Disorganized Schizophrenia
People with this
schizophrenia type often have unusual thought processes. One dramatic form is disorganized thinking, where the person may have difficulty organizing thoughts or connecting them logically. Speech may be garbled or hard to understand. Another form is "thought blocking," where the person stops abruptly in the middle of a thought. When asked, the person may say it felt as if the thought had been taken out of his or her head. Finally, the individual might make up unintelligible words, or "neologisms."
A person with this form of schizophrenia also has disorganized behavior and flat or inappropriate affect (such as immobile facial expression and monotonous voice).
People with this type of schizophrenia can be clumsy and uncoordinated. They may also show involuntary movements, grimacing, or unusual mannerisms. They may repeat certain motions over and over or, in extreme cases, may become catatonic. Catatonia is a state of immobility and unresponsiveness that was more common when
schizophrenia treatment was not available. Fortunately, catatonia is now rare.
Residual schizophrenia can occur in people with long-term schizophrenia. With this schizophrenia type, a person no longer shows positive symptoms (hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, and grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior), but still shows negative symptoms, which can include:
- Flat affect (for example, immobile facial expression and monotonous voice)
- Lack of pleasure in everyday life
- Diminished ability to initiate and sustain planned activity
- Speaking infrequently, even when forced to interact.
People with residual schizophrenia often neglect basic hygiene and need help with everyday living activities.
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