Schizophrenia

This chronic mental health disorder negatively impacts how your teen or young adult feels, thinks, and behaves. Schizophrenia is most often diagnosed in the late teen years into the early 30s. It causes your teen or young adult to shift back and forth between reality and their distorted perceptions of reality.

Early symptoms of schizophrenia include:

• confused thoughts and speech

• trouble concentrating

• strange thoughts, ideas, and statements

• inability to separate reality from TV or dreams

• moodiness

• severe depression or irritability

• lack of emotion

• paralyzing fear and anxiety

• suspicion of others

• immature behavior

• problems at school

• not caring for personal hygiene

As your teen or young adult ages, their symptoms may change and include:

• psychotic episodes

• loss of enjoyment in once-loved activities

• lack of motivation

• no eye contact

• no change in facial expressions

• speaking in a flat tone of voice

• unpredictable behavior

• unusual posture

• moving around excessively

• difficulty completing tasks

It’s essential to diagnose and treat schizophrenia with young adult therapy and psychiatric treatment as soon as possible to ensure we get your teen or young adult’s symptoms under control so they can effectively enjoy life to their greatest potential.