. This isn't necessarily seeing imaginary people but typically they see streaks or flashing lights or even sometimes flashing dark patches. These often begin occuring during early childhood.

Constantly Thinking About Your Failures

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Another common occurrence of people suffering with schizophrenia is that they are unable to go about their daily lives without constantly dwelling on their former failures, or any small problems they can see within themselves. They also might ponder around their past disappointments.

Unnecessarily Hating Someone

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This is somewhat similar to being aggressive or annoyed, but more focused on a particular person. The resentment you might hold over someone is likely unwarranted and something you are overthinking in your head. This can often be a problem between children and their parents.

Not Understanding Non-Verbal Cues

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Not only might you struggle with your own non-verbal queues but you also might not understand what other people are trying to communicate to you. This is typically a problem when trying to comprehend what people mean by their tone of voice, their facial expressions or body language.

Lack Of Personal Hygiene

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Another symptom that can also cause other problems, as well as problems for the people around you. This doesn't necessarily mean they don't shower (although it can mean this), but it can also mean their is a lack of normal rules, like brushing their teeth everyday or using deodorant.

Laughing At Bad Times

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Sometimes, in an awkward moment our body goes to laugh at something that is really inappropriate. If this occurs too regularly then it could be a sign of schizophrenia; it can happen when someone is told news like someone has died or someone is extremely ill.

Having Hazy Thoughts

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People with schizophrenia will believe that their thoughts are being controlled by someone else. Or that things they are reading are causing their thoughts to become misty and they can't comprehend what is going on. This can cause some disorganised behaviour.

You Don't Want To Have S*x

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Having a low libido can be another sign of schizophrenia, and this is likely because they don't want to spend so much time with another person. Unfortunately, relationships can suffer massively as a result of schizophrenia sufferers, especially romantic relationships.

Fluctuating Mood

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As we have already seen, the mood of a schizophrenia sufferer can be affected by what seems to be the smallest of changes. Therefore it is no surprise to find out that mood changes are common. This could be both positive and negative mood changes, angry or extremely happy.

Shifting Converation Topics

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We've already seen that schizophrenia sufferers can be easily distracted by their environment, so it probably isn't surprising to know that this can affect conversations they're having. Something they see around them might end up directing the conversation.

Believing You're Possessed

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Unfortunately, on e of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia is that they believe that their actions or the direction of their life is being controlled by an evil force. This could be a character they've conjured in their head or they have misinterpreted something they have seen or read.

Anxiety

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Anxiety appears to be a common symptom across a number of illnesses that affect our mental wellbeing. We often seem to shrink back in to ourselves when it comes to our thoughts being attacked and schizophrenia isn't any different. You might find yourself hiding away.

Regressive Changes In Behaviour

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As with going backwards in something you were previously good at, you can also regress in terms of the way your mind works. Sometimes older people's behaviour can regress so that its more reminiscent of something that a child would do. An example would be a 30 year old throwing a childs tantrum.

Inventing Words

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Sometimes, your mind might become so misty and so hazy that you result in trying to find your own way around the problems. On occasion, it has been seen that schizophrenia sufferers have invented their own words to represent things that make no sense to anyone around them.

Confusing Speech

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Not only might you end up creating your own words, your normal English might become convoluted and other people won't understand what it is you're trying to communicate to them. For example, your grammar might go out the window and the words are all coming out in the wrong order.

Wearing Inappropriate Clothing

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Every town or city has those people that always seem to be wearing the wrong clothing for the weather. They might be wearing a big winter coat during the boiling summer, or they might have shorts and a cap on during heavy snowfall. This can be another sign of schizophrenia.

Staring Without Blinking

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I suppose this falls under the category of getting distracted easily or spacing out. Some people have been known to get so distracted their face loses all emotion and they can't focus on anything but this one singular point in their vision. It's also unlikely that they realise they're even doing it!

You Don't Feel Like You Enjoy Anything Anymore

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There are a few mental health issues that can be blamed for feeling a lack of enjoyment over anything you used to love: depression and anxiety are common ones, but schizophrenia is also one of them. You might be feeling a general lack of pleasure over anything at all.

Your Voice Has Gone Flat

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People with this condition can often speak with a flat voice that doesn't have any emotional range. It can often be offputting for people who don't understand because it could seem like you're not interested in the conversation or that you can't speak properly.

And Your Face Doesn't Really Show Emotion When You're Talking

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The same can apply to the emotions showing on your face, too. You might both have a monotone and flat voice, and an expressionless face. This can result in you seeming completely 'out of it' and not really expressing yourself during a conversation or exchange.

You've Completely Withdrawn

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You don't want to make plans with friends, family, colleagues... anyone anymore. Even the thought of nipping out of the house for grocery is something you don't have the energy for. You've become completely withdrawn, staying in and spending time alone rather than with anyone else.

And People Have A Hard Time Getting An Answer Out Of You

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It's not only that you've been physically withdrawn from spending time with people, but you're also out of reach through any technology. You might read messages and choose not to reply them, and when people need an answer about something, you constantly dodge the question.

You've Stopped Showering

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It's easy to drop personal hygiene habits when you have schizophrenia, and the natural next step can be to stop taking care of yourself in terms of showering and washing yourself every day. You might have noticed you've gone a lot of days without even thinking about a shower.

You Can't Get Started With New Tasks

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People with schizophrenia can have a lot of trouble sticking to a schedule or staying focused on a task, which also makes it difficult to start one to begin with. The idea that you'll have to stick to a schedule - or maybe because you just know you can't focus - can be enough to put you off.

Or You Start, And Never Finish

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If there are certain times when starting something new is unavoidable, such as for a work task or you're being pressured into it, the likelihood is that people with schizophrenia can start something but then drift away from it and never finish it. You're not someone who can finish what they started.

Your Memory Might Have Taken A Hit

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People with schizophrenia can have a lot of trouble with their working memory, especially if they're being asked to remember a lot of things at once. What can often happen is you'll forget another piece of information if you've just learned a new one recently because you can't handle everything at once.

You Easily Forget Simple Instructions, Too

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Simple instructions are a key example of where your memory could go wrong! A person with schizophrenia who's just been given a new set of simple instructions can get them muddled if they have other things to remember at the same time. If you're given a phone number, date and instructions altogether, for example, you might forget at least one of these things.

You Might Hallucinate Certain Scents

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Hallucinations that come with schizophrenia can also relate to what you can smell. You can hallucinate certain scents when in reality these smells aren't anywhere around. There are a couple of health conditions that can be indicated by smelling things that aren't really there.

You See Lights

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One of the hallucinations a person with schizophrenia may also experience is seeing bright lights that aren't actually there. You might see these lights in the distance on a road, flashing around in your room or just light where there shouldn't be any light.

You Get Paranoid About Bad Tastes

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Another hallucination a person with schizophrenia can have is taste - you may start to taste things that you shouldn't be tasting. With this one, it can actually be good or bad tastes, but with the latter, bad taste hallucinations can make you paranoid about someone trying to harm you through your food, or poisoning you.

You Have Very Grand Delusions

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Delusions can come in different shapes and sizes when you have schizophrenia, and one of the most well known is 'grand delusions', which is where you believe you're someone really important, really well-known or a 'big deal' when in reality, you're not. You might think you're a different person, like a celeb or politician.

Or Very Simple Ones

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Delusions don't have to be huge and grand, though. You can have smaller, everyday delusions about a variety of things. These include thinking you're being stalked, thinking a celebrity is in love with, thinking you have a connection with a god or even that a demon is after you.

You Think You Have Weird Health Issues

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You might also get paranoid or delusional about the state of your health - and it can be a lot different to just thinking you're ill with the flu all the time. People with schizophrenia might think that they have a variety of issues like alien cosmic rays burning your skin.

Jumbled Speech

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You can have a very hard time organizing your thoughts when you have schizophrenia, so when you're trying to voice your opinion out load or speak your mind, this can come out in a tumble of words and be confusing to hear. You may find it hard to string a sentence together.

You Make Repetitive Movements

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People with schizophrenia can often carry out repetitive movements as a sort of jumpy or fidgety manner, like maybe waving out your hand repetitively or moving your head from side to side. The movements might be subtle, or something you just do again and again when you're talking.

Or You Might Not Move At All For Ages

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That being said, it doesn't mean that people with schizophrenia will be constantly moving about. With this condition, you could also go a long time without moving whatsoever. This can be described as being in a 'catatonic' state where you're just led or sat there without moving for hours at a time.

You Struggle To Follow Along

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Because you find it very difficult to organize your own thoughts or speak your mind, you could also find it difficult to follow along with what other people are saying. This can make being around a lot of people talking all at once very difficult. You might struggle to keep up in conversation.