Schizophrenia is a complex psychotic disorder marked by sudden changes in thinking, emotions, and behavior lasting six months or longer. Schizophrenia involves psychosis, or when a person can’t tell the difference between what’s real and imagined.

Symptoms of schizophrenia are classified as:

• Positive, or excessive distortion or function: delusions, hallucinations, and bizarre thinking and behavior
• Negative, or reduced function: lack of speech, lack of emotion or expression, or withdrawal

Specifically, people with schizophrenia may have:

• Catatonic (unresponsive) movement or expression
• Childlike or excessive movement or postures
• Difficulty telling dreams, or even TV shows, from reality
• Exaggerated self-worth or unrealistic sense of superiority
• Impaired judgement and substance abuse
• Incoherent or derailed conversations
• Monotone speech
• Neglected personal hygiene
• Social isolation
• Unshakable suspicions that someone, or something, will cause harm
• Visions or voices that are not there

Early signs of schizophrenia in teens include withdrawal from family and friends, and poor academic performance. Treatment can involve inpatient (hospital stay) and outpatient (clinic) therapies.

Let us help you or a loved one find balance. Schedule a free initial assessment for schizophrenia with a psychiatrist from the University of Miami Health System.

Why Choose UHealth?

Leading research and care for schizophrenia and co-existing mental illness. As an academic research and medical center, we’re leading research into better ways to identify and treat schizophrenia and alcohol and substance use disorders. This means you get evidence-based care, based on your special needs.

Greater access to UHealth specialists. With more than 30 clinical sites across South Florida, UHealth patients are able to receive the excellence of academic health care without leaving the area.