Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that may include hallucinations, delusions and severely disordered thinking. This is a lifelong condition that can be managed efficiently if symptoms are caught early:
1. Social withdrawal
Among the many symptoms of schizophrenia, social withdrawal can be the most noticeable, at least in adults. Social withdrawal from friends and family is not necessarily unusual as a teenager but when a normally outgoing adult begins to change it is more noticeable. A sudden tendency to avoid social situations or to lose contact with people they were formerly close to can be signs of a troubled mind.
2. Hostility and suspiciousness
As the mind becomes more confused reality starts to blur and the sufferer can’t tell reality from delusion. This can cause the patient to become hostile to and scared of the people around them. They are not sure who to trust, even minor things seem terrifying and potentially threatening towards them. If a person begins to act as if something mundane that you have done is terrible and they become uncontrollably angry it could be a sign of the onset of schizophrenia.
3. Deterioration of personal hygiene
Those who suffer from schizophrenia often lose focus on the basics of life such as taking care of themselves. They may go days without showering as in their mind such a task is not important. Focusing on tasks like doing laundry is very difficult so they tend not to do so. Sufferers may also go days without changing clothes because again it seems like a very unimportant task.
4. Expressionless gaze
Symptoms such as insomnia and emotional flatness combine to create an often noticeable expressionless gaze. Schizophrenia sufferers can sometimes slip into their own world and not really register what is happening around them. They may stare off for long periods without showing any particular emotion. Their minds are so muddled at times that they will shut down and may often sit for long periods in strange postures. Unresponsiveness is common as are strange, jerky movements.
5. Inappropriate laughing or crying
Outbursts of emotion are common and can often completely not match the situation. Crying for no perceptible reason can be a sign that their mind is not processing the situation and they may be hallucinating in some way. The same is true of outbursts of laughter in situations that are clearly not funny. The disordered mind is not taking in the actual events correctly.
6. Oversleeping or insomnia
Problems sleeping are a big factor in this condition with insomnia being very common. With the mind racing and being overstimulated it can be hard for the sufferer to relax. They can often be too agitated to sleep. When exhaustion finally catches up with them they may fall asleep heavily and find it hard to wake back up, often oversleeping.