Schizophrenia (Hebephrenic)

Schizophrenia is often termed as the mental equivalent of cancer or AIDS,

on an individual level as it causes personal devastation as the
schizophrenic wreaks havoc upon family and friends who must endure
years of the sufferers insanity. In essence, this loss of one’s mind is the
ultimate dehumanizing experience.

Hebephrenic Schizophrenia – delusions, hallucinations and bizarre thought

patterns.

Symptoms:

• Delusions: misinterpretations of reality i.e. perceiving

threats/feeling all powerful.
• Depression: hopeless feeling, loss of interest in things normally
enjoyed, inability to concentrate, feelings of self-reproach, loss
Dead brother
of energy etc. perhaps?
• Hallucinations
• Anxiety
• “Out of touch with reality”
• Hear voices (perceived from outside of themselves) ;
singularly/multiple
• Voices – commentary/command
• Delusions: abnormalities of thought e.g. believe being
controlled by a dead person or his/her thoughts are being
broadcasted to the external world.
• Delusions of persecution: paranoia, being pursued by a powerful
organisation.
• Delusions of grandiosity: being convinced that you are Jesus or
other famous historical personage.
• Inappropriate/totally lacking emotional responses
apathy/happiness/rage
• Disturbed interpersonal functioning i.e. social withdrawal or
excessive closeness
• Confused thought pattern: thoughts and speech often make no
sense; speech becomes a form of self-expression rather than of
communication. Hence, speak in word salads (related bunch of
words that don’t form a sentence) – disorganised schizophrenic.
• Sensory perceptions: hearing voices, having visions, imagining
smells.