🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 104 (from laksa068)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa104.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.bcss.org/support-resources/symptoms-of-schizophrenia/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.bcss.org/support-resources/symptoms-of-schizophrenia/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/support-resources\/symptoms-of-schizophrenia\/","crawl_time":1776241785,"first_indexed_time":1713383666,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"org,bcss!www,\/support-resources\/symptoms-of-schizophrenia\/ s443","src_root_hash":"3466934432516702704","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Symptoms of Schizophrenia | BC Schizophrenia Society","meta_descriptions":[],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves.\nRecognizing the symptoms\nThere are a range of symptoms that someone with schizophrenia can experience. Some are easier than others to identify, and the symptoms can look different from person to person. Recognizing and seeking treatment during the first onset of symptoms is important. Research indicates that earlier intervention is associated with an overall better outcome.\nTypes of symptoms\nThe symptoms of schizophrenia are generally divided into three categories: positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms. Schizophrenia is a complex, long-term medical illness that distorts the senses, making it very difficult for the individual to distinguish what is real from what is not real. Symptoms are not always present, and the illness can involve repeated episodes throughout the individual’s lifetime. People with the illness will have various symptoms to varying degrees.\nPositive Symptoms\nIn schizophrenia, positive symptoms represent experiences not shared by others. These can include hallucinations, where individuals see or hear things that aren't present, and delusions, which are false beliefs resistant to reasoning. Understanding and addressing these symptoms are crucial aspects of schizophrenia support. Positive symptoms include:\nHearing, seeing, or, less commonly, tasting, smelling, or feeling things that are not there. However, the hallucination is very real to the person experiencing it.\nFalse beliefs that don’t change even when the person who holds them is presented with new ideas or facts. People who have delusions may also have problems concentrating, confused thinking, or the sense that their thoughts are blocked.\nBelief that you can control other people’s minds, are a well-known historical or media figure, or are an important and influential person (e.g., writer, musician, inventor, politician, police, military personnel, religious figure, etc.).\nAn unfounded or excessive suspicion of the motives of others. People believe that others can read their thoughts or are plotting against them.\nNegative Symptoms\nNegative symptoms of schizophrenia involve a decrease or absence of certain abilities or emotions that are typically present. This may manifest as reduced motivation, social withdrawal, or challenges in expressing emotions. Recognizing and addressing negative symptoms is important for comprehensive schizophrenia support. Negative symptoms include:\nA very severe lack of awareness. This is not simply denial of illness but a lack of awareness of the illness. The individual cannot understand that they are ill.\nAnosognosia occurs in more than 50 percent of people who are diagnosed with schizophrenia\nand can have a severe impact on an individual’s prognosis and outcome.\nThe Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) says that anosognosia is “the most common predictor of non-adherence to treatment. It has been found to predict higher relapse rates, increased number of involuntary treatments, poorer psychosocial functioning, aggression, and a poorer course of illness”.\nAnosognosia also occurs in other mental illnesses, including bipolar disorder, although it is more common in severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia. It also occurs in people with brain injury and other brain-based diseases like Huntington’s and Parkinson’s.\nDifficulty with speaking. In some people, this means a reduced amount of speech and reduced verbal fluency (the ease with which words are chosen). People with alogia struggle to give brief answers to questions, for example.\nAssociated with social withdrawal. The individual lacks energy, spontaneity, and initiative. There is a loss of drive and interest. It’s very difficult to begin a new task or to finish any assignment.\nFew recreational interests\/activities; impaired personal and sexual relationships; uncommunicative, detached, distant.\nImpaired concentration; social inattentiveness; inattentiveness during conversation; poor rapport.\nIn this state, the person becomes unreactive to their environment. They could become resistant to instruction, maintain a rigid, fixed and\/or inappropriate posture, or completely lack verbal or physical responses. They could also move slowly, repeat rhythmic gestures,and or make ritualistic movements. Catatonia can also look like excessive movement like grimacing, staring, being mute, or echoing what others say.\nMarked by diminished emotional responsiveness, including having few expressive gestures; changes in facial expression; stilted, forced, or artificial gestures; poor eye contact; lack of vocal inflection; decreased spontaneous movements.\nCognitive Symptoms\nCognitive symptoms refer to difficulties with the thinking skills needed to process information, gain new knowledge, learn, and solve problems. They impact the skills that allow people to function in daily life, including attention, learning and memory, reasoning and decision-making, and social cognition. Cognitive symptoms include:\nTrouble making sense of everyday sights, sounds, and feelings. Perceptions may be distorted, so ordinary things become distracting or frightening. The individual may experience extra sensitivity to background noises, colours, and shapes.\nTrouble understanding language, communicating in coherent sentences, or carrying on a conversation. The person may switch from one topic to another quickly. Their thoughts may seem sped up or slowed down.\nLoss of short-term memory and organizational skills make planning, prioritizing, and decision-making tasks difficult, if not impossible.\nPeople living with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders often develop profound and disabling cognitive deficits. Even more than positive or negative symptoms, cognitive deficits can impair daily functioning and are a major factor in chronic disability and unemployment. However, some programs can help improve cognitive abilities alongside medication, offering hope for better functioning and a higher quality of life.\nDealing with Cognitive Dysfunction Associated with Psychiatric Disabilities – A handbook for families and friends of individuals with psychiatric disorders\n– published by the New York State Office of Mental Health\nGetting Help\nNext steps\nIf you are not in immediate crisis, but think you may be experiencing symptoms of schizophrenia, find a mental health professional near you to get assessed. Call 8-1-1 to find a mental health assessment centre in your community or find a local EPI centre near you.\nWe acknowledge that the lands on which BCSS operates and supports families are the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Peoples. We are honoured and privileged to live and work on this land we all share. We are committed to reconciliation, decolonization, learning from and with Indigenous peoples, and building relationships within our communities.","attrs_markdown":"[Skip to content](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/support-resources\/symptoms-of-schizophrenia\/#content)\n\n# [BC Schizophrenia Society](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/)\nHelping provide families with a reason to hope and the means to cope.\n\n[![BC Schizophrenia Society](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/BCSS.svg)](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/)\n\nMenu\n\n- [Get Help](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/get-help\/)\n- [Donate Now](https:\/\/form-renderer-app.donorperfect.io\/give\/british-columbia-schizophrenia-society\/holiday-appeal-2025-donate-button)\n\n- [Get Help](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/get-help\/)\n  - [Find Support Near You](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/get-help\/find-support-near-you\/)\n  - [Emergency Services](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/get-help\/emergency-services\/)\n- [Events & Programs](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/events-programs\/)\n  - [Events Calendar](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/events-programs\/calendar\/)\n  - [Family Support Groups](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/events-programs\/family-support-groups\/)\n  - [Strengthening Families Together](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/events-programs\/strengthening-families-together\/)\n  - [Partnership Education Presentation Program](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/events-programs\/partnership-education-presentation-program\/)\n  - [BCSS Youth](https:\/\/bcssyouth.org\/)\n- [Support & Resources](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/support-resources\/)\n  - [Living with Schizophrenia](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/support-resources\/living-with-schizophrenia\/)\n  - [Supporting a Loved One](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/support-resources\/supporting-a-loved-one\/)\n  - [Professional Resources](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/professional-resources\/)\n  - [Yes2Me Scholarship](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/support-resources\/yes2me-scholarship\/)\n  - [Family Stories](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/support-resources\/family-stories\/)\n  - [Understanding Schizophrenia and Psychosis Guide](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/v11-Basics-Sz-EP-Booklet.pdf)\n- [Education](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/education\/)\n  - [Antipsychotic Medication Management](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/education\/treatments\/antipsychotic-medication-management\/)\n  - [BCSS Podcast](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/education\/bcss-podcast\/)\n  - [Book Recommendations](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/blog\/bcss-book-recommendations\/)\n  - [Cannabis & Mental Illness](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/education\/cannabis-and-mental-illness\/)\n  - [Charter Challenge FAQ](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/education\/charter-challenge-faq\/)\n  - [How to Connect with Your MLA Toolkit](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/mlaconnect\/)\n  - [Involuntary Treatment and the BC Mental Health Act](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/education\/bc-mental-health-act\/)\n  - [News Stories \/ Blog](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/blog\/)\n  - [Public Policy](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/education\/public-policy\/)\n  - [Research](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/education\/research\/)\n  - [Treatments](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/education\/treatments\/)\n- [About](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/about-bcss\/)\n  - [Our Team](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/about-bcss\/our-team\/)\n  - [Careers](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/about-bcss\/careers\/)\n  - [Commitment to Reconciliation](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/about-bcss\/commitment-to-reconciliation\/)\n  - [Contact](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/contact-us\/)\n- [Ways to Give](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/ways-to-give\/)\n  - [Give in Your Will](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/ways-to-give\/give-in-your-will\/)\n  - [Community Fundraising](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/ways-to-give\/community-fundraising\/)\n  - [Donate Monthly](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/ways-to-give\/donate-monthly\/)\n- [Donate](https:\/\/form-renderer-app.donorperfect.io\/give\/british-columbia-schizophrenia-society\/bcss-online-donation-form-2026)\n\n- [1-888-888-0029](tel:18888880029)\n\n- [Become a Member](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/become-a-member\/)\n- [News & Stories](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/blog\/)\n- [FAQ](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/faq\/)\n- [Contact Us](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/contact-us\/)\n\n[![BC Schizophrenia Society](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/BCSS.svg)](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/)\n\n- [Get Help](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/get-help\/)\n  - [FAQ](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/faq\/)\n  - [Find Support Near You](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/get-help\/find-support-near-you\/)\n  - [Emergency Services](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/get-help\/emergency-services\/)\n- [Events & Programs](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/events-programs\/)\n  - [Family Support Groups](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/events-programs\/family-support-groups\/)\n  - [Strengthening Families Together](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/events-programs\/strengthening-families-together\/)\n  - [Partnership Education Presentation Program](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/events-programs\/partnership-education-presentation-program\/)\n  - [BCSS Youth](https:\/\/www.bcssyouth.org\/)\n  - [Calendar](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/events-programs\/calendar\/)\n- [Support & Resources](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/support-resources\/)\n  - [Living with Schizophrenia](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/support-resources\/living-with-schizophrenia\/)\n  - [Supporting a Loved One](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/support-resources\/supporting-a-loved-one\/)\n  - [Professional Resources](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/professional-resources\/)\n  - [Yes2Me Scholarship](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/support-resources\/yes2me-scholarship\/)\n  - [Youth Support](https:\/\/bcssyouth.org\/)\n  - [Family Stories](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/support-resources\/family-stories\/)\n  - [Understanding Schizophrenia and Psychosis Guide](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/v11-Basics-Sz-EP-Booklet.pdf)\n- [Education](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/education\/)\n  - [Symptoms of Schizophrenia](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/support-resources\/symptoms-of-schizophrenia\/)\n  - [Treatments](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/education\/treatments\/)\n    - [Antipsychotic Medication Management](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/education\/treatments\/antipsychotic-medication-management\/)\n  - [BCSS Podcast](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/education\/bcss-podcast\/)\n  - [BCSS Book Suggestions](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/blog\/bcss-book-recommendations\/)\n  - [Cannabis & Mental Illness](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/education\/cannabis-and-mental-illness\/)\n  - [How to Connect with Your MLA Toolkit](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/mlaconnect\/)\n  - [Involuntary Treatment \/ BC Mental Health Act](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/education\/bc-mental-health-act\/)\n  - [Public Policy](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/education\/public-policy\/)\n  - [Research – BCSSF](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/education\/research\/)\n- [About Us](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/about-bcss\/)\n  - [Our Team](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/about-bcss\/our-team\/)\n  - [Careers](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/about-bcss\/careers\/)\n  - [Contact](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/contact-us\/)\n  - [Commitment to Reconciliation](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/about-bcss\/commitment-to-reconciliation\/)\n  - [News & Stories](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/blog\/)\n- [Ways to Give](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/ways-to-give\/)\n  - [Give in Your Will](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/ways-to-give\/give-in-your-will\/)\n  - [Community Fundraising](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/ways-to-give\/community-fundraising\/)\n  - [Donate Monthly](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/ways-to-give\/donate-monthly\/)\n- [Donate](https:\/\/form-renderer-app.donorperfect.io\/give\/british-columbia-schizophrenia-society\/bcss-online-donation-form-2026)\n\n# Symptoms of Schizophrenia\nSchizophrenia is a serious mental illness that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves.\n\n## Recognizing the symptoms\nThere are a range of symptoms that someone with schizophrenia can experience. Some are easier than others to identify, and the symptoms can look different from person to person. Recognizing and seeking treatment during the first onset of symptoms is important. Research indicates that earlier intervention is associated with an overall better outcome.\n\n[treatments](http:\/\/www.bcss.org\/education\/treatments\/)\n\n![bcss british columbia schizophrenia society person recognizing schizophrenic symptoms](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/resources\/bcss-british-columbia-schizophrenia-society-person-recognizing-schizophrenic-symptoms.png)\n\n## Types of symptoms\nThe symptoms of schizophrenia are generally divided into three categories: positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms. Schizophrenia is a complex, long-term medical illness that distorts the senses, making it very difficult for the individual to distinguish what is real from what is not real. Symptoms are not always present, and the illness can involve repeated episodes throughout the individual’s lifetime. People with the illness will have various symptoms to varying degrees.\n\n- ### Positive Symptoms\n  In schizophrenia, positive symptoms represent experiences not shared by others. These can include hallucinations, where individuals see or hear things that aren't present, and delusions, which are false beliefs resistant to reasoning. Understanding and addressing these symptoms are crucial aspects of schizophrenia support. Positive symptoms include:\n  \n  ![bcss british columbia schizophrenia society person with schizophrenia and faces of symptoms](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/resources\/bcss-british-columbia-schizophrenia-society-person-with-schizophrenia-and-faces-of-symptoms.jpg)\n  - #### Hallucinations\n    Hearing, seeing, or, less commonly, tasting, smelling, or feeling things that are not there. However, the hallucination is very real to the person experiencing it.\n  - #### Delusions\n    False beliefs that don’t change even when the person who holds them is presented with new ideas or facts. People who have delusions may also have problems concentrating, confused thinking, or the sense that their thoughts are blocked.\n  - #### Grandiosity\n    Belief that you can control other people’s minds, are a well-known historical or media figure, or are an important and influential person (e.g., writer, musician, inventor, politician, police, military personnel, religious figure, etc.).\n  - #### Paranoia\n    An unfounded or excessive suspicion of the motives of others. People believe that others can read their thoughts or are plotting against them.\n- ### Negative Symptoms\n  Negative symptoms of schizophrenia involve a decrease or absence of certain abilities or emotions that are typically present. This may manifest as reduced motivation, social withdrawal, or challenges in expressing emotions. Recognizing and addressing negative symptoms is important for comprehensive schizophrenia support. Negative symptoms include:\n  \n  ![bcss illustration of person in bed holding their head 1](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/bcss-illustration-of-person-in-bed-holding-their-head-1.png)\n  - #### Anosognosia\n    A very severe lack of awareness. This is not simply denial of illness but a lack of awareness of the illness. The individual cannot understand that they are ill. [Anosognosia occurs in more than 50 percent of people who are diagnosed with schizophrenia](https:\/\/www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org\/evidence-and-research\/learn-more-about\/3628-serious-mental-illness-and-anosognosia) and can have a severe impact on an individual’s prognosis and outcome.\n    \n    The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) says that anosognosia is “the most common predictor of non-adherence to treatment. It has been found to predict higher relapse rates, increased number of involuntary treatments, poorer psychosocial functioning, aggression, and a poorer course of illness”.\n    \n    Anosognosia also occurs in other mental illnesses, including bipolar disorder, although it is more common in severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia. It also occurs in people with brain injury and other brain-based diseases like Huntington’s and Parkinson’s.\n  - #### Alogia\n    Difficulty with speaking. In some people, this means a reduced amount of speech and reduced verbal fluency (the ease with which words are chosen). People with alogia struggle to give brief answers to questions, for example.\n  - #### Avolition (Apathy)\n    Associated with social withdrawal. The individual lacks energy, spontaneity, and initiative. There is a loss of drive and interest. It’s very difficult to begin a new task or to finish any assignment.\n  - #### Anhedonia (Asociality)\n    Few recreational interests\/activities; impaired personal and sexual relationships; uncommunicative, detached, distant.\n  - #### Inattention\n    Impaired concentration; social inattentiveness; inattentiveness during conversation; poor rapport.\n  - #### Catatonia\n    In this state, the person becomes unreactive to their environment. They could become resistant to instruction, maintain a rigid, fixed and\/or inappropriate posture, or completely lack verbal or physical responses. They could also move slowly, repeat rhythmic gestures,and or make ritualistic movements. Catatonia can also look like excessive movement like grimacing, staring, being mute, or echoing what others say.\n  - #### Emotional Flattening\n    Marked by diminished emotional responsiveness, including having few expressive gestures; changes in facial expression; stilted, forced, or artificial gestures; poor eye contact; lack of vocal inflection; decreased spontaneous movements.\n- ### Cognitive Symptoms\n  Cognitive symptoms refer to difficulties with the thinking skills needed to process information, gain new knowledge, learn, and solve problems. They impact the skills that allow people to function in daily life, including attention, learning and memory, reasoning and decision-making, and social cognition. Cognitive symptoms include:\n  \n  ![bcss illustration of person suffering from cognitive symptoms 1](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/bcss-illustration-of-person-suffering-from-cognitive-symptoms-1.png)\n  - #### Disorganized perceptions\n    Trouble making sense of everyday sights, sounds, and feelings. Perceptions may be distorted, so ordinary things become distracting or frightening. The individual may experience extra sensitivity to background noises, colours, and shapes.\n  - #### Disorganized Thinking and Speech\n    Trouble understanding language, communicating in coherent sentences, or carrying on a conversation. The person may switch from one topic to another quickly. Their thoughts may seem sped up or slowed down.\n  - #### Disorganized Behaviour\n    Loss of short-term memory and organizational skills make planning, prioritizing, and decision-making tasks difficult, if not impossible.\n  - #### Cognitive Deficits\n    People living with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders often develop profound and disabling cognitive deficits. Even more than positive or negative symptoms, cognitive deficits can impair daily functioning and are a major factor in chronic disability and unemployment. However, some programs can help improve cognitive abilities alongside medication, offering hope for better functioning and a higher quality of life.\n    \n    [Dealing with Cognitive Dysfunction Associated with Psychiatric Disabilities – A handbook for families and friends of individuals with psychiatric disorders](https:\/\/omh.ny.gov\/omhweb\/resources\/publications\/cogdyshndbk.pdf) – published by the New York State Office of Mental Health\n\n## Getting Help\nNext steps\n\nIf you are not in immediate crisis, but think you may be experiencing symptoms of schizophrenia, find a mental health professional near you to get assessed. Call 8-1-1 to find a mental health assessment centre in your community or find a local EPI centre near you.\n\n[find local support](http:\/\/www.bcss.org\/get-help\/find-support-near-you\/) [get assessed](https:\/\/www.earlypsychosis.ca\/accessing-services\/)\n\n## Stay informed\n[Events “Ask A Researcher” with Dr. Fidel Vila-Rodriguez This past December, BCSS held its annual Donor Appreciation event. It was short and sweet, starting with a… read more](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/blog\/ask-a-researcher-with-dr-fidel-vila-rodriguez\/)\n\n[BCSS News, Medication and Treatments Bringing Cognitive Remediation to British Columbia Numerous studies and meta-analyses have shown that Cognitive Remediation Training (CRT) improves cognition and functioning for individuals with… read more](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/blog\/bringing-cognitive-remediation-to-british-columbia\/)\n\n[Events, Medication and Treatments Helping people develop insight At the end of May, Pathways Serious Mental Illness Society hosted Dr. Todd Woodward for a special presentation on metacognitive… read more](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/blog\/helping-people-develop-insight\/)\n\nWe acknowledge that the lands on which BCSS operates and supports families are the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Peoples. We are honoured and privileged to live and work on this land we all share. We are committed to reconciliation, decolonization, learning from and with Indigenous peoples, and building relationships within our communities.\n\n## Sign Up For Our Newsletter\n[Sign Up For Our Newsletter](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/newsletter)\n\n[![bcss joint reverse logo](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/bcss-joint-reverse-logo.png)](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/)\n\n## Contact Us\n[604-270-7841](tel:604-270-7841)\n\n[1-888-888-0029](tel:1-888-888-0029)\n\n[info@bcss.org](mailto:info@bcss.org)\n\n[Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BCSchizophreniaSociety)\n\n[X](https:\/\/twitter.com\/bcschizophrenia)\n\n[Instagram](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bcschizophrenia)\n\n[LinkedIn](https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/british-columbia-schizophrenia-society\/)\n\n[Youtube](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/bcssprov)\n\n## BC Provincial Office\n[1100 – 1200 West 73rd Ave  Vancouver, BC V6P 6G5](https:\/\/goo.gl\/maps\/bQzoBPJ6YodyqFDu5)\n\n## Our Society\nCharitable Reg.\n\nNo. 118801141RR0001\n\n- [FAQ](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/faq\/)\n- [Our Team](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/about-bcss\/our-team\/)\n- [Careers](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/about-bcss\/careers\/)\n- [Resources](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/support-resources\/)\n\n## Sign Up For Our Newsletter\n[Sign Up For Our Newsletter](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/newsletter)\n\nWebsite designed by [whitecanvasdesign.ca.](https:\/\/whitecanvasdesign.ca\/)\n\n© 2026 BCSS. All rights reserved.  \\|\n\n- [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/privacy-policy\/)\n- [Bylaws](http:\/\/www.bcss.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/resources\/BCSS-Bylaw-Update-2022-Approved-at-Oct-15-2022-AGM-2.pdf)","attrs_readable_markdown":"Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves.\n\n## Recognizing the symptoms\nThere are a range of symptoms that someone with schizophrenia can experience. Some are easier than others to identify, and the symptoms can look different from person to person. Recognizing and seeking treatment during the first onset of symptoms is important. Research indicates that earlier intervention is associated with an overall better outcome.\n\n![bcss british columbia schizophrenia society person recognizing schizophrenic symptoms](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/resources\/bcss-british-columbia-schizophrenia-society-person-recognizing-schizophrenic-symptoms.png)\n\n## Types of symptoms\nThe symptoms of schizophrenia are generally divided into three categories: positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms. Schizophrenia is a complex, long-term medical illness that distorts the senses, making it very difficult for the individual to distinguish what is real from what is not real. Symptoms are not always present, and the illness can involve repeated episodes throughout the individual’s lifetime. People with the illness will have various symptoms to varying degrees.\n\n- ### Positive Symptoms\n  In schizophrenia, positive symptoms represent experiences not shared by others. These can include hallucinations, where individuals see or hear things that aren't present, and delusions, which are false beliefs resistant to reasoning. Understanding and addressing these symptoms are crucial aspects of schizophrenia support. Positive symptoms include:\n  \n  ![bcss british columbia schizophrenia society person with schizophrenia and faces of symptoms](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/resources\/bcss-british-columbia-schizophrenia-society-person-with-schizophrenia-and-faces-of-symptoms.jpg)\n  - Hearing, seeing, or, less commonly, tasting, smelling, or feeling things that are not there. However, the hallucination is very real to the person experiencing it.\n  - False beliefs that don’t change even when the person who holds them is presented with new ideas or facts. People who have delusions may also have problems concentrating, confused thinking, or the sense that their thoughts are blocked.\n  - Belief that you can control other people’s minds, are a well-known historical or media figure, or are an important and influential person (e.g., writer, musician, inventor, politician, police, military personnel, religious figure, etc.).\n  - An unfounded or excessive suspicion of the motives of others. People believe that others can read their thoughts or are plotting against them.\n- ### Negative Symptoms\n  Negative symptoms of schizophrenia involve a decrease or absence of certain abilities or emotions that are typically present. This may manifest as reduced motivation, social withdrawal, or challenges in expressing emotions. Recognizing and addressing negative symptoms is important for comprehensive schizophrenia support. Negative symptoms include:\n  \n  ![bcss illustration of person in bed holding their head 1](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/bcss-illustration-of-person-in-bed-holding-their-head-1.png)\n  - A very severe lack of awareness. This is not simply denial of illness but a lack of awareness of the illness. The individual cannot understand that they are ill. [Anosognosia occurs in more than 50 percent of people who are diagnosed with schizophrenia](https:\/\/www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org\/evidence-and-research\/learn-more-about\/3628-serious-mental-illness-and-anosognosia) and can have a severe impact on an individual’s prognosis and outcome.\n    \n    The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) says that anosognosia is “the most common predictor of non-adherence to treatment. It has been found to predict higher relapse rates, increased number of involuntary treatments, poorer psychosocial functioning, aggression, and a poorer course of illness”.\n    \n    Anosognosia also occurs in other mental illnesses, including bipolar disorder, although it is more common in severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia. It also occurs in people with brain injury and other brain-based diseases like Huntington’s and Parkinson’s.\n  - Difficulty with speaking. In some people, this means a reduced amount of speech and reduced verbal fluency (the ease with which words are chosen). People with alogia struggle to give brief answers to questions, for example.\n  - Associated with social withdrawal. The individual lacks energy, spontaneity, and initiative. There is a loss of drive and interest. It’s very difficult to begin a new task or to finish any assignment.\n  - Few recreational interests\/activities; impaired personal and sexual relationships; uncommunicative, detached, distant.\n  - Impaired concentration; social inattentiveness; inattentiveness during conversation; poor rapport.\n  - In this state, the person becomes unreactive to their environment. They could become resistant to instruction, maintain a rigid, fixed and\/or inappropriate posture, or completely lack verbal or physical responses. They could also move slowly, repeat rhythmic gestures,and or make ritualistic movements. Catatonia can also look like excessive movement like grimacing, staring, being mute, or echoing what others say.\n  - Marked by diminished emotional responsiveness, including having few expressive gestures; changes in facial expression; stilted, forced, or artificial gestures; poor eye contact; lack of vocal inflection; decreased spontaneous movements.\n- ### Cognitive Symptoms\n  Cognitive symptoms refer to difficulties with the thinking skills needed to process information, gain new knowledge, learn, and solve problems. They impact the skills that allow people to function in daily life, including attention, learning and memory, reasoning and decision-making, and social cognition. Cognitive symptoms include:\n  \n  ![bcss illustration of person suffering from cognitive symptoms 1](https:\/\/www.bcss.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/bcss-illustration-of-person-suffering-from-cognitive-symptoms-1.png)\n  - Trouble making sense of everyday sights, sounds, and feelings. Perceptions may be distorted, so ordinary things become distracting or frightening. The individual may experience extra sensitivity to background noises, colours, and shapes.\n  - Trouble understanding language, communicating in coherent sentences, or carrying on a conversation. The person may switch from one topic to another quickly. Their thoughts may seem sped up or slowed down.\n  - Loss of short-term memory and organizational skills make planning, prioritizing, and decision-making tasks difficult, if not impossible.\n  - People living with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders often develop profound and disabling cognitive deficits. Even more than positive or negative symptoms, cognitive deficits can impair daily functioning and are a major factor in chronic disability and unemployment. However, some programs can help improve cognitive abilities alongside medication, offering hope for better functioning and a higher quality of life.\n    \n    [Dealing with Cognitive Dysfunction Associated with Psychiatric Disabilities – A handbook for families and friends of individuals with psychiatric disorders](https:\/\/omh.ny.gov\/omhweb\/resources\/publications\/cogdyshndbk.pdf) – published by the New York State Office of Mental Health\n\n## Getting Help\nNext steps\n\nIf you are not in immediate crisis, but think you may be experiencing symptoms of schizophrenia, find a mental health professional near you to get assessed. Call 8-1-1 to find a mental health assessment centre in your community or find a local EPI centre near you.\n\nWe acknowledge that the lands on which BCSS operates and supports families are the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Peoples. We are honoured and privileged to live and work on this land we all share. We are committed to reconciliation, decolonization, learning from and with Indigenous peoples, and building relationships within our communities.","meta_canonical":null}

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Boilerpipe Text	Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. Recognizing the symptoms There are a range of symptoms that someone with schizophrenia can experience. Some are easier than others to identify, and the symptoms can look different from person to person. Recognizing and seeking treatment during the first onset of symptoms is important. Research indicates that earlier intervention is associated with an overall better outcome. Types of symptoms The symptoms of schizophrenia are generally divided into three categories: positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms. Schizophrenia is a complex, long-term medical illness that distorts the senses, making it very difficult for the individual to distinguish what is real from what is not real. Symptoms are not always present, and the illness can involve repeated episodes throughout the individual’s lifetime. People with the illness will have various symptoms to varying degrees. Positive Symptoms In schizophrenia, positive symptoms represent experiences not shared by others. These can include hallucinations, where individuals see or hear things that aren't present, and delusions, which are false beliefs resistant to reasoning. Understanding and addressing these symptoms are crucial aspects of schizophrenia support. Positive symptoms include: Hearing, seeing, or, less commonly, tasting, smelling, or feeling things that are not there. However, the hallucination is very real to the person experiencing it. False beliefs that don’t change even when the person who holds them is presented with new ideas or facts. People who have delusions may also have problems concentrating, confused thinking, or the sense that their thoughts are blocked. Belief that you can control other people’s minds, are a well-known historical or media figure, or are an important and influential person (e.g., writer, musician, inventor, politician, police, military personnel, religious figure, etc.). An unfounded or excessive suspicion of the motives of others. People believe that others can read their thoughts or are plotting against them. Negative Symptoms Negative symptoms of schizophrenia involve a decrease or absence of certain abilities or emotions that are typically present. This may manifest as reduced motivation, social withdrawal, or challenges in expressing emotions. Recognizing and addressing negative symptoms is important for comprehensive schizophrenia support. Negative symptoms include: A very severe lack of awareness. This is not simply denial of illness but a lack of awareness of the illness. The individual cannot understand that they are ill. Anosognosia occurs in more than 50 percent of people who are diagnosed with schizophrenia and can have a severe impact on an individual’s prognosis and outcome. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) says that anosognosia is “the most common predictor of non-adherence to treatment. It has been found to predict higher relapse rates, increased number of involuntary treatments, poorer psychosocial functioning, aggression, and a poorer course of illness”. Anosognosia also occurs in other mental illnesses, including bipolar disorder, although it is more common in severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia. It also occurs in people with brain injury and other brain-based diseases like Huntington’s and Parkinson’s. Difficulty with speaking. In some people, this means a reduced amount of speech and reduced verbal fluency (the ease with which words are chosen). People with alogia struggle to give brief answers to questions, for example. Associated with social withdrawal. The individual lacks energy, spontaneity, and initiative. There is a loss of drive and interest. It’s very difficult to begin a new task or to finish any assignment. Few recreational interests/activities; impaired personal and sexual relationships; uncommunicative, detached, distant. Impaired concentration; social inattentiveness; inattentiveness during conversation; poor rapport. In this state, the person becomes unreactive to their environment. They could become resistant to instruction, maintain a rigid, fixed and/or inappropriate posture, or completely lack verbal or physical responses. They could also move slowly, repeat rhythmic gestures,and or make ritualistic movements. Catatonia can also look like excessive movement like grimacing, staring, being mute, or echoing what others say. Marked by diminished emotional responsiveness, including having few expressive gestures; changes in facial expression; stilted, forced, or artificial gestures; poor eye contact; lack of vocal inflection; decreased spontaneous movements. Cognitive Symptoms Cognitive symptoms refer to difficulties with the thinking skills needed to process information, gain new knowledge, learn, and solve problems. They impact the skills that allow people to function in daily life, including attention, learning and memory, reasoning and decision-making, and social cognition. Cognitive symptoms include: Trouble making sense of everyday sights, sounds, and feelings. Perceptions may be distorted, so ordinary things become distracting or frightening. The individual may experience extra sensitivity to background noises, colours, and shapes. Trouble understanding language, communicating in coherent sentences, or carrying on a conversation. The person may switch from one topic to another quickly. Their thoughts may seem sped up or slowed down. Loss of short-term memory and organizational skills make planning, prioritizing, and decision-making tasks difficult, if not impossible. People living with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders often develop profound and disabling cognitive deficits. Even more than positive or negative symptoms, cognitive deficits can impair daily functioning and are a major factor in chronic disability and unemployment. However, some programs can help improve cognitive abilities alongside medication, offering hope for better functioning and a higher quality of life. Dealing with Cognitive Dysfunction Associated with Psychiatric Disabilities – A handbook for families and friends of individuals with psychiatric disorders – published by the New York State Office of Mental Health Getting Help Next steps If you are not in immediate crisis, but think you may be experiencing symptoms of schizophrenia, find a mental health professional near you to get assessed. Call 8-1-1 to find a mental health assessment centre in your community or find a local EPI centre near you. We acknowledge that the lands on which BCSS operates and supports families are the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Peoples. We are honoured and privileged to live and work on this land we all share. We are committed to reconciliation, decolonization, learning from and with Indigenous peoples, and building relationships within our communities.
Markdown	[Skip to content](https://www.bcss.org/support-resources/symptoms-of-schizophrenia/#content) # [BC Schizophrenia Society](https://www.bcss.org/) Helping provide families with a reason to hope and the means to cope. 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Some are easier than others to identify, and the symptoms can look different from person to person. Recognizing and seeking treatment during the first onset of symptoms is important. Research indicates that earlier intervention is associated with an overall better outcome. [treatments](http://www.bcss.org/education/treatments/) ![bcss british columbia schizophrenia society person recognizing schizophrenic symptoms](https://www.bcss.org/wp-content/uploads/resources/bcss-british-columbia-schizophrenia-society-person-recognizing-schizophrenic-symptoms.png) ## Types of symptoms The symptoms of schizophrenia are generally divided into three categories: positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms. Schizophrenia is a complex, long-term medical illness that distorts the senses, making it very difficult for the individual to distinguish what is real from what is not real. Symptoms are not always present, and the illness can involve repeated episodes throughout the individual’s lifetime. People with the illness will have various symptoms to varying degrees. - ### Positive Symptoms In schizophrenia, positive symptoms represent experiences not shared by others. These can include hallucinations, where individuals see or hear things that aren't present, and delusions, which are false beliefs resistant to reasoning. Understanding and addressing these symptoms are crucial aspects of schizophrenia support. Positive symptoms include: ![bcss british columbia schizophrenia society person with schizophrenia and faces of symptoms](https://www.bcss.org/wp-content/uploads/resources/bcss-british-columbia-schizophrenia-society-person-with-schizophrenia-and-faces-of-symptoms.jpg) - #### Hallucinations Hearing, seeing, or, less commonly, tasting, smelling, or feeling things that are not there. However, the hallucination is very real to the person experiencing it. - #### Delusions False beliefs that don’t change even when the person who holds them is presented with new ideas or facts. People who have delusions may also have problems concentrating, confused thinking, or the sense that their thoughts are blocked. - #### Grandiosity Belief that you can control other people’s minds, are a well-known historical or media figure, or are an important and influential person (e.g., writer, musician, inventor, politician, police, military personnel, religious figure, etc.). - #### Paranoia An unfounded or excessive suspicion of the motives of others. People believe that others can read their thoughts or are plotting against them. - ### Negative Symptoms Negative symptoms of schizophrenia involve a decrease or absence of certain abilities or emotions that are typically present. This may manifest as reduced motivation, social withdrawal, or challenges in expressing emotions. Recognizing and addressing negative symptoms is important for comprehensive schizophrenia support. Negative symptoms include: ![bcss illustration of person in bed holding their head 1](https://www.bcss.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/bcss-illustration-of-person-in-bed-holding-their-head-1.png) - #### Anosognosia A very severe lack of awareness. This is not simply denial of illness but a lack of awareness of the illness. The individual cannot understand that they are ill. [Anosognosia occurs in more than 50 percent of people who are diagnosed with schizophrenia](https://www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org/evidence-and-research/learn-more-about/3628-serious-mental-illness-and-anosognosia) and can have a severe impact on an individual’s prognosis and outcome. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) says that anosognosia is “the most common predictor of non-adherence to treatment. It has been found to predict higher relapse rates, increased number of involuntary treatments, poorer psychosocial functioning, aggression, and a poorer course of illness”. Anosognosia also occurs in other mental illnesses, including bipolar disorder, although it is more common in severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia. It also occurs in people with brain injury and other brain-based diseases like Huntington’s and Parkinson’s. - #### Alogia Difficulty with speaking. In some people, this means a reduced amount of speech and reduced verbal fluency (the ease with which words are chosen). People with alogia struggle to give brief answers to questions, for example. - #### Avolition (Apathy) Associated with social withdrawal. The individual lacks energy, spontaneity, and initiative. There is a loss of drive and interest. It’s very difficult to begin a new task or to finish any assignment. - #### Anhedonia (Asociality) Few recreational interests/activities; impaired personal and sexual relationships; uncommunicative, detached, distant. - #### Inattention Impaired concentration; social inattentiveness; inattentiveness during conversation; poor rapport. - #### Catatonia In this state, the person becomes unreactive to their environment. They could become resistant to instruction, maintain a rigid, fixed and/or inappropriate posture, or completely lack verbal or physical responses. They could also move slowly, repeat rhythmic gestures,and or make ritualistic movements. Catatonia can also look like excessive movement like grimacing, staring, being mute, or echoing what others say. - #### Emotional Flattening Marked by diminished emotional responsiveness, including having few expressive gestures; changes in facial expression; stilted, forced, or artificial gestures; poor eye contact; lack of vocal inflection; decreased spontaneous movements. - ### Cognitive Symptoms Cognitive symptoms refer to difficulties with the thinking skills needed to process information, gain new knowledge, learn, and solve problems. They impact the skills that allow people to function in daily life, including attention, learning and memory, reasoning and decision-making, and social cognition. Cognitive symptoms include: ![bcss illustration of person suffering from cognitive symptoms 1](https://www.bcss.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/bcss-illustration-of-person-suffering-from-cognitive-symptoms-1.png) - #### Disorganized perceptions Trouble making sense of everyday sights, sounds, and feelings. Perceptions may be distorted, so ordinary things become distracting or frightening. The individual may experience extra sensitivity to background noises, colours, and shapes. - #### Disorganized Thinking and Speech Trouble understanding language, communicating in coherent sentences, or carrying on a conversation. The person may switch from one topic to another quickly. Their thoughts may seem sped up or slowed down. - #### Disorganized Behaviour Loss of short-term memory and organizational skills make planning, prioritizing, and decision-making tasks difficult, if not impossible. - #### Cognitive Deficits People living with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders often develop profound and disabling cognitive deficits. Even more than positive or negative symptoms, cognitive deficits can impair daily functioning and are a major factor in chronic disability and unemployment. However, some programs can help improve cognitive abilities alongside medication, offering hope for better functioning and a higher quality of life. [Dealing with Cognitive Dysfunction Associated with Psychiatric Disabilities – A handbook for families and friends of individuals with psychiatric disorders](https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/resources/publications/cogdyshndbk.pdf) – published by the New York State Office of Mental Health ## Getting Help Next steps If you are not in immediate crisis, but think you may be experiencing symptoms of schizophrenia, find a mental health professional near you to get assessed. Call 8-1-1 to find a mental health assessment centre in your community or find a local EPI centre near you. [find local support](http://www.bcss.org/get-help/find-support-near-you/) [get assessed](https://www.earlypsychosis.ca/accessing-services/) ## Stay informed [Events “Ask A Researcher” with Dr. Fidel Vila-Rodriguez This past December, BCSS held its annual Donor Appreciation event. It was short and sweet, starting with a… read more](https://www.bcss.org/blog/ask-a-researcher-with-dr-fidel-vila-rodriguez/) [BCSS News, Medication and Treatments Bringing Cognitive Remediation to British Columbia Numerous studies and meta-analyses have shown that Cognitive Remediation Training (CRT) improves cognition and functioning for individuals with… read more](https://www.bcss.org/blog/bringing-cognitive-remediation-to-british-columbia/) [Events, Medication and Treatments Helping people develop insight At the end of May, Pathways Serious Mental Illness Society hosted Dr. Todd Woodward for a special presentation on metacognitive… read more](https://www.bcss.org/blog/helping-people-develop-insight/) We acknowledge that the lands on which BCSS operates and supports families are the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Peoples. We are honoured and privileged to live and work on this land we all share. 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Readable Markdown	Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. ## Recognizing the symptoms There are a range of symptoms that someone with schizophrenia can experience. Some are easier than others to identify, and the symptoms can look different from person to person. Recognizing and seeking treatment during the first onset of symptoms is important. Research indicates that earlier intervention is associated with an overall better outcome. ![bcss british columbia schizophrenia society person recognizing schizophrenic symptoms](https://www.bcss.org/wp-content/uploads/resources/bcss-british-columbia-schizophrenia-society-person-recognizing-schizophrenic-symptoms.png) ## Types of symptoms The symptoms of schizophrenia are generally divided into three categories: positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms. Schizophrenia is a complex, long-term medical illness that distorts the senses, making it very difficult for the individual to distinguish what is real from what is not real. Symptoms are not always present, and the illness can involve repeated episodes throughout the individual’s lifetime. People with the illness will have various symptoms to varying degrees. - ### Positive Symptoms In schizophrenia, positive symptoms represent experiences not shared by others. These can include hallucinations, where individuals see or hear things that aren't present, and delusions, which are false beliefs resistant to reasoning. Understanding and addressing these symptoms are crucial aspects of schizophrenia support. Positive symptoms include: ![bcss british columbia schizophrenia society person with schizophrenia and faces of symptoms](https://www.bcss.org/wp-content/uploads/resources/bcss-british-columbia-schizophrenia-society-person-with-schizophrenia-and-faces-of-symptoms.jpg) - Hearing, seeing, or, less commonly, tasting, smelling, or feeling things that are not there. However, the hallucination is very real to the person experiencing it. - False beliefs that don’t change even when the person who holds them is presented with new ideas or facts. People who have delusions may also have problems concentrating, confused thinking, or the sense that their thoughts are blocked. - Belief that you can control other people’s minds, are a well-known historical or media figure, or are an important and influential person (e.g., writer, musician, inventor, politician, police, military personnel, religious figure, etc.). - An unfounded or excessive suspicion of the motives of others. People believe that others can read their thoughts or are plotting against them. - ### Negative Symptoms Negative symptoms of schizophrenia involve a decrease or absence of certain abilities or emotions that are typically present. This may manifest as reduced motivation, social withdrawal, or challenges in expressing emotions. Recognizing and addressing negative symptoms is important for comprehensive schizophrenia support. Negative symptoms include: ![bcss illustration of person in bed holding their head 1](https://www.bcss.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/bcss-illustration-of-person-in-bed-holding-their-head-1.png) - A very severe lack of awareness. This is not simply denial of illness but a lack of awareness of the illness. The individual cannot understand that they are ill. [Anosognosia occurs in more than 50 percent of people who are diagnosed with schizophrenia](https://www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org/evidence-and-research/learn-more-about/3628-serious-mental-illness-and-anosognosia) and can have a severe impact on an individual’s prognosis and outcome. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) says that anosognosia is “the most common predictor of non-adherence to treatment. It has been found to predict higher relapse rates, increased number of involuntary treatments, poorer psychosocial functioning, aggression, and a poorer course of illness”. Anosognosia also occurs in other mental illnesses, including bipolar disorder, although it is more common in severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia. It also occurs in people with brain injury and other brain-based diseases like Huntington’s and Parkinson’s. - Difficulty with speaking. In some people, this means a reduced amount of speech and reduced verbal fluency (the ease with which words are chosen). People with alogia struggle to give brief answers to questions, for example. - Associated with social withdrawal. The individual lacks energy, spontaneity, and initiative. There is a loss of drive and interest. It’s very difficult to begin a new task or to finish any assignment. - Few recreational interests/activities; impaired personal and sexual relationships; uncommunicative, detached, distant. - Impaired concentration; social inattentiveness; inattentiveness during conversation; poor rapport. - In this state, the person becomes unreactive to their environment. They could become resistant to instruction, maintain a rigid, fixed and/or inappropriate posture, or completely lack verbal or physical responses. They could also move slowly, repeat rhythmic gestures,and or make ritualistic movements. Catatonia can also look like excessive movement like grimacing, staring, being mute, or echoing what others say. - Marked by diminished emotional responsiveness, including having few expressive gestures; changes in facial expression; stilted, forced, or artificial gestures; poor eye contact; lack of vocal inflection; decreased spontaneous movements. - ### Cognitive Symptoms Cognitive symptoms refer to difficulties with the thinking skills needed to process information, gain new knowledge, learn, and solve problems. They impact the skills that allow people to function in daily life, including attention, learning and memory, reasoning and decision-making, and social cognition. Cognitive symptoms include: ![bcss illustration of person suffering from cognitive symptoms 1](https://www.bcss.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/bcss-illustration-of-person-suffering-from-cognitive-symptoms-1.png) - Trouble making sense of everyday sights, sounds, and feelings. Perceptions may be distorted, so ordinary things become distracting or frightening. The individual may experience extra sensitivity to background noises, colours, and shapes. - Trouble understanding language, communicating in coherent sentences, or carrying on a conversation. The person may switch from one topic to another quickly. Their thoughts may seem sped up or slowed down. - Loss of short-term memory and organizational skills make planning, prioritizing, and decision-making tasks difficult, if not impossible. - People living with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders often develop profound and disabling cognitive deficits. Even more than positive or negative symptoms, cognitive deficits can impair daily functioning and are a major factor in chronic disability and unemployment. However, some programs can help improve cognitive abilities alongside medication, offering hope for better functioning and a higher quality of life. [Dealing with Cognitive Dysfunction Associated with Psychiatric Disabilities – A handbook for families and friends of individuals with psychiatric disorders](https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/resources/publications/cogdyshndbk.pdf) – published by the New York State Office of Mental Health ## Getting Help Next steps If you are not in immediate crisis, but think you may be experiencing symptoms of schizophrenia, find a mental health professional near you to get assessed. Call 8-1-1 to find a mental health assessment centre in your community or find a local EPI centre near you. We acknowledge that the lands on which BCSS operates and supports families are the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Peoples. We are honoured and privileged to live and work on this land we all share. We are committed to reconciliation, decolonization, learning from and with Indigenous peoples, and building relationships within our communities.
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