How to recognize schizophrenia by behavior?

Modern medicine is unable to cure this disease. This is due to the fact that to this day the mechanism of its development is still shrouded in mystery, even the factors that provoke the appearance of schizophrenia symptoms in the presence of a hereditary predisposition remain a mystery. There is practically no connection with age, gender and external influences, the disease can manifest itself out of the blue, and half of the children whose both parents are sick (one can imagine the microclimate of such a family, which in itself is a constant stressor), remain completely healthy throughout their lives.

Since the 1960s, thanks to the discovery of neuroleptics, the overwhelming majority of patients have been able to slow down the development of negative symptoms, and in approximately 30-40% of cases, long-term and even permanent remission has been achieved (subject to medical supervision and supportive drug therapy). However, the patient does not fully recover, since the withdrawal of psychotropic drugs is always fraught with exacerbations - specific behavior in schizophrenia resumes, regardless of the duration of drug use. [ 1 ], [ 2 ]

The behavioral characteristics of schizophrenics are determined by the scenario of the disease development. All mental pathologies are manifested by the reverse development, degradation of some personality trait. In schizophrenia, the whole personality splits into separate fragments that lose their connection with each other (the very name of the disease speaks of the splitting of the mind). And only then does the regression of the formed parts begin, sometimes unevenly, and behavioral characteristics associated with the degradation of individual fragments of the personality arise. [ 3 ]

The first signs of schizophrenia in women and men, behavior

In most cases, the onset of the disease occurs in young adults, with males becoming ill several years earlier than females. [ 4 ]

There are no behavioral deviations before the manifestation of the disease that allow predicting the development of schizophrenia in the future. Before the appearance of obvious signs of mental pathology, some features may be observed in a person's behavior - isolation, a craving for loneliness, an exaggerated commitment to certain activities, fruitless reasoning, a careless attitude to study, appearance. However, these manifestations do not have the severity of schizophrenia spectrum disorders and are inherent in many people who will never develop schizophrenia. Until pronounced symptoms of the disease appear, unfortunately, not a single, even the most experienced, psychiatrist will be able to predict its development only by the presence of certain oddities.

The behavior of adult patients does not have clear gender and age differences, except that in children it has some peculiarities. Since the disease manifests itself more often at a young age, the first signs often coincide with the pubertal crisis, which is characterized by the desire for independence and the associated rejection of authorities, the search for the meaning of life and passion for various philosophical teachings, so the onset of the disease can be quite "overlooked". Only acute and too obvious psychoses attract attention. If the disease progresses slowly and gradually, then it is sometimes possible to suspect it quite late.

However, some signs can be detected. The essence of the disease is the splitting of the mind, that is, the loss of mutual connections between individual personality characteristics with complete preservation of intelligence, memory and skills, especially at the onset of the disease. In schizophrenics, feelings and emotions manifest themselves independently of external stimuli, are not connected in any way with the current situation or subjective interests, the same thing happens with thinking and other types of brain activity. All functions are preserved - a person thinks, speaks, listens, laughs or cries at something, however, the mutual correspondence of these actions, from the point of view of a healthy person, is absent. Moreover, strange behavior, especially in the initial stages of the disease, is noticed only by people who know the patient well, outsiders may simply consider him eccentric. [ 5 ]

When diagnosing early schizophrenia, specialists try to identify disorders caused by the difficulty of interpreting signals coming from the outside. The patient catches them, but his perception is fragmented and the combination of auditory, visual, tactile sensations and movements from the external environment ceases to be understandable to him. The patient loses complex perception, forcing him to assimilate in the surrounding reality in a new way, which is reflected in his facial expressions, speech and actions, which are not adequate to the current situation.

Changes in behavior occur as a reaction to the loss of the ability to link incoming information together and interpret it, with the appearance of hallucinations and delusions, other productive symptoms. This forces the schizophrenic to go beyond the usual patterns of communication, types of activity and changes his behavior, which, in general, is a factor that attracts attention in the absence of symptoms of acute psychosis. [ 6 ]

The speech structure of schizophrenics is correct for a long time, although pretentiousness and word-creation can be observed. Among all patients with mental illnesses, schizophrenics are the last to lose communication skills, although over time their vocabulary also becomes depleted.

Symptoms of neuralgia (tics, muscle twitching, movement coordination disorders), characteristic of many mental illnesses, are practically not encountered in schizophrenia. But body movements become more pretentious over time, acquire an unnaturalness, since the ability to move freely is lost.

The most common behavioral deviations in patients with schizophrenia are associated with delusions - relationships, influence, persecution, the content of which determines the characteristics of behavior.

A patient suffering from delusional jealousy is usually too keenly interested in the pastime and contacts of his other half - he quietly studies the contents of his bag and pockets, notebooks and mobile phone, controls the time of his return home, can often "accidentally" pass by the place of work or study, looking there under various pretexts, creates scandals and interrogates with partiality.

Persecution delusion manifests itself in exaggerated caution, taking often absurd measures to ensure the safety of oneself and one's home. When going outside, the patient may study the yard from the window for a long time, fearing pursuers, constantly look back, change clothes for camouflage. The windows in the house may be curtained at any time of the day. Fearing poisoning, a person checks food and drink, does not eat anything when visiting or cooked by other people's hands; fearing germs and infection, he constantly washes his hands, cleans dishes, boils and washes everything.

Often, the patient pays attention to hypertrophied adherence or rearranges dishes and other things in a certain order. At the same time, his appearance may be distinguished by carelessness and untidiness, and the room does not always look tidy in the usual sense. to order, and in small things, the patient constantly straightens chairs put aside by others, smooths out folds on sofa throws, puts newspapers and stationery in a neat pile on the table. [ 7 ]

The patient develops a set of specific rituals dedicated to protecting himself from an imaginary danger or failure. They become increasingly complex and a significant amount of time is spent on their implementation.

The following changes in the patient's behavior may indicate the onset of delirium: secrecy, suspiciousness, or aggression in relationships with loved ones; conversations of a fantastic or dubious nature about a special mission, surveillance of him; unfounded self-accusations; meaningful, incomprehensible hints about upcoming changes; manifestations of fear, obvious anxiety, expression of concerns for one's life, confirmed by protective actions - checking food and drink, additional locks, careful locking of doors, windows, vents, and even ventilation grilles; passion for truth-seeking, litigation without real grounds, lively correspondence with judicial authorities.

Auditory hallucinations in patients with schizophrenia in the form of imperative voices, vocal dialogue - condemning and justifying the patient, the feeling of imposed or stolen thoughts also affect the change in behavior. Patients with hallucinations usually listen to something with concern and anxiety, can suddenly laugh or get upset, even cry, mumble something, and sometimes clearly conduct dialogues with an invisible interlocutor. [ 8 ]

The behavior of a schizophrenic patient does not correlate with either the acquired life experience or the current situation, and often – with generally accepted norms. He lives in his own delusional-hallucinatory world. Nevertheless, a certain logic, only under his control, is present in statements and actions, and often it is precisely the peculiar comprehension and integration of facts that gives away a schizophrenic. In most cases, the patient considers actions that are absolutely meaningless, from the position of a normal person, to be the only correct ones, and there is no point in trying to convince him otherwise. Most patients also consider themselves healthy and do not want to be treated, seeing intrigues of ill-wishers in persuasion. Close people are not recommended to argue and convince schizophrenics, to put pressure on them, since this is impossible and can cause aggression.

By the way, after the start of treatment, most patients quickly become sane. And without treatment, the so-called negative symptoms begin. Growing isolation in one's experiences, anxiety, and isolation from the outside world dull emotions, since there is not enough external information to produce them. This is accompanied by abulia - the loss of volitional impulses and motivation for the most basic actions, and apathy. At the same time, schizophrenics are extremely sensitive to minor events, comments, and various trifles that concern them personally. In general, people with a sick psyche are usually deprived of altruism; they are only concerned with their own problems that appear in an imaginary world.

External signs of schizophrenia

With acute onset and pronounced psychosis, everything is extremely clear - the person needs psychiatric help, he will be placed in a hospital, treated and observed. Such cases are even considered prognostically more favorable.

When the disease develops without obvious manifestations and psychosis is not yet noticeable, the behavior of the schizophrenic becomes completely incomprehensible to others and loved ones from the point of view of normal logic. His anxiety, worries and fears are devoid of objective and visible reasons. Suspicion, sympathies and antipathies also have no real background. The schizophrenic can surprise by making unexpected decisions - quitting his job and starting to do creative work, making large and unnecessary purchases, giving away his things.

The main sign is a radical change in personality, and, as a rule, not for the better. The person loses his system of values, which was created over the years and was inherent in him before the disease. Outwardly, it seems that he has no system of values at all. Today he declares one thing and acts accordingly, tomorrow he may behave differently, and it is noticeable that his actions are caused by a fleeting mood, a thought that accidentally visited him. [ 9 ]

The reaction of close people to such behavioral excesses is rarely positive, they try to reason with the patient, since at the beginning of the disease they do not consider him as such. Naturally, it is impossible to convince a schizophrenic of anything. Meeting complete misunderstanding and knowing for sure that he is "doing the right thing", the patient becomes increasingly withdrawn, showing hostility, first of all, to his immediate environment.

Schizophrenics seem very alienated, inaccessible, cold, uncommunicative and incomprehensible from the outside. Moreover, such an impression is created about them already in the initial stages of the disease or in low-progressive forms, when autistic changes and other gross symptoms have not yet begun to develop.

The patient's behavior does not yet attract attention with too absurd actions, he has logical thinking, however, he already feels himself and the world around him changed, realizing this on a subjective level. After the onset of the disease, the schizophrenic can no longer build his relationships with loved ones, colleagues at work as before, he is confused, dissatisfied with himself. This leads to the fact that he withdraws into himself, strives for loneliness, since he cannot explain to himself the changes that have happened to him.

In most cases, in the initial stages, a new unusual state causes, at a minimum, deep thoughtfulness, and often a depressive mood. For patients with schizophrenia, a depressed, oppressed mood, sensory dullness - indifference, apathy, extreme hopelessness are more typical. This is reflected in facial expressions - the face of a schizophrenic is mainly described as frozen, empty, expressionless (greasy face). Sometimes a slight grimace freezes on it. In the third stage, the expression of detachment no longer leaves the patient's face.

However, some patients are distinguished by their expressiveness. Again, diverse facial expressions are typical for the initial stages of the disease. The first manifestations are characterized by a high intensity of feelings and affects. The unusual coloring of the new world cannot leave a person indifferent, he sees everything in a new, unusual light, and his emotions fluctuate with significant amplitudes (which subsequently leads to emotional burnout).

The patient's facial expressions and gestures correspond to his experiences and are no different from those of ordinary people, however, the degree of their expressiveness does not correspond to the current moment, is absurd from the point of view of others, who have no idea that the intensity of emotions is off the charts. The joy of a schizophrenic goes over the edge and turns into hyper-excitation, unusual delight is accompanied by euphoria, love is distinguished by ecstatic features and manifestations of causeless jealousy, sadness reaches extreme hopelessness and despair, fear is felt at the level of a panic attack. Accentuation is unusually strong, and the patient, under the influence of hallucinatory-delusional states in the initial stages, reveals an explosion of heterogeneous and often opposite feelings and moods - he often explodes and is rude to loved ones for trivial reasons, immediately cooling down and falling into deep thoughtfulness. [ 10 ]

Specific mechanisms of self-expression are triggered by complications, for example, in a state of catatonia, patients repeat monotonous actions, constantly change their posture, mumble, move their lips, they may have facial spasms, grimaces or complete stupor. These manifestations differ greatly from the norm.

In addition, recent studies have shown that it is almost impossible for a patient with schizophrenia to fix their gaze on one point for a long time, especially a moving one. Their gaze sometimes lags behind the object, sometimes overtakes it, but patients are unable to follow a uniformly and slowly moving object with their eyes. [ 11 ]

The speech of a patient with schizophrenia is usually constructed correctly, from a formal point of view it is logically linked, and in the syntactic sense depends on the patient's level of education. A feature of verbal constructions is the constant jumping from one topic to another, in no way connected with the previous one. In addition, a schizophrenic does not take into account the characteristics of the interlocutor - age, status, degree of closeness of acquaintance, which normal people pay attention to when communicating.

For example, using foul language in conversation with women, parents, strangers, and officials in society is not welcomed. Most people, even those who are fluent in it, do not use it in inappropriate situations, which cannot be said about the sick. There are no obstacles or authorities for them.

The style of verbal communication with the boss and even employees when discussing work issues in normal people differs from the style of communication with friends over a glass of beer. The topic of conversation also affects the speech patterns used. This concerns the norm; schizophrenics do not have such differentiation.

For example, when meeting an elderly acquaintance on the street, the patient clearly sees his advanced age, his unfashionable worn clothes, and his not always confident movements. However, like any normal person, it would not occur to the schizophrenic to offer to carry a heavy bag, help him cross the road, or keep up a conversation about rising prices and a small pension, even if only to quickly and gracefully end the conversation. The schizophrenic will quickly intercept the initiative of the conversation from the elderly interlocutor in such a way that his vis-à-vis will no longer be able to insert even a word into the conversation and will lead a conversation that is of interest only to him. Moreover, it will be problematic for the elderly person to get rid of the conversation.

If a schizophrenic is asked to compare some characteristics of several objects, in response you can definitely hear a variety of associations. Moreover, the objects will be united by very unexpected properties, although they are truly inherent to them, and the flow of associative views on the problem will be inexhaustible. This disease is characterized by the loss of the ability to distinguish between the main and secondary characteristics of objects. Expressing his thoughts, the patient will jump from one qualitative characteristic to another, from absolutely different spheres.

The interlocutor who has caused a flow of reasoning in a sick person should not try to stop, interrupt, reason with or argue with the patient. Delicately, referring to being busy, you need to try to get away from the discussion. These recommendations concern the safety of a healthy person. A schizophrenic has all areas of thinking and emotions cut off from reality. Having entered a frenzy, he will inadequately react to the interference, any careless word can cause aggression.

The appearance of a schizophrenic is not very striking, especially in the initial stages. If a person is used to taking care of his appearance, then changes will not occur immediately. However, close people may notice that he began to brush his teeth and / or take a shower less often, wears the same clothes for a long time, already quite stale and wrinkled, that his facial expression has changed, reactions and behavior have become different and inexplicable. Naturally, in more severe cases, madness is striking, however, it is impossible to determine a schizophrenic only by appearance. People with any mental pathologies are characterized by inadequacy, can put on a strange set of clothes that do not match each other, the season or occupation, can dramatically change the color scheme of their clothes. In fact, a schizophrenic can be perceived for quite a long time as a person with some oddities, explaining them by stress, overwork, a recent illness. This idea, by the way, is often supported by the patients themselves, who usually do not think that they need psychiatric help. [ 12 ]

Gender and age-related behavioral characteristics in schizophrenia

There are no significant differences in the behavior of schizophrenics of different sexes, because the disease is the same. Rather, new qualitative features that have appeared in the patient and are considered in the spectrum of traditional ideas about the male and female roles in the family and society become noticeable.

The behavior of men with schizophrenia changes quite significantly. Usually, family members notice something is wrong first, when a caring and loving son or husband (father) becomes cold and indifferent to loved ones, can kick a favorite dog, make a scandal for no reason, and the next day shower everyone with gifts and show unnaturally hot affection. However, in general, a schizophrenic will remain deaf to the pressing problems of the family, not wanting to participate in their solution, but at the same time can engage in some activity, obviously fruitless, to which he will devote all his free time.

Previously active and energetic, he can no longer be persuaded to do his homework, and at work there is also a loss of interest and a decrease in performance. Patients often quit work, study, and previously favorite hobbies. Schizophrenics lead a rather secluded life, gradually ceasing to be interested in many things, however, they may develop new hobbies to which they will devote themselves completely. This may be invention, creative activity, philosophical research, usually of no value. On topics of interest to the schizophrenic, he, becoming animated, can talk tirelessly, or rather, he quickly reduces any conversation to what “hooks” him, jumping from one topic to another, not allowing the interlocutor to insert a single word, making conclusions that are illogical from a normal point of view. [ 13 ]

Unfortunately, schizophrenics are prone to alcoholism and drug abuse. Substance abuse aggravates the course of the disease, makes the prognosis for recovery less favorable, and increases the likelihood of suicide.

The man stops taking care of himself, stops shaving, washing, changing his underwear. The mood of schizophrenics is often depressed, apathy can be replaced by attacks of aggression, especially if they try to set him on the right path, stir him up, convince him.

It is impossible to give recommendations on how to recognize a schizophrenic man; one can only suspect the disease based on inadequate behavior and organize a qualified psychiatric consultation as soon as possible. Even an experienced doctor will not be able to diagnose schizophrenia at the first meeting without observing the patient.

The behavior of women with schizophrenia is subject to the same laws of disease development. The woman withdraws into herself, becomes indifferent to her family and home life. She can be upset by some insignificant trifle, she can throw a tantrum over a broken cup and react indifferently to the news of her mother's serious illness and even her death.

The unwillingness to take care of oneself and the lack of interest in one's appearance are generally not typical for women, so such changes in behavior indicate trouble, although they are not necessarily symptoms of schizophrenia. [ 14 ]

A woman may develop unusual hobbies, they are also capable of fruitlessly discussing topics that concern them for a long time, and patients with schizophrenia are worried about pseudo-hallucinations - voices that sound in their head and give commands; neighbors who are watching her on orders from aliens or using her thoughts with the help of a reading device built into an electrical outlet.

Incorrect eating behavior is more typical for women, the same applies to dissatisfaction with their appearance, some parts of the body, sensations of bizarre symptoms (brains move, bugs crawl along the esophagus). Patients develop peculiar reasoning and conclusions, unstable mood, hysteria, touchiness - behavior can change in different ways.

How to recognize a schizophrenic woman? By her changed behavior, and not recognize, but assume that she is sick, and how quickly she is helped will determine how her future life will turn out.

The age at which symptoms of schizophrenia first appeared is associated with some, although not at all obligatory, features of its course and prognosis of treatment - the later, the easier the disease progresses and the less destructive its consequences. The most unfavorable prognosis is for hereditary congenital schizophrenia, although such a diagnosis can be made to a child from the age of seven. [ 15 ]

Preschoolers may also have delusions and hallucinations, their presence is assumed even in infants, however, it is not yet possible to establish this with certainty. The behavior of a child with schizophrenia differs from the behavior of healthy children. In the youngest, this can be suspected by the presence of fears - the child is afraid of a certain color, a certain toy, with coldness and apprehension even to the most important key figure - his own mother. Later, when the child's social life becomes more active, obsessiveness, aggressiveness, indifference, lack of desire to play with peers, interest in walks, swings and other favorite children's entertainment begin to appear.

When a child begins to talk, it can be established that he hears voices, responds to them, listens, and can tell his parents or older children about it. Affective swings, endless whims and fears, chaotic speech, inadequate reactions can indicate the development of schizophrenia in the child. If parents notice such behavioral features, it is recommended to keep a diary of observations with a detailed description of unusual behavior, then a psychiatric consultation will be more effective.

Behavior in adolescents with schizophrenia is characterized by high emotional stress. Young schizophrenics become difficult to manage, show a tendency to run away from home, use psychoactive substances. Even previously diligent students have obvious difficulties with memorization, their attention is scattered, they begin to lag behind in their studies, give up previously favorite sports or music activities, withdraw into isolation, some are prone to unchildish philosophizing and philosophizing. Teenagers lose interest in communicating with peers, relationships with former friends are broken, and the patient is unable to build new ones. Teenagers become touchy, they feel that everyone is talking about them, they, just like adults, stop taking care of themselves, do not fulfill their responsibilities around the house. The consequences of hallucinations and delirium are increased suspicion, hostility, instability. Childhood and adolescent schizophrenia usually develops quickly and has an unfavorable prognosis. [ 16 ]

In old age, schizophrenia rarely develops and progresses slowly. Older women live longer than men, so cases of the disease are more common among them. Sometimes in old age, there is an exacerbation of schizophreniform psychosis that manifested in young years and, as a result of successful treatment, did not manifest itself for a long time. It is not easy to recognize that a mental illness is precisely senile schizophrenia; it can be confused with dementia, neurotic disorders, and Alzheimer's disease.

Signs of schizophrenia in older women, as in earlier age, indicate the presence of hallucinatory-delusional symptoms. Behavior changes to inadequate, the patient becomes apathetic, sloppy, stops being interested in children and grandchildren, sometimes, frankly does not want to communicate with them. Basically, the circle of life interests is limited to food and sleep, the patient chooses voluntary isolation, stops going for walks, communicating with friends, watching favorite TV series.

Among people with particularly dangerous criminal behavior, such as serial killers, there are not many schizophrenics, and among professional criminals, too. They generally do not pose a danger. This is explained, first of all, by their predisposition to dullness, loneliness, and isolation from the outside world. [ 17 ]

Types of schizophrenia

Based on the predominant behavioral characteristics of schizophrenics, different types of the disease are distinguished, although this division does not affect treatment methods, and modern psychiatry is going to abandon this classification.

The most common is paranoid schizophrenia, manifesting in adults. It has a continuous course, develops gradually, personality changes occur slowly. The most pronounced symptoms are persistent paranoid delusions of relationships, influence or impact.

Paranoid schizophrenics are sure, for example, that they are being watched everywhere, without taking their eyes off them, therefore, everyone is only busy discussing the patient's behavior and life, and in most cases he suspects a disrespectful attitude towards himself. The patient can "see" surveillance, is sure that they want to kill him, read his thoughts, begins to suspect the participation of his acquaintances, neighbors, fear them, interpret their words in his own way.

This type is characterized by pseudo-hallucinations - voices, alien, ordering or discussing something, previously not characteristic, but as if inserted from the outside, heard by the inner ear. The most unfavorable are imperative voices, on the orders of which patients can commit life-threatening acts. Over time, a syndrome of mental automatism is formed, orders and internal dialogues determine the behavior of the schizophrenic. He becomes indifferent, detached or anxious and worried, less often he can be joyfully excited in anticipation of his great mission with the presence of an elevated background mood, which does not decrease even when there are real reasons for this; tachypsychia - an acceleration of the pace of thinking (the patient simply becomes a generator of ideas); hyperbulia - increased activity (motor, incentive, especially in terms of receiving pleasure, multifaceted and fruitless activity). Manias are an additional symptom, most characteristic of women. [ 18 ]

The intensity and severity of each symptom may vary, moreover, schizophrenics usually have complex manic-paranoid disorders in combination with, for example, delusions of persecution or relationships, delusions of one's own exclusivity. Behavioural deviations will manifest themselves accordingly.

Oneiroid mania may develop in combination with vivid hallucinations. Manic states are mood disorders, that is, affect, under the influence of which the patients' need for rest decreases, a mass of unrealistic plans and ideas appear, they develop vigorous activity in many directions. Mania is not always associated with a joyful mood, often hyperactivity of thinking and motor skills is accompanied by a decrease in mood, increased irritability, aggressiveness and anger. Patients can go to all lengths, having a sexual marathon, become addicted to drugs or alcohol.

Paranoid schizophrenia is usually recognized quickly, since in most cases the delusions are unreal and absurd. However, when the nature of the delusions is plausible, for example, delusions of jealousy or persecution, for example, by business competitors, and schizophrenics are very convincing, since they themselves are convinced of their fantasies, then for a long time those around them may not suspect the disease.

Negative symptoms in this form are expressed insignificantly.

Hereditary schizophrenia, manifesting in early childhood and adolescence, more often in males, is characterized by a severe progressive course and rapid development of negative symptoms. The following are classified as types of juvenile malignant schizophrenia:

Catatonic - characterized by the prevalence of diametrically opposed psychomotor disorders in the symptoms, usually occurring without clouding of consciousness (immobility is replaced by hyperkinesis). Upon waking up, the patient remembers and can tell about what happened around him. The behavior is stuporous, periodic episodes of freezing are characteristic, for example, patients stand or sit, staring at one point. With this type of disease, oneiroid states can develop - the patient's behavior corresponds to the hallucinations in which he participates (daydream). This form of schizophrenia is characterized by a rapid course - the third stage occurs within two to three years. [ 19 ]

Herbephrenic schizophrenia develops only in adolescence and early youth. The dominant behavioral features are absolutely inappropriate grimacing and silly behavior. It has a rapid development and an unfavorable prognosis due to the development of autistic disorder.

Simple schizophrenia develops without delirium and hallucinations, moreover, such children usually do not cause any complaints from either parents or teachers before the disease. Changes in behavior appear suddenly and are expressed in a rapid increase in symptoms. In three to five years, patients develop a special schizophrenic defect, consisting in complete indifference to everything.

Behavior in sluggish schizophrenia (in the modern interpretation - schizotypal personality disorder) is closest to eccentricity, and this disorder is no longer classified as true schizophrenia. In an acute state, delusions and hallucinations may occur, but they are unstable and weakly expressed. Obsessions, oddities in behavior, rituals, excessive thoroughness, egocentrism and detachment, hypochondria, dysmorphophobia are more common. Imaginary complaints of patients are distinguished by extravagance, patients are embarrassed by certain parts of their body, and absolutely normal ones, they can hide them, dream of remaking them. However, negative consequences in the form of deep emotional burnout, as well as social and professional maladaptation do not appear with the disorder. [ 20 ]

However, behavior in latent schizophrenia changes at any age and in people of any gender - it becomes previously uncharacteristic for this person, incomprehensible, absurd, stereotypical. It is very peculiar. Schizophrenics, seized by some overvalued manic idea, have a special charisma and the ability to influence the masses, bribing them with their sincere fanatical faith in it, they are very convincing and penetrating. Moreover, this concerns almost all spheres of activity - they often become significant figures in politics, religion. They especially often manifest themselves in opposition directions.

Their works of art are amazing, original, unconventional, reflecting all their anxiety, excitement, and the hallucinatory-delusional impressions they experience.

And in everyday life, schizophrenics are distinguished by egoism and orientation only towards their own interests. They do not obey traditions and conventions, are prone to protest and never make concessions.