Schizophrenia - 10 Early Signs and Symptoms You Can Spot

“They're coming for you”, said the voice as I strolled aimlessly down Chowringhee, looking for shoes. “Who?” I replied, in all seriousness, because I had recently only started engaging with this voice that would speak its opinion quite frequently.

“They’re coming, they’re coming, they’re coming soon,” said the voice again, frankly unnerving me this time because who hears voices that also when they’re on the street shopping for shoes? Why did I have a voice in my head? What was this voice, periodically threatening, sometimes cajoling, but mostly warning me?

Suddenly, the street began to close in. At that precise moment, I felt as if everyone on the road was looking at me and judging me for who I was. I kept walking, looking for a shop or an open door to walk through so I could get away from this street and from that voice.

I found one open door and walked straight in. As if by magic, the voice in my head started becoming faint before disappearing completely. Also, that feeling of the street closing in on me? That disappeared as well.

“How can I help you, sir?” said the friendly shop assistant, asking me whether I wanted to buy something from there. “Do you like something specific, or would you rather browse our collection?” he said, looking at me again.

I had just about found my bearings. I could barely make out what the shop assistant was saying. It seemed as if he was trying to sell me something, I thought. My words were coming out jumbled, as were my thoughts.

“Nnn…no, nothing, I was just looking”, I replied to the shop assistant before opening the door and walking out onto the street again. It was time to deal with that voice and the fact that the street had tried to swallow me whole the last time I tried to walk on it.

Voices, hallucinations, etc, were a thing for me. Ever since I had been diagnosed with schizophrenia back in 2013, I had to deal with these strange hallucinations that would appear more often than not, telling me something vaguely. These were the regular symptoms of schizophrenia.

When I complained about this to my loved ones, they called me crazy. They said I was insane because I was hearing voices that weren’t there. Interacting with voices didn’t seem to be a very logical thing to do. So I kept living, day by day, fearing what would happen if those voices stopped suddenly.

Hearing voices is part and parcel of schizophrenia. A chronic mental illness that negatively impacts a person’s thoughts, feelings and actions. It can make it difficult for a person to distinguish reality from their thoughts and ideas.

Initially, when people asked me when it all started, I would say, “They were always there!” But were they? In hindsight, there were signs. I ignored them. But I don’t want you to.

1. Social Withdrawal

At the very outset of schizophrenia comes social withdrawal. This is when the person starts to believe everything they hear. Maybe they start hearing voices and don’t want anyone else to discover they do.

Social withdrawal means shying away from things that you used to enjoy earlier. You consciously stay away from society because you are fearful and doubtful.

2. Poor Performance

Initially, you might have issues concentrating, remembering things or completing tasks. Anyone who is schizophrenic might experience this symptom at the onset of their disease. You cannot seem to focus, recall anything or finish any objectives. This alarms you, but not so much that you seek treatment for it anyway.

3. Unusual Thoughts

A person suffering from schizophrenia might have issues distinguishing reality from make-believe. They might also have unusual beliefs or perceptions. This is because they start hearing things and hallucinating. Strange thought patterns are the norm in schizophrenia, especially in the beginning, when a person doesn’t know what to do.

4. Disorganised speech

Schizophrenia makes you speak in tongues - you fail to communicate clearly, or if you’re asked a question, your answer might be completely unrelated to the question. Communication goes out of the window when you have schizophrenia. It’s all about the voices you can hear, not the voice you can be.

5. Unusual Behaviour

Mental illness often causes us to act strange. When we say unusual behaviour, we mean abnormal movements or the inability to respond to instructions. Acting out because we’re mentally ill becomes the norm, and that’s precisely the point when people start labelling us crazy.

6. Reduced Motivation

Anyone suffering from schizophrenia might lose interest in activities that they used to enjoy earlier. They would have a difficult time starting tasks. This reduced motivation is evident through all spheres of their life, where they experience this almost every waking hour.

7. Negative Emotions

Low energy, feeling anxious or having issues experiencing pleasure - all these signs are a hallmark of someone suffering from schizophrenia. Imagine you’re hearing voices - who in their right mind would be positive during such a time?

Negative emotions, often about the self, are a trademark of schizophrenia. It creates anxiety, stress and many other negative emotions.

8. Hallucinations

This is the most important part for someone who is schizophrenic. They start to experience hallucinations - they may see, hear, taste, smell or feel things that are not real. Hearing voices is the most common hallucination. This voice could come from anywhere and say anything to you. Hallucinations, in fact, make up the central part of this mental illness.

9. Delusions

Having a belief based on an unrealistic view, even though it might not be true. Someone suffering from schizophrenia might have delusions either about themselves or about something else. When you are suffering from a mental illness, delusions seem to be pretty standard.

10. Neglecting Personal Hygiene

When you are suffering from mental illness, personal hygiene goes out of the window. Here, I’m hearing voices, and there, you want me to groom myself? No chance. Mental illness ensures that you neglect personal hygiene. If people are calling you crazy, you better look the part, right?

Fortunately, schizophrenia’s symptoms are manageable, which means you don’t have to suffer if you have any of these early signs. There are treatment methods available for you if you are suffering from schizophrenia.

Mental illness is curable - schizophrenia, just like depression, anxiety and ADHD, have symptoms that can be cured. The main thing is to deal with these symptoms objectively without labelling someone. Don’t ignore the early signs of schizophrenia - because mental illness should not be overlooked.

Your psychiatrist is the ideal person to tell you how long it will require for medication and therapy to work because different medications take their own time before effects are noticeable. Other treatment options might help if the first treatment doesn’t work. Being mentally ill, you’re never short of options for treatment.

I keep hearing voices. Am I schizophrenic?

People suffering from schizophrenia might have hallucinations where they hear voices and see things that are not there.

I’ve never had a history of mental illness. Can I get schizophrenia?

Mental illness can strike without warning. Just because you’ve never been mentally ill doesn’t mean that you cannot be affected by a mental illness.

What are the first signs of schizophrenia?

Early signs of schizophrenia can vary but often include subtle changes in behavior, thoughts, and emotions. Common early indicators include social withdrawal, unusual thoughts or beliefs, difficulty concentrating, and changes in mood or perception.

Can schizophrenia be prevented if caught early?

While there is no guaranteed way to prevent schizophrenia, early diagnosis and treatment can help manage symptoms and improve long-term outcomes.

At what age does schizophrenia typically first appear?

Schizophrenia usually develops in late adolescence to early adulthood, typically between the ages of 16 and 30. However, early warning signs can appear several years before the full symptoms manifest, making early intervention crucial for better prognosis and management.