People with schizophrenia see the world differently, often act in completely unpredictable ways, and can pose a threat to others.
However, it is not so easy to identify a person with a severe mental disorder in a crowd, especially when the disease is at an early stage. We talk about the signs that first of all indicate serious changes in personality.
According to statistics, about one in 300 people in the world suffer from schizophrenia. Usually, a severe mental disorder begins to manifest itself between the ages of 16 and 30, and over time, serious symptoms only get worse.
A schizophrenic begins to be tormented by delusions and hallucinations, and actions are often dictated to him by unknown voices in his head. For this reason, patients become frankly dangerous to society, including even to their closest relatives and friends.
However, sometimes the symptoms of schizophrenia do not fully manifest themselves, which makes it difficult to recognize a mentally ill person in a crowd. There are several signs that will help you identify a person with a dangerous disease, even before coming into close contact with him. What you should pay attention to? We tell.
The person is isolated from society
A patient at an early stage of schizophrenia tries to contact people as little as possible and sharply reduces communication even with the closest ones – family and friends. He may suddenly and without explanation stopped attending classes at school or college or going to work. If you notice such a change in one of your acquaintances, this may indicate the onset of a serious illness.
Poor hygiene
When a mental disorder occurs, a person, as a rule, ceases to follow personal hygiene. If someone suddenly began to brush their teeth less often, wash them, and began to forget about the washing and changing clothes, this is the first bell for others. Similar behavior, by the way, is observed in people suffering from severe depression. So do not rush to immediately write down a friend as a schizophrenic – it is better to offer him your help.
Religiousness and craving for the supernatural
Doctors note that patients with schizophrenia have an increased interest in everything religious, mystical, and magical. Often they are literally obsessed with esotericism, various subcultures, and the paranormal. Sometimes they even seriously think that evil spirits have settled in their body.
Involuntary movements and motor problems
At an early stage of the disease, patients with schizophrenia show too active facial expressions, as well as frequent blinking and twitching of the corners of the mouth. Sometimes the face of a person with a disorder can suddenly distort into a strange grimace. Unusual movement of the limbs can also signal problems: for example, tremors in the arms or legs, as well as other involuntary reactions.
Voices in my head
If a friend sometimes tells you about strange voices in his head, it is not always worth responding to this with a smile. It is possible that he is not joking, but is experiencing serious psychological problems. The fact is that schizophrenia can affect any of the five human senses, but auditory hallucinations appear faster than others.
Editorial Team
