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Health encyclopedia | Diseases

 
Schizophrenia - disorganized type
 

Source: A.D.A.M., Inc.
Updated: May 2010

Definition

Disorganized schizophrenia is a type of schizophrenia in which behavior is disturbed and has no purpose.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

The cause is unknown. This type of schizophrenia usually begins before age 25.

Symptoms

  • Active behavior, but in an aimless and not constructive way
  • Bizarre and inappropriate emotional responses
  • Difficulty feeling pleasure
  • False, fixed beliefs (delusions)
  • Lack of motivation
  • Seeing or hearing things that aren't there (hallucinations)
  • Strange or silly behavior
  • Speech that makes no sense

Some of these symptoms are also seen in other types of schizophrenia. The main difference is that in disorganized schizophrenia, there is a lot of strange, aimless behavior and often speech that does not make sense.

See: Schizophrenia for a more complete description of schizophrenia and its treatment.

Support Groups

Prevention

References

Freudenreich O, Weiss AP, Goff DC. Psychosis and schizophrenia. In: Stern TA, Rosenbaum JF, Fava M, Biederman J, Rauch SL, eds. Massachusetts General Hospital Comprehensive Clinical Psychiatry. 1st ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier;2008:chap 28.

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