Online Psychosis Test - Schizophrenia Test

Thank you for taking our schizophrenia test! Below is a little bit more information about this disorder as well as links to mental health professionals who can help you.

What is Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a serious mental health condition that is defined by a person interpreting reality abnormally. A person suffering from this condition can incur a combination of the following: hallucinations, delusions, and disabling disordered thinking and/or behaviors.

Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia symptoms involve a range of thinking problems, behaviors, and emotions. Symptoms can include:

Delusions

Delusion is a common symptom of schizophrenia. Sufferers sometimes have false beliefs that are not based in reality. For example, you may believe that a major catastrophe is about to occur or that someone is in love with you (that may barely know you).

Disorganized Speech and Thinking

Another symptom of schizophrenia causes a person to have disorganized thinking and speech. A sufferer may answer a question with partial or completely unrelated answers. Another rare symptom causes a sufferer to speak words that can't be understood or don't belong.

Hallucinations

Hallucinations can be a symptom that occurs with schizophrenia. A sufferer may see or hear things that don't exist yet they experience the full force of the hallucinations. Hearing voices is a common type of hallucination.

Psychosis

Tying in with some of the other symptoms, psychosis is one of the key symptoms of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. According to Medical News Today, Psychosis involves a

Psychosis involves a loss of contact with reality and can feature hallucinations and delusions. It is a symptom of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, but there are many other causes.

Abnormal Motor Behavior

A person suffering from schizophrenia may act overly childish or have unpredictable agitation. Schizophrenia sufferers often behave in a way that is not focused on a goal, so following instructions can be very difficult. Sufferers may also not respond to verbal commands, or move excessively.

Other Negative Symptoms

A sufferer of schizophrenia may experience other negative symptoms of schizophrenia, like neglecting their personal hygiene. Other negative symptoms can include a lack of eye contact when speaking, lack of facial expression, loss of interest in everyday activities, social withdraw, or an inability to experience pleasure.

DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria for Schizophrenia

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), or DSM-5, outlines that a schizophrenia diagnosis must meet the following:

• The presence of 2 (or more) of the following, each present for a significant portion of time during a 1-month period (or less if successfully treated), with at least 1 of them being (1), (2), or (3): (1) delusions, (2) hallucinations, (3) disorganized speech, (4) grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior, and (5) negative symptoms

• For a significant portion of the time since the onset of the disturbance, level of functioning in 1 or more major areas (eg, work, interpersonal relations, or self-care) is markedly below the level achieved before onset; when the onset is in childhood or adolescence, the expected level of interpersonal, academic or occupational functioning is not achieved

• Continuous signs of the disturbance persist for a period of at least 6 months, which must include at least 1 month of symptoms (or less if successfully treated); prodromal symptoms often precede the active phase, and residual symptoms may follow it, characterized by mild or subthreshold forms of hallucinations or delusions

• Schizoaffective disorder and depressive or bipolar disorder with psychotic features have been ruled out because either (1) no major depressive, manic, or mixed episodes have occurred concurrently with the active-phase symptoms or (2) any mood episodes that have occurred during active-phase symptoms have been present for a minority of the total duration of the active and residual periods of the illness

• The disturbance is not attributable to the physiologic effects of a substance (eg, a drug of abuse or a medication) or another medical condition

• If there is a history of autism spectrum disorder or a communication disorder of childhood onset, the additional diagnosis of schizophrenia is made only if prominent delusions or hallucinations, in addition to the other required symptoms or schizophrenia are also present for at least 1 month (or less if successfully treated)

In addition to the 5 symptom domain areas identified in the first diagnostic criterion, assessment of cognition, depression, and mania symptom domains is vital for distinguishing between schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.

Other Types of Psychotic Disorders

Schizophrenia

We've covered this psychotic disorder in detail above.

Schizoaffective Disorder

A person with schizoaffective disorder has both schizophrenia and a mood disorder such as bipolar disorder or depression.

Schizophreniform Disorder

A person with schizophreniform disorder has symptoms of schizophrenia, but the symptoms last for a shorter time, usually between one to six months.

Brief Psychotic Disorder

A person with brief psychotic disorder has short periods of sudden psychotic behavior, often as a response to a traumatic event in their life. Recovery for brief psychotic disorder occurs typically within one month.

Delusional Disorder

A person with delusional disorder has a false fixation on a real-life situation that is possibly true but isn't.

Shared Psychotic Disorder

A shared psychotic disorder occurs when a person in a relationship has a delusion, and the partner adopts this same delusion.

Drug-Induced Psychotic Disorder

A person with drug-induced psychotic disorder gets delusional or psychosis symptoms from the use or withdrawal of drugs.

Psychotic Disorder From Other Medical Conditions

Delusions, hallucinations, psychosis, and other symptoms may happen to a person because of another illness they suffer from, such as a head injury.

Paraphrenia

A person with paraphrenia suffers from symptoms like schizophrenia. It typically starts late in life for elderly persons.

Getting Treatment for Schizophrenia and Other Types of Psychotic Disorders

Schizophrenia is a serious mental health disorder and can be a scary disorder to endure. If you or a loved one are suffering from schizophrenia, there is hope! Reach out to a licensed mental health professional that treats schizophrenia.