Symptoms of Schizophrenia> Negative Symptoms

• Negative symptoms represent the absence of normal reactions and behaviours in schizophrenia patients.
• They lead to low levels of functioning and a deteriorated quality of life.
• These symptoms generally do not improve much with treatment.
• Diagnosis occurs when positive symptoms persist for one month or longer, or negative symptoms persist for more than six months.

In schizophrenics, there is an absence of reactions and behaviour of normal persons. This is called negative symptoms.

• Diminished emotional expression, also called flat affect, shows as a complete absence or flat emotional experience with emotionless faces.
• Lack of initiative or enthusiasm, known as avolition, means a total lack of motivation or will to do anything.
• Diminished and reduced speech, called alogia, results in very short yes/no answers or long periods of silence.
• Anhedonia refers to no experience of deep positive emotions or pleasure from activities.
• Asocial behaviour and apathy cause complete social withdrawal and disinterest in others.

• Schizophrenics show no emotional response outwardly to any outside stimuli.
• They often remain silent, alone, and withdrawn into their own world.
• Some research shows that certain schizophrenics feel emotions internally but display inappropriate reactions.
• Total apathetic behaviour becomes observable in many cases.

• Schizophrenics experience a sharp fall in academic work performance.
• They have disturbed sleep patterns and sleep at odd hours, such as during the day or early morning.
• Loss of appetite occurs frequently.
• Social withdrawal becomes prominent, along with a lack of interest in personal hygiene.
• They lose interest in general physical appearance and dress.
• In later stages, the inability to express coherent emotions and speech develops extensively.
• Hallucinations and delusions appear to a great extent.

• Negative symptoms refer to the absence of normal emotions and behaviours, leading to low functioning and poor quality of life.
• Common symptoms include flat affect, avolition, alogia, anhedonia, and social withdrawal.
• Patients often remain silent, isolated, and emotionally unresponsive.
• These symptoms affect daily life, causing poor performance, disturbed sleep, and neglect of hygiene.
• Negative symptoms usually last longer and respond less to treatment than positive symptoms.