Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that can be so severe in some people that it interferes in the person's function and daily life. The term "schizophrenia" literally means "split mind," which gives us some indication of what is happening in the brain of a person suffering from this disorder. More often than not, when symptoms of schizophrenia begin to emerge it may not always be easy to identify the presence of this disorder. Here are some schizophrenia early warning signs and symptoms that can help to identify the onset of the disorder so that treatment can begin and everyone can resume a normal lifestyle.
1. Change in Social Habits
When a person's social habits begin to change it could be an early sign that something is wrong. If you're dealing with a teen, perhaps you'll notice that they are associating with a completely different type of friends or you'll see a drop in schoolwork and grades.
2. Sleeping Disorders
There are cases where they will have difficulty sleeping (insomnia) or just the opposite where they will want to sleep constantly. Sleeping disorders can be a result of brain chemistry over or under firing which is also a trigger for schizophrenia.
3. Irritability
Becoming extremely irritated at even small things. Emotionally, a schizophrenic is very unstable and often is not able to display any extreme emotions except irritability. Those who are constantly in a state of irritation or have changed their emotional behavior and are showing irritation now more than ever could be showing signs that they may be developing the disorder.
4. Cognitive Impairment
Schizophrenics often have disjointed thoughts and have a difficulty keeping their focus on one subject or another. This confusion is often reflected in their inability to understand their immediate surroundings. The fact that they are unable to comprehend normal conversation is a common difficulty that many schizophrenics suffer from.
5. Difficulty in Distinguishing Between Reality and fantasy
A distorted line of thinking in more severe cases is often demonstrated by the inability to differentiate what is real from what is imagined. Talking or arguing with people that aren't there is a common practice of schizophrenics.
6. Social Isolation
Those who suffer from this disorder may also go to the extreme socially and completely withdraw from society altogether. Isolating oneself and hiding away in a darkened room without any outside communication could be the result of not being able to put thoughts in order or it could be the result of a developing paranoia, which could be another symptom of the disorder.
7. Strange and Disjointed Speech
Because they may not be able to put their thoughts together in a coherent way, they may speak to you in a strange manner with disjointed thoughts and disconnected ideas.
It should be pointed out that while these schizophrenia early warning signs and symptoms can give an indication that there is a possibility of schizophrenia in someone, this list is by no means exhaustive. There are numerous indicators that a person may be developing this disorder, so getting additional information about the subject may be one way to be able to recognize it. These schizophrenia early warning signs and symptoms can be extremely helpful in dealing with the issue and getting the help needed for everyone involved.