The symptoms of schizophrenia vary from person to person. Some of these symptoms can come on suddenly or others can take years to fully present themselves. Risk factors that could lead to schizophrenia include genetics, which is the most well established schizophrenia risk factor. People who have immediate family members with schizophrenia have a 10 percent chance of developing the disorder, ten times that of the general population (Source). People with schizophrenia routinely show abnormalities in brain structure, including enlarged ventricles and asymmetrical hemispheres. Abnormal brain chemistry imaging of the brain has found decreased blood flow to the frontal lobes of people with schizophrenia (Source). These types of brain abnormalities indicate certain symptoms, like loss of attention, difficulty with abstract thinking, and the inability to solve problems (Source).
Other factors that indicate the onset of symptoms include environmental and stress. This includes things like moving, issues at work, unhealthy
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Symptoms are considered positive when they “add” something to a person’s personality. This includes things like delusions, exaggerated thoughts, and unrealistic belief in abilities. It also includes auditory and visual hallucinations. Sufferers also have difficulty telling the difference between reality and their perceptions. One of the most defining symptoms of schizophrenia is disorganized thought and speech patterns. This often impairs communication, because sufferers may switch topics frequently. In its most severe forms, it often results in “word salad”, making the persons speech almost incomprehensible. Negative symptoms are things that are lost from a person’s personality. This includes things like withdrawing from society, losing their drive, becoming apathetic or emotionally unresponsive. ("Positive & Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia",