Traditional medicine

Test for schizophrenia as an additional diagnostic method. Take the oligophrenia test online

Schizophrenia is one of the dangerous and terrifying diagnoses that a person can face. In their practice, psychiatrists successfully use special tests to identify the diagnosis and examine the disease. Certain types of testing are designed to detect early signs of the disorder. There are also those that allow us to determine the level of development of pathology.

Experts suggest conducting a test for predisposition to schizophrenia in anonymous conditions. This increases the number of truthful answers and the quality of the final results - after all, a gloomy possible outcome and a terrifying diagnosis do not loom over the individual.

Tests for schizophrenia help identify the disease by early stages

For doctors to identify and diagnose a person schizophrenic disorder, testing alone is not enough. The verdict comes only after a complete comprehensive examination of the person, which includes an assessment of clinical symptoms and the normal functioning of parts of the brain.

The test for susceptibility to schizophrenia is primarily recommended for persons whose parents are prone to various forms of neuroses and psychoses. First of all, tests reveal the level of predisposition to the disorder.

If the test person receives positive results, he needs to contact a highly qualified psychiatrist. Schizophrenia diagnosed on early stage, helps to take timely measures to stop the manifestations of the disorder and protect the patient from the progression of a dangerous disease.

When deciding to get tested, a person should know that even a positive self-diagnosis does not give an accurate answer. Although schizophrenia has already been studied quite well, leading experts still have difficulty making an accurate diagnosis. This happens for the following reasons:

Schizophrenia has many different manifestations - types and forms.
Symptoms of this mental disorder often resembles manifestations of other mental disorders.
To make an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary that the symptoms of a schizophrenic disorder manifest themselves in a given person for a long time (from six months).

A test to determine schizophrenia is only a method to better understand yourself and pay attention to the condition own health. A doctor will never make a diagnosis of schizophrenia based on the positive results of even the most highly accurate and proven clinical test.

Rorschach tests

Hermann Rorschach is a renowned psychotherapist working in Switzerland. He entered the history of psychiatry with his individually designed personality testing for mental disorders. Later, the tests he created began to be successfully used to determine mental disorders of human consciousness. The most famous test is called “Rorschach Blots”.

Rorschach test: a set of inkblot pictures

How to use the test

Rorschach blots are a collection of cards. Most often it includes ten pictures in the form of ink blots. A certain blot, when examined and analyzed by a patient, evokes individual associations. A doctor, analyzing a person’s test for schizophrenia using pictures, identifies the level of impairment of consciousness and psyche.

The doctor, analyzing the test, relies on those associations (with objects, objects, processes) that blots evoke in the person being tested. For example, when examining a picture, the subject sees:

A cheerful man who jumps and dances.
A bat or dragon that wags its tail welcomingly.
Evil creatures that will now attack and eat me, they are dangerous to everyone around me (dangerous only to me).
Monstrous aliens whose plans are to take over the entire earth. In the meantime, they sit in their house and think over a plan of attack.

The test taker should describe his feelings about each picture in as much detail as possible. There are ten blots in total. The uniqueness of the Rorschach test is that these blots are black and white and do not resemble any recognizable image. Therefore, this test makes it possible to judge existing pathological images.

Luscher test

You can also pass a psychological test for schizophrenia using original color perception. This method was developed in the middle of the last century by the Swiss psychotherapist Max Luscher. More than a century of its use has shown and proven a clearly traceable connection between the existing psycho-emotional background of the individual and color perception.

The founder of the test, Max Luscher, created it to assess and identify the level of communication abilities, predisposition to stress and the presence of depression in the person being tested.

For analysis mental state test subject Luscher used color perception. The test consists of several cards, each of which is colored a certain color. When conducting a personality test, you are asked to choose the most attractive colored card each time.

Luscher testing

In the course of his many years of practice and activity, Max Luscher made an important conclusion: for each person, color perception is universal, and emotional perception is a purely individual matter. That is, color perception can change under the influence of any factors.

Types of dough

Over the many years of successful use of the Luscher test, psychotherapists have developed two types of test based on it, which make it possible to more accurately determine the degree of psycho-emotional disorder:

Full version test. The patient is asked to analyze seven color tables with more than 70 color shades.
Short test. A person is asked to analyze only eight colors.

But a questionable analysis, or even a positive one, is not enough to make a diagnosis of schizophrenia. To make sure that a person is suffering from a mental disorder, after tests are carried out, he is prescribed a series of in-depth medical studies.

Chaplin mask test

Another interesting test for schizophrenics is widely known in medical circles - the Chaplin test. This test was first introduced into use by psychiatrists by Richard Gregory, a famous scientist and professor of neuropsychology. The scientist, studying the difference between the existing reality in healthy and sick individuals, came to the conclusion that a person’s perception depends on thinking, which is based on existing experience.

The more knowledge a certain person has about a situation, the less often his self-awareness requires processing and accepting fresh information.

Testing is based on optical illusion. The subject is asked to look at the rotating face of the legendary comedian for 2-3 minutes. And then tell me if there is anything strange in Chaplin’s moving appearance. Look:

If a person is healthy. A mentally adequate person, faced with a certain new information, to process it uses existing experience. A healthy person experiences optical illusions when his already ingrained knowledge and experience about a certain subject does not correspond to the situation.

To people who do not have a schizophrenic disorder, the face will appear convex and on the wrong side.

Initially, a person perceives an ordinary three-dimensional Chaplin mask. When the face turns visual system A healthy person cannot perceive the inside of the mask as empty. Adequate people see another three-dimensional face there. This happens due to the following nuances:

The brain of a healthy person does not quite adequately perceive the play of light/shadow on inside masks.
Human experience dictates to the brain knowledge of what appearance a face has. This is top-down knowledge.
Dissonance occurs in the brain with the sensory signal.
But in a healthy person, downward knowledge always has a clear advantage.
The concave face on the reverse side of the mask of a healthy personality appears three-dimensional.

If a person is sick. One of the main symptoms of schizophrenia is a failure of all cognitive functions. Schizophrenics cannot perceive any optical illusions. A person suffering from schizophrenia will not find anything strange in a rotating mask. For a sick person, Chaplin's appearance will remain concave.

The reasons why individuals with schizophrenic disorder are unable to perceive optical illusions are not yet fully understood. There is a theory that such non-perception depends on the special manner in which sick people process visual information.

Comparison of the brain function of a healthy person and a patient with schizophrenia

If you can't see the 3D pinkish face on the back of the mask, rush to the doctors. But don't despair! Optical illusions are also not perceived by people under the influence of drugs, alcohol or severe stress.

Eye movement test

A special feature of this test is its high accuracy in determining possible schizophrenia. The world's leading psychiatrists have long studied the reaction of eyeball movements in people suffering from various mental disorders.

The result of many years of research was eye method verification of schizophrenia. The test was created by scientists from Scotland, Philip Benson and David Clare, for a long time observing the behavior of patients. With schizophrenic syndrome, the patient is characterized by:

The patient's inability to focus his gaze on a stationary object.
It is also difficult for a schizophrenic to keep his gaze on objects that move at a slow speed.

How is testing carried out?

The final conclusion on whether a person has a schizophrenic disorder is given based on the results of a combination of the following stages:

Smooth tracking.
Free movement.
Fixation of gaze.

Eye tests with 97-98% reliability can detect the presence of schizophrenia in the early stages. The reliability of the method was confirmed by scientific research by scientists at the University of Aberdeen.

Various pictures and objects (moving and stationary) are alternately placed in front of the subject. The patient's task is to continuously monitor objects.

Due to its characteristics and specific disorders, occurring in the brain, it is difficult for a patient with schizophrenia to concentrate his gaze and focus it correctly.

The basis for the disruption of the normal mobility of the eyeballs in a schizophrenic is a failure in the conductivity of neurons running through the centers of the brain halves. Also, during the disease, adequate interaction between peripheral receptors (including the optic nerve) and the cerebral subcortex is disrupted.

How does schizophrenia develop?

Warning symptoms are:

a person’s inability to track moving objects for a long time;
when moving behind an object, the patient's eyeballs seem to lag behind the object.

Ocular method for detecting schizophrenia at the moment is considered only a method for early diagnosis of pathology. But scientists plan to develop and improve testing that will allow us to determine not only the presence of the disease, but also which way the disease will develop.

Nuances of the test

In schizophrenics, difficulties with adequate visual fixation are expressed in different ways. In order to more accurately evaluate the test results, experts have developed separate tables of compatibility between eye movements and established standards nosology.

Many leading experts are involved in improving and improving the eye test:

Psychiatrist Dr. Benson, studying inadequate ocular reactions in schizophrenics, came up with a special scale. The scale facilitates the final determination of the test performed.
Psychotherapist St. Clair. A leading scientist and psychotherapist focused his attention on the length of time spent conducting the test. It is impossible for sick people to sit in one position for a long time during the test. The professor has developed an original technique that reduces the time allotted for test diagnostics.

A test for determining schizophrenia, based on observation of the movements of the eye pupils, is currently used only in a few leading psychiatric clinics in Europe. This method is still at the testing stage. Only after the test has been thoroughly developed and evaluated in practical conditions can it be recommended for use in mass practice.

Schizophrenia complex illness, requiring long-term treatment and a special approach to diagnosis. The complexity of the diagnostic process lies in the impossibility of establishing a diagnosis using instrumental methods research. To determine pathology, a medical history is carefully studied, which should last at least a year, and psychiatrists often resort to testing for signs of schizophrenia.

Testing as an additional technique in making a diagnosis

A single test for predisposition to schizophrenia is not able to give an accurate answer as to whether the patient has really developed this disease or whether it is other mental disorders.

The history of the development of various psychological tests to identify signs of pathology goes back decades. Some of them, only slightly improved, are still used in our time, others have lost their relevance. The test is based only on the psychological characteristics of a person, showing big picture his psyche, but this data is not enough to make a diagnosis. Only long-term observation of the patient in combination with a number of tests can give a clear picture of what is happening in the patient’s psyche.

The most popular tests are:

"Mask";
Luscher;
eye movement test.

Test "Mask"

The “Mask” test for schizophrenia is performed as follows. The patient is given a drawing that shows a mask with the concave side. If a person is healthy, his brain will automatically correct the picture using his imagination and see the mask as convex, as he is accustomed to seeing it. A person who is sick with schizophrenia does not have such imagination, he does not notice details, his brain cannot establish a connection with environment. The patient sees only the mask as it is drawn, that is, curved inward.

Luscher test

The history of this famous testing using different colors known in psychiatry for more than half a century. The first interpretation of the test was published in 1948, bringing world fame to the doctor. The full test with instructions for it was published in 1970. Before developing the necessary shades for research, Luscher went through more than 4,500 colors. The quality and veracity of the results, the author claims, depends on how consistent the set of color stimuli was. Today there are two versions of the test: full and short. The full version consists of seven color tables, each of which contains its own shades. So, in the full version of the table of the following colors:

The short version contains a set of eight colors:

blue-green;
grey;
dark blue;
red-yellow;
yellow-red;
violet;
brown;
black.

The procedure consists of determining color preferences at a given moment in the mental state. Cards with colors are laid out in front of the subject, and he is asked to choose the color he likes the most, the choice continues until the last 3 shades remain, of which the least liked one is selected. Thus, a certain picture is drawn up based on the choice of certain colors and a competent specialist is able to reliably decipher it.

Interesting fact! It has been revealed that people suffering from mental disorders subconsciously choose predominantly yellow shades. But the essence of the test is not limited to the fact that the choice of the entire color scheme and its relationship to each other matters.

Over the history of the test, there have been both supporters and opponents this study. As a rule, the theoretical part of the technique is criticized, but despite this, the procedure remains quite popular all over the world. In addition to schizophrenia, the test allows you to find out about:

psychological state at the time of the study;
analyze the presence of family conflicts and other difficulties in your personal life;
control the volitional and emotional qualities of athletes before the upcoming competition;
conduct a psychoanalytic analysis of the selection of candidates for a specific job.

Eye movement test

The test for schizophrenia itself is quite simple, but at the same time it allows you to quite accurately determine the signs of schizophrenia. It has been used in psychiatry for quite some time and is as follows. During the study, a person is shown scenes at different speeds. motor activity and are asked to continuously monitor, for example, one of the characters. Or keep your gaze on one non-moving object. Thus, if a person is healthy, difficulties will not arise with any of the assigned tasks. But, if there is a disease, it will be difficult for the patient to keep his gaze on an object without moving, long-term fixation will be impossible. Often, patients do not have time to follow the movement of an object, even if it is slow; they abruptly return their fixation to the object that has lost sight of them. According to statistics, in 98% of cases, patients with schizophrenia have disturbances in eye movement.

History of knowledge of schizophrenia

The history of the development of the study of the disease begins long before our era, in Ancient Egypt. This is evidenced by the records of the chronicler Ebers. He was the first to describe schizophrenic symptoms in the Ebers Papyrus (a document of that time where records were kept of various diseases of the Egyptians and their treatment).

Further, the history of the disease is mentioned by the Arabs, so in the Middle Ages the pathology was called Jurun mufrit, which meant severe insanity. Under this name at that time the Arabs united various diseases, for example, rabies, psychosis, mania and other pathologies with symptoms similar to schizophrenia.

In the mid-19th century, the physician Morel introduced the concept of “dementia praecox,” which meant dementia praecox. Since then

moment and a more global description of mental disorders, including schizophrenia, began, although at that time this term did not yet exist. The next step in the history of the disease was the description of catatonic psychoses in 1863 by Kahlbaum. Afterwards hebephrenia, idiophrenia, chronic psychosis, etc. were described. Until, between the 19th and 20th centuries, E. Kraepelin made a breakthrough in this area. In 1898, Kraepelin analyzed all previously described conditions and isolated dementia praecox with characteristic diseases symptoms, thereby describing schizophrenia. The term “schizophrenia” itself appeared a little later in 1911, it was proposed by E. Bleuler. Thus, dementia praecox was renamed schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia as a separate type of disease has been described more than a century ago, the principles of its diagnosis and treatment are systematically supplemented by new ones, modern techniques, which allows you to achieve better results in the treatment of patients. Like other mental disorders, schizophrenia requires a comprehensive approach, competent specialists in this field. Regarding the various tests to identify signs of the disease, they have their significance, but relying only on them in making a diagnosis is a wrong practice. They can only be used as additional technique, and testing should only be carried out by an experienced psychiatrist, only in this case the result can be useful.

Reading strengthens neural connections:

doctor

We habitually use the name “schizophrenia” to describe slightly strange people. “Schizophrenic,” we say, mentally twirling our finger at our temple. Meanwhile, schizophrenia is a mental illness that has a long course and is accompanied by a mismatch of mental processes, motor skills and increasing personality changes.

Schizophrenia can develop slowly and unnoticed by the patient. The first signs of schizophrenia are usually isolation from society, social isolation, emotional coldness, indifference to loved ones and oneself. appearance, loss of interest in things and events that previously fascinated the patient.

Scientists from the University of Bristol studied the neurotransmitters glutamate and dopamine, which are responsible for transmitting signals between the above-mentioned brain regions. Experts found that subtle changes in the interaction of neurotransmitters completely changed the flow of information coming from the hippocampus to the prefrontal cortex.

According to the researchers, due to the hyperactivation of dopamine receptors, the activity of glutamate NMDA receptors decreases. As a result, the connection between the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex is disrupted. This is why people with schizophrenia see things as they really are. That is, when taking a similar test for schizophrenia, patients see the concave side of the mask.

A mentally healthy person sees with his mind, not with his eyes

When you look at the world, your eyes are not just lenses that coolly record everything that happens. On the contrary, the brain adjusts the picture to the context of a specific situation. Let's look at another one visual test for schizophrenia. Look at the following optical illusion.

IN in this case our brain filters what we see based on what it knows about light and shadow. We perceive a three-dimensional cube floating above a white board until we are shown the underside of the trick. And all because our brain tells us that the cube cannot be concave inward. Patients with schizophrenia lose their holistic perception of the world and focus only on individual parts of the overall picture. Looking at such an illusion, schizophrenics realize that in front of them is a piece of cardboard, concave inward, painted in black and white squares.

TO initial signs diseases include:

causeless aggression, anger towards loved ones;

loss of interests and hobbies previously characteristic of the patient;

unexpected and illogical ideas and solutions;

auditory hallucinations (voices giving orders to the patient);

neuroses ( obsessive actions, obsessive fears, disorders of self-perception).

Dmitry Belov

Psychiatrists have been using tests for schizophrenia for a long time, but among them there are studies that make it possible to determine initial stages diseases or verify the level of schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is enough dangerous diagnosis, so it cannot be installed based on tests alone. The method is used to identify early signs of the disease when a visit to a psychiatrist is required.

Experts will appreciate clinical symptoms, brain functionality. Only after a comprehensive examination is it possible to make a diagnosis.

An online picture test for schizophrenia is recommended for people whose parents are prone to psychosis and various forms of schizophrenia to determine the likelihood of the disease. If you receive positive results, you should contact a psychiatrist. The ability to study the condition anonymously helps to take adequate therapeutic procedures at an early stage to protect against further progression of the disease.

When answering test questions anonymously, the likelihood of obtaining the correct result increases, since the person is not burdened with the burden of making a disappointing diagnosis.

Test for schizophrenia using pictures: Rorschach test - diagnostic features

Diagnosis of schizophrenia using the Rorschach test is aimed at determining psychological state person. A special feature of the test is the analysis of unique blots and spots in the picture. The mental state is determined based on associations of pictures with certain objects.

Hermann Rorschach's inkblots online cannot be deciphered by psychiatrists. When analyzing, you should write down your own associations, and then contact a specialist who will assess the likelihood of schizophrenia.

Here is an approximate list of Rorschach test answers to the question, what do you see from a whole spot in the picture:

I see a man jumping, moving, singing;
The image shows a bat, another animal, wagging its tail;
I observe a dragon, a witch or other mythical characters who harm surrounding creatures;
It seems to me that the picture shows an uninhabited house in which aliens nest;
The whole spot is associated with love and friendship.

When analyzing the answers, we can assume which options are typical for a person with schizophrenia. The final conclusion can be obtained after evaluating the answer options to 10 questions after analyzing the entire spots.

Schizophrenia is the most incomprehensible and unstudied mental illness. Every person knows that such a disease exists, but few can talk in detail about its specific manifestations. There are various forms of schizophrenia, from completely weak attempts to withdraw into oneself, to hide from society, family, to violent attacks of aggression, deep depression. This terrible disease can develop in children and older adults. But most often, mental disorder begins at a young age. The disease can develop over several years, and sometimes appear completely suddenly.

How to detect early manifestations of the disease

You began to notice that your interlocutors react somehow strangely to your actions and words. Relationships with loved ones have become strained. You begin to sleep anxiously at night and have nightmares. More and more often you begin to think about the question: have I gone crazy? The answer to such a question, of course, can only be given by a specialist, inviting you to undergo a psychiatric test at his appointment. And after a long study of all the symptoms, put final diagnosis. Unfortunately, our mentality often prevents us from seeing a doctor of this profile in time, so there is a high probability of developing the disease. What to do if for some reason you are unable to visit a doctor. You can take a schizophrenia test yourself.

What online tests are there?

Test for the presence of the disease - mask.

Instant determination of the presence of schizophrenia is given by this optical illusion. A British psychologist first proposed a very effective visual test called the Chaplin Mask. You're looking at a rotating mask where one side is convex and one side is concave. Healthy man succumbs to optical illusion and sees the mask as convex on the side where it is in reality concave. The point is that human brain is not able to perceive a face as concave, so he completes a picture of a human face to make it seem ordinary. But a schizophrenic sees reality without distortion, that is, they see the face as concave, from the side where it should be. Interestingly, in this case, distorted reality and self-deception are a sign of a healthy person. People under the influence of alcohol or drugs can also see the mask without optical illusion.

To understand this phenomenon, German scientists conducted an experiment where they collected healthy people and volunteers with schizophrenia. During brain scans, subjects were shown both concave and convex 3D images. They had to determine which part of the face they were seeing at the moment. Healthy people perceived the information as distorted in 99% of cases, while patients almost accurately identified the correct parts. The scientists concluded that in healthy people, an active exchange of information between two areas of the brain, visual and frontoparietal, was activated when viewing a convex image. And in patients, activity remained at the same level.

Test for schizophrenia using pictures. Rorschach test.

This test is based on the inkblot technique. It was developed by the Swiss psychologist Hermann Rorschach back in the early 20th century. The essence of the test is that 10 pictures are presented, with black and white and color images, in the form of blots with clear symmetry, unlike any specific images.

During the passage psychological test The test taker answers questions about what he sees in the picture and what the image looks like. Does he see the whole picture or individual parts, do objects move? This test is the most common, it can reveal the full picture of a person’s mental disorders. Gives answers to many troubling personal questions.

Luscher Color Test.

This is one of the most informative and full tests, which determines the tendency to schizophrenia. Developed by Swiss psychologist Max Luscher back in the 40s of the last century. Over the years scientific activity The scientist deduced the relationship between color perception and the psycho-emotional state of a person. Using the test, you can identify the causes of stress, measure psychophysiological criteria, activity, and communication skills. There are currently 2 types of tests:

Short. At short version 8 colors are used, gray, dark blue, blue-green, red-yellow, yellow-red, red-blue, brown, black.
The complete one consists of 73 colors. From 7 color tables: gray, 8 colors, 4 primary colors, blue, green, yellow, red.

The subject chooses from the tables offered to him the most acceptable color for him at the moment. At the moment of choice, a person must be distracted from the influence of any factors influencing the perception of color. This means that you need to forget what colors you prefer in clothes, whether certain ones irritate you bright colors in everyday life, but choose only the color that pleases you at this moment. After a few minutes, the procedure is repeated and the subject chooses colors in any order, without connecting his preferences with previous times. The first version of the psychological test for schizophrenia determines the desired state, and the second the actual one.

Cube - test for schizophrenia.

This test is essentially similar to the Chaplin Mask. A healthy person sees a rotating cube in a three-dimensional image, which goes against all the rules of light and shadow created. In fact, this is an illusion; the cube has 3 sides. People prone to schizophrenia do not succumb to optical illusion and see a real concave cube.

You can easily take online schizophrenia tests. This could become initial stage in the diagnosis of this disease. Early detection This mental illness gives every chance of a quick recovery. Whether you take the test results seriously or with a bit of irony, your further actions will depend on this. In any case, if you are concerned about your condition, you should contact a specialist who will conduct a professional consultation and make a final diagnosis.

It is believed that a person diagnosed with schizophrenia has mental disorders that accompany him throughout his life. However, this is not entirely true. If the disease is diagnosed at an early stage of development and all necessary measures By treating this disease, there is a possibility that the person will live a normal, full life.

Is there a cure for schizophrenia?

There is an established opinion in society that it is impossible to recover from schizophrenia and that it is a stamp for life. In fact, you shouldn’t be so skeptical about this diagnosis. So is schizophrenia curable? To answer the question, it is recommended to look at this diagnosis from a different angle. Namely, treat this disease like any other chronic illness. As an example, consider a disease such as diabetes. Humanity has not come up with a way to get rid of it, but there are certain rules, following which, a person can lead a normal life and keep his body in good shape. So is schizophrenia treatable or not? When answering this question, it is necessary to take into account that if you learn to follow certain rules, then it will become possible to exercise control over your condition.

Each person is individual, and schizophrenia has its own characteristics. U different people they can manifest themselves in different ways. There are statistics that one in five people with schizophrenia gets better after five years. At this stage, you should understand what improvement means and whether schizophrenia is treatable. Let's figure it out now.

How do improvements in this disease manifest themselves?

First, it should be understood that improvement is a long process in a disease such as schizophrenia. Psychiatry identifies several aspects of this condition. Secondly, you need to know that the recovery process implies a person’s desire to constantly work and achieve their goals. During this period, the patient will experience both normalization of the condition and exacerbation of the disease. An important point is the support of loved ones who can provide the necessary help at the moment when a person diagnosed with schizophrenia needs it.

Psychiatry says that improving the condition of a person who is sick with this disease means minimizing the symptoms of the disease and preventing attacks. It is also necessary to establish a normal perception of reality for the patient, thanks to which he will be able to lead a normal life.

What influences the positive outcome of treatment?

And women are usually the same. But there are also differences. They lie in the fact that the symptoms of schizophrenia in men are more aggressive and frightening. They need the attention and understanding of loved ones.

They have a softer character. Hallucinations occur. An interesting fact is that this disease can be triggered by childbirth. When answering the question of whether schizophrenia is treated in women, it should be taken into account that it is hereditary disease. And it is treatable to the same extent as in men. But if we talk about whether schizophrenia can be treated in adolescents, then here important point is early diagnosis diseases.

Facts to pay attention to during treatment

It's worth saying that modern medicine does not offer any specific methods by which a person can be cured of schizophrenia. But this disease is treatable. There are also ways to prevent attacks and exacerbations of the disease. If the patient has the right attitude and strives for recovery, then he has every chance of becoming a full-fledged member of society and leading a normal lifestyle, working, etc.

If a person is diagnosed with schizophrenia, this does not mean that he needs to constantly be in a hospital. With the correct and timely approach to treatment, the patient will be able to avoid crisis situations in which medical examination of the patient and keeping him under observation may be necessary. It should be remembered that in any situation there is hope for recovery. The main thing is not to be discouraged, but to take certain actions. Thanks to them, you can achieve the desired results.

Non-medical methods for diagnosing varonia

There is a test for schizophrenia that you can take. Please note that this test is not a basis for making a diagnosis. It shows whether a person is predisposed to such a disease or not. The test for schizophrenia presents a set of questions. By answering them, a person gains a certain number of points. The developers of the test have determined the norm. It is considered if a person has scored points and they do not exceed a certain amount, then he is not prone to schizophrenia. The test is psychological in nature.

The questions are quite simple, for example, “do your relatives annoy you” or “do you have intrusive thoughts"and so on. In addition to the test method, where you need to answer questions, there is an optical illusion test. It is called the Chaplin mask. It is assumed that healthy people see Chaplin’s convex face on both sides of the mask. And those who are prone to mental illness see the second the concave side of the mask. These methods do not have any medical accuracy.

Treatment methods for schizophrenia. Patient participation in the therapy process

First of all, it is necessary that the person be given correct diagnosis. The staging process requires enough long period time. Since the symptoms of this disease can overlap with other human mental disorders. Making a diagnosis requires time to monitor the patient. In addition, it is better if it is done by someone who has experience in treating such people.

Therefore, at the first suspicion of schizophrenia or a mental disorder, you should consult a doctor. This should be done. Since for effective treatment a correct diagnosis is necessary. And based on this, they will prescribe a treatment regimen for the disease. If the diagnosis is made accurately, then therapy will be effective.

There are cases when a person who does not realize this himself resists what he is told that he is not entirely healthy. But relatives who see mental abnormalities need to see a doctor. If a person himself notices this kind of problem in his body, then he is also recommended to seek medical help.

A sick person needs to know that treating schizophrenia requires an integrated approach. This disease cannot be cured simply by taking medications. In addition, it is necessary to ensure communication with doctors, relatives, and have psychological support from loved ones. It is important not to drop out of society, but to continue communicating with people around you. You should also lead a healthy lifestyle and eat right. Under in a healthy way life means following a daily routine, walking, and exercising.

Another important factor that will ensure the recovery process in schizophrenia is that the patient is an active participant in the treatment. The patient needs to tune in to participate in this process, talk through his feelings from taking this or that drug, talk about his well-being and share his emotional mood with loved ones and the attending physician.

The course of schizophrenia and the patient’s mood for recovery

First of all, you should not fall into despair. If there are people around a person who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia who believe that this illness is incurable, then you should not communicate with them. It is better that those for whom this person remains a person, regardless of illness. You need to constantly maintain a relationship with your doctor. It is recommended to monitor the dosage medicines prescribed by the psychiatrist. If a patient has concerns that he has been prescribed a dose of medication that is too high or, conversely, too small, then he should definitely talk to his doctor. He needs to voice his concerns about this. You should also clarify what are possible side effects from taking this or that drug. It is important for the patient to be honest with himself and the psychiatrist. If the patient observes side effects, then you need to tell the doctor about this and change the treatment regimen or change the amount of the drug. The patient should be aware that dosage determination medical supplies- This is a joint work between the doctor and the patient. Therefore, you need to take an active part in it.

Also, a person diagnosed with schizophrenia should learn to use special therapy, which includes the ability to control the symptoms of this disease. Namely, if the patient has any obsessive thoughts or hears extraneous voices, then through special therapy he can switch and lead himself away from these conditions. The patient should also learn to motivate himself to do something.

For schizophrenics, setting and achieving goals is an important part of the recovery process. Under no circumstances should you give up society.

Patient support

Those patients who receive support from relatives and other close people are very lucky. The participation of others in the treatment process is an important component of recovery. It has also been found that when the patient is surrounded by understanding and kindness, the occurrence of relapses is minimized.

A person who is ill is advised to talk with relatives and friends who, in his opinion, can help if attacks of schizophrenia occur. It is necessary to explain to them what type of help is expected from them. As a rule, when people ask for help, they are met. Especially when it comes to health. Having received support, it will be easier for a patient diagnosed with schizophrenia to cope with the illness.

Another important factor that will contribute to recovery is work. It is better for people with mental disabilities to work. If, of course, the state of health allows and there is no disability due to schizophrenia. Voluntary labor can be used. There are communities of people suffering from this disease. To avoid a lack of communication, it is recommended to join them. Visiting temples helps some people. You need to create a favorable environment around yourself. The same rule can be followed by healthy people. The difference is that a mentally healthy person can cope with stress or psychological discomfort. And it is better for a person with disabilities to avoid situations that could cause a relapse.

A favorable circumstance for the patient is living with a family. Love and understanding of loved ones are one of the main positive factors for recovery from schizophrenia. Under no circumstances should you drink alcohol or narcotic substances. Since they have a negative effect on the body of a sick person.

People diagnosed with schizophrenia are prescribed antipsychotic medications. It should be remembered that the treatment of this disease is complex. Therefore, taking medications is one of the components of therapy.

You also need to understand that these medications do not cure a person for a disease such as schizophrenia. Their action is aimed at eliminating the symptoms of this disease, such as hallucinations, delusions, obsessive thoughts, chaotic thinking, etc.

Taking these drugs will not ensure a person’s entry into society, setting any goals or motivating them to take certain actions.

Negative effects of drugs

Also, this type of drug has a whole series accompanying manifestations:

Drowsiness.
Loss of strength.
Chaotic movements may occur.
Excess weight appears.
Sexual function is lost.

If these manifestations interfere with normal life, you should consult a doctor and reduce the dose of drugs or change the treatment regimen.

It is not recommended to reduce the amount of medication on your own or switch to another drug. This can be harmful to health, cause relapse, etc. Therefore, a consultation with a psychiatrist is required.

How to find the optimal drug?

The main task in the search the right medicine in schizophrenia is that it has the desired effect, and side effects were kept to a minimum. It should also be taken into account that a person takes such drugs for a long time, sometimes for life. Therefore, you need to be very careful when choosing. If necessary, change to another medicine.

The difficulty in selecting an antipsychotic drug is that it is unclear how it will affect the body and what side effects may occur. Therefore, the process of selecting a drug can be quite long and complex. It is also necessary to choose the right dosage for each individual patient.

As a rule, improvement in the patient’s condition after starting to take medications occurs after one and a half or two months. There are cases when a person feels better after a few days. When there is no positive dynamics even after two months, you need to either increase the dose or change the drug.

So is schizophrenia completely curable? Cannot be guaranteed 100%. But it is possible to remove its symptoms.

What types of medications are prescribed for schizophrenia?

Currently, drugs prescribed for this disease can be divided into two groups. Namely, medicines of the old generation and the new. The first drugs include antipsychotics. And for new ones - atypical drugs.

Neuroleptics have been known for a long time; they eliminate hallucinations, obsessive thoughts, etc. But they have drawbacks. They can cause unpleasant symptoms such as:

Anxiety.
Slowness.
Unsteady gait.
Pain in the muscles.
Temporary paralysis may occur.
Spasms.
Chaotic movements.

The new generation of drugs are called atypical antipsychotic drugs. IN recent years they are used more often to treat this disease. This is due to the fact that from taking these funds side effects much less.

Schizophrenia can develop slowly and unnoticed by the patient. The first signs of schizophrenia are usually isolation from society, social isolation, emotional coldness, indifference to loved ones and one’s appearance, loss of interest in things and events that previously fascinated the patient.

A mentally healthy person sees with his mind, not with his eyes

When you look at the world, your eyes are not just lenses that coolly record everything that happens. On the contrary, the brain adjusts the picture to the context of a specific situation. Let's look at another visual test for schizophrenia. Look at the following optical illusion.

In this case, our brain filters what we see based on what it knows about light and shadow. We perceive a three-dimensional cube floating above a white board until we are shown the underside of the trick. And all because our brain tells us that the cube cannot be concave inward. Patients with schizophrenia lose their holistic perception of the world and focus only on individual parts of the overall picture. Looking at such an illusion, schizophrenics realize that in front of them is a piece of cardboard, concave inward, painted in black and white squares.

The initial signs of the disease include:

causeless aggression, anger towards loved ones;

loss of interests and hobbies previously characteristic of the patient;

unexpected and illogical ideas and solutions;

auditory hallucinations (voices giving orders to the patient);

neuroses (obsessive actions, obsessive fears, disorders of self-perception).

Dmitry Belov

Schizophrenia, like any mental illness, has its own symptoms, which can only be considered in combination. Single manifestations taken out of the general context are not signs only, but may correspond to the symptoms of others mental illness.

Scientists are looking for ways to diagnose schizophrenia, offering various test methods. However, none of them can accurately determine schizophrenia.

The first ones begin to appear already in childhood and adolescence. To already determine schizophrenia, you need to know the features of its manifestation.

External manifestations of schizophrenia: symptoms and signs

Schizophrenia differs from other mental illnesses in the variety of forms and long period of time of its onset. The first ones usually shock the patient’s relatives. This reaction is understandable, since none of the people are ready to accept this disease into their family. Therefore, when faced with the first signs, they reject even the thought of the disease, explaining the problems as overwork or stress.

This situation is fraught with consequences, as the symptoms will increase and the person’s well-being will worsen.

As a rule, patients with schizophrenia experience several groups of symptoms:

Psychotic. This group includes signs that are completely absent in healthy people: delirium, obsessions, .

Delusions are not based on real situations, but are completely fictitious. Patients with schizophrenia create their own picture of the world around them. Patients develop aggressive tendencies: the person feels inferior and believes that the whole world wishes him harm.

Hallucinations can be of several types:

visual, when a schizophrenic sees non-existent objects, people, animals or other creatures;
auditory, in which a patient with schizophrenia hears voices or sounds that do not exist in reality;
tactile, causing non-existent pain and sensations in patients (burns, blows, touches);
olfactory, in which patients feel certain odors.

Disorganized. This group of symptoms characterizes a situation of inadequate reaction to what is happening due to problems with mental operations. Patients with schizophrenia may say meaningless things, and accompanying this aggressive behavior. Even with meaningful positions, the patient’s speech is fragmentary in nature without the possibility of its systematization. Schizophrenics cannot establish a sequence of actions. They are distracted.
Emotional symptoms. Patients with schizophrenia experience abnormal emotional reactions to events: a person may experience joy at a funeral and negativity in positive situations. Another characteristic component is the state of affect in patients with schizophrenia. Situations often arise when patients with schizophrenia exhibit suicidal tendencies.

The appearance of signs of schizophrenia should alert loved ones and make them want to seek help from a specialist.

Diagnosis of schizophrenia

Given the variety of forms of schizophrenia, when diagnosing this disease, it is necessary to take into account the complex of symptoms that are observed in patients for six months. Single manifestations do not characterize the disease.

First of all, experts pay attention to mental disorders: thoughts, general mood, the presence of hallucinations, movement disorders, and disturbances in mental operations. Special attention At the same time, the general emotional state of a person deserves.

The presence of schizophrenia in relatives speaks in favor of the disease.

When defining schizophrenia, it is worth distinguishing this disease from schizotic conditions and psychotic disorders. The signs of these deviations are similar in many respects, but their main difference is that such conditions last about two weeks, and people recover from them on their own, without the help of a doctor.

However, the presence of psychotic and schizotic disorders is an indicator of the possibility of the onset of schizophrenia, which should cause caution in both the patient and his environment.

Delusional disorders can be a symptom of schizophrenia, or they can characterize obsessions. Delirium can be caused by brain diseases that are easy to identify. In schizophrenia, brain diseases are not detected.

Signs of the hebephrenic form of schizophrenia are movement disorders, which are not controlled by volitional manifestations. The patient may make grimaces and make caricature movements. In this case, manifestations of inadequate emotional reactions are observed.

The symptoms are similar to those of schizophrenia. Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish between these conditions.

When defining schizophrenia, it must be remembered that it is characterized by manifestations in almost all areas of human existence:

apathy towards one’s own personality: sloppiness, strange style of clothing, lack of self-care, lack of interest in life;
disruption of communication, lack of trust in people;
fragmented thinking and incoherent speech, the presence of neologisms (new invented words), meaningless texts;
conflicting emotions that are inappropriate to the situation;
anxiety;
changes in behavior characterized as eccentricity and foolishness;
suspicion.

Schizophrenia is very specific disease. To determine it, it is necessary to take into account all the signs in a complex, which led to the need to develop tests for schizophrenia.

Tests for schizophrenia have been developed and improved over several decades. Some tests have gone through a lot of modifications and changes, while others are considered ineffective. On modern stage There are many tests currently being tested.

Let's look at the most common tests for schizophrenia:

Mask. The essence of the test is that a person is shown a mask with the concave side facing the patient. A normal person immediately reacts to color, shadows, and refraction of light and perceives the back of the mask as convex. A person with schizophrenia has a split consciousness, and he does not unite the play of color and shadow and perceives the reverse side as a concave part.
Luscher test. Color test offers a set of eight different colors, from which you need to choose the color you like, arranging the color range according to your degree of liking. It is important that the colors are normal without any glare or spots. The mechanism of this test is such that a person chooses a color on an unconscious level. Therefore, Luscher's results can be considered reliable.

Speaking about color preferences, it should be noted that schizophrenics perceive color in a unique way. People with schizophrenia may be negativistic towards certain colors or show irritation. Sometimes they completely abstract colors. Therefore, attitudes towards color can also be an indicator of schizotic disorders or the disease schizophrenia itself.

We present an interesting video illusion, which, according to some experts (and amateurs), is also the simplest test for predisposition to schizophrenia.

What do you see - a mask alternately rotating clockwise and counterclockwise, or does it always rotate in one direction for you?

The correct answer is that the mask rotates in one direction (there are no computer splices here - it really just rotates around its axis). However, for the majority certain moment the mask changes direction. Why?

What's the secret?

So, in the video we see a rotating mask, and if its convex (front) side does not raise questions either in the consciousness or in the subconscious, then the concave (wrong) side, as a rule, is perceived inadequately by the brain. We are not used to seeing faces concave, so literally after a moment the brain adapts - in our perception, the mask begins to rotate in the other direction, and the face becomes “normal”. When the mask reaches the front side again, the brain “turns” it again. And then again and again, back and forth. Although in fact, all this time the mask is quietly rotating in one direction, and only when it is located sideways to us and “changes” direction, we understand that the brain is playing with us.

It is believed that those who are currently under the influence of alcohol and drugs, as well as those who are potentially predisposed to schizophrenia, will not see the magical “turning over” and will calmly continue to look at the concave part. So if you're reading this description and don't understand how others see the two masks here, you might have something to think about.

In any case, we do not recommend using the results of this test as a real medical diagnosis. For all questions regarding its scientific nature, as well as when suspicions arise regarding one’s mental, physical or emotional state, it is better to contact specialists.

In conclusion, we note that initially this illusion (or, if you prefer, this test) was called “Chaplin’s Mask” (see photo), and the subjects were actually shown the mask of the great actor and director.

Schizophrenia is a complex disease that requires long-term treatment and a special approach to diagnosis. The complexity of the diagnostic process lies in the impossibility of establishing a diagnosis using instrumental research methods. To determine pathology, a medical history is carefully studied, which should last at least a year, and psychiatrists often resort to testing for signs of schizophrenia.

Testing as an additional technique in making a diagnosis

A single test for predisposition to schizophrenia is not able to give an accurate answer as to whether the patient has really developed this disease or whether it is other mental disorders.

The history of the development of various psychological tests to identify signs of pathology goes back decades. Some of them, only slightly improved, are still used in our time, others have lost their relevance. The test is based only on the psychological characteristics of a person, showing a general picture of his psyche, but this data is not enough to make a diagnosis. Only long-term observation of the patient in combination with a number of tests can give a clear picture of what is happening in the patient’s psyche.

The most popular tests are:

"Mask";
Luscher;
eye movement test.

Test "Mask"

The “Mask” test for schizophrenia is performed as follows. The patient is given a drawing that shows a mask with the concave side. If a person is healthy, his brain will automatically correct the picture using his imagination and see the mask as convex, as he is accustomed to seeing it. A person who is sick with schizophrenia does not have such imagination, he does not notice details, his brain cannot establish a connection with the environment. The patient sees only the mask as it is drawn, that is, curved inward.

Luscher test

The history of this famous testing using different colors has been known in psychiatry for more than half a century. The first interpretation of the test was published in 1948, bringing world fame to the doctor. The full test with instructions for it was published in 1970. Before developing the necessary shades for research, Luscher went through more than 4,500 colors. The quality and veracity of the results, the author claims, depends on how consistent the set of color stimuli was. Today there are two versions of the test: full and short. The full version consists of seven color tables, each of which contains its own shades. So, in the full version of the table of the following colors:

The short version contains a set of eight colors:

blue-green;
grey;
dark blue;
red-yellow;
yellow-red;
violet;
brown;
black.

Interesting fact! It has been revealed that people suffering from mental disorders subconsciously choose predominantly yellow shades. But the essence of the test is not limited to the fact that the choice of the entire color scheme and its relationship to each other matters.

Over the history of the test, there have been both supporters and opponents of this study. As a rule, the theoretical part of the technique is criticized, but despite this, the procedure remains quite popular all over the world. In addition to schizophrenia, the test allows you to find out about:

psychological state at the time of the study;
analyze the presence of family conflicts and other difficulties in your personal life;
control the volitional and emotional qualities of athletes before the upcoming competition;
conduct a psychoanalytic analysis of the selection of candidates for a specific job.

Eye movement test

The test for schizophrenia itself is quite simple, but at the same time it allows you to quite accurately determine the signs of schizophrenia. It has been used in psychiatry for quite some time and is as follows. During the study, a person is shown scenes with different speeds of motor activity and is asked to continuously monitor, for example, one of the characters. Or keep your gaze on one non-moving object. Thus, if a person is healthy, difficulties will not arise with any of the assigned tasks. But, if there is a disease, it will be difficult for the patient to keep his gaze on an object without moving, long-term fixation will be impossible. Often, patients do not have time to follow the movement of an object, even if it is slow; they abruptly return their fixation to the object that has lost sight of them. According to statistics, in 98% of cases, patients with schizophrenia have disturbances in eye movement.

History of knowledge of schizophrenia

Further, the history of the disease is mentioned by the Arabs, so in the Middle Ages the pathology was called Jurun mufrit, which meant severe insanity. Under this name, at that time, the Arabs combined various diseases, for example, rabies, psychosis, mania and other pathologies with symptoms similar to schizophrenia.

In the mid-19th century, the physician Morel introduced the concept of “dementia praecox,” which meant dementia praecox. Since then

moment and a more global description of mental disorders, including schizophrenia, began, although at that time this term did not yet exist. The next step in the history of the disease was the description of catatonic psychoses in 1863 by Kahlbaum. Afterwards hebephrenia, idiophrenia, chronic psychosis, etc. were described. Until, between the 19th and 20th centuries, E. Kraepelin made a breakthrough in this area. In 1898, Kraepelin analyzed all previously described conditions and isolated dementia praecox with symptoms characteristic of the disease, thereby describing schizophrenia. The term “schizophrenia” itself appeared a little later in 1911, it was proposed by E. Bleuler. Thus, dementia praecox was renamed schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia as a separate type of disease has been described more than a century ago; the principles of its diagnosis and treatment are systematically supplemented by new, modern techniques, which makes it possible to achieve better results in the treatment of patients. Like other mental disorders, schizophrenia requires a comprehensive approach, competent specialists in this field. Regarding the various tests to identify signs of the disease, they have their significance, but relying only on them in making a diagnosis is a wrong practice. They can only be used as an additional technique, and testing should only be carried out by an experienced psychiatrist, only in this case the result can be useful.

Reading strengthens neural connections:

doctor

Schizophrenia is presented as a mental disorder, which is characterized by inadequate emotions, actions, attitudes towards others, perception of reality, and perverted perception of the world.

Patients are characterized by problems in communication in any area, while reality is not fully perceived by them - for them there is their own made-up world, and everything real can be perceived as a mixture of thoughts, images and sounds. Most often, the patient is not able to comprehend this entire set of elements.

Diagnosis using tests

Tests for schizophrenia are fundamental in diagnosing the disease in question. More often than not, this is the only way to notice the disease at an early stage, since the usual medical research ineffective due to the specificity of the disease.

Mask

One of the latest tests developed is the “Mask” - an optical illusion that allows you to instantly determine the disease. This visual technique was first proposed as the “Chaplin Mask” by a British psychologist.

The patient looks at a rotating mask with two sides: one is concave, the other is convex. A healthy person will think that the mask is actually convex, although in reality this is not the case, since the normal psyche takes into account the roundness of the shapes and the presence of shadows.

A patient with schizophrenia, in turn, does not perceive the optical illusion and sees everything as it really is, since he does not take into account the surrounding signal indicators and does not compare them with the image.

The key feature is that a healthy person, according to this test, is characterized by self-deception and distorted reality. Optical illusion may also not work on a person under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

If you stubbornly do not see Chaplin’s pink convex mask under any circumstances, then you should consult a doctor

Luscher test

The Luscher technique is considered to be one of the most effective and informative, since it is capable of identifying a tendency to the disease in the early stages. It was first introduced into psychiatric practice in the 40s of the last century by the Swiss psychologist Max Luscher.

Long years of scientific activity allowed the scientist to deduce the relationship between human psychoemotions and the perception of color. The Luscher test allows you to determine communication skills, activity, psychophysiological criteria, as well as the causes of stress.

When considering the effect of color on a person with schizophrenia, one should take into account not only the colors that he perceives, but also those that he reproduces. A person’s reaction can be different - either abstraction or irritation in relation to certain shades.

Sluggish schizophrenia is characterized by an indifferent attitude towards color or confusion between different shades. Patients with a progressive form have a negative attitude towards black and red. The Luscher test can be presented in two versions.

The short version involves using cards of 8 colors - black, brown, red, yellow, green, gray, blue, purple. A number is assigned to each color and the patient assigns them according to preference. According to the conditions, the study is carried out in natural light during the day. There should be no sun glare or spots, and the light should be uniform. When distributing, the patient should focus only on his own feelings at the moment, and not on personal preferences or fashion trends.
The full Luscher test uses 73 colors. The seven tables presented show shades of gray, 8 different colors, as well as combinations of the four primary colors - red, yellow, green and blue. Tables with colors are shown to the patient one by one, and from each he chooses the color that appeals to him most. Influencing choice external factors– usually irritating bright colors, clothing preferences. After a few minutes, the process is repeated and the patient must select their preferred colors regardless of the previous choice. In the first case, the result indicates the desired state, and the second - about the actual one.

The mechanics of the effect are determined by the unconscious choice of color. Other tests may suggest options for action in response to a situation, but in this case the likelihood of false answers is quite high.

Interpretation often indicates that schizophrenics often have a preference for variation yellow. You should also take into account what colors the patient is wearing and what shades he uses when drawing. Often the tones are either inexpressive and boring, or too bright and incompatible

Diagnosis using drawing

Often psychologists in their practice ask the patient to draw something, and the result is quite effective. Schizophrenics are characterized by incorrect distribution of shadows and an inadequate combination of shades.

The sun may be black, the trees may be red, the grass may be blue.
Against the background of a faded picture, a bright flash may be visible, which indicates a one-sided and colorless perception of the world.
The outbreak should be perceived as an attack. If there is an emotional outburst, the picture will display small inclusions of different shades, while the red color over a large area will indicate a manic state.
The use of black can be perceived as a sign of fear, difficult experiences and depression.
Patients use the color red to display images from hallucinations.
White color indicates the presence of religious delusions and corresponding thematic hallucinations.

Rorschach test

The essence of this test is revealed by the ink technique. The author is Hermann Rorschach, a Swiss psychologist. The patient is shown one by one 10 cards with color and black and white images in the form of ink blots without a clearly designated shape of a specific object.

The test taker must describe what he sees - the image, the whole picture, the movement of objects and their interaction. The popularity of this technique is due not only to determining the complete picture mental pathologies, but also by obtaining answers to many personal questions.

Experimental visual techniques

Schizophrenics are characterized by significant impairments visual function, in particular eye movements

Scientists from the University of Aberdeen conducted an experiment using a number of tests to confirm this theory. As it turns out, visual impairment can actually be used as a biological marker to determine mental disorder.

Efficiency and reliability correspond to 98.3%. To conduct testing, you should use several simple techniques with exercises for fixing your gaze, looking at an object at a free pace and smoothly following the image.

Schizophrenics are not characterized by the ability to smoothly follow an object that is moving slowly - the gaze anticipates the movement and then sharply returns to the object of observation. This phenomenon is called a saccade. Frequent jumping and lack of concentration is also determined during free visual study of the subject.

It is worth mentioning the rather individual manifestations of schizophrenia, which is characterized by seizure phenomena of varying frequency and strength. Some patients may suffer from them once, others often and occasionally, suffering terribly during periods of calm. In some cases, during periods of calm the patient seems completely healthy.

Schizophrenia can develop slowly and unnoticed by the patient. The first signs of schizophrenia are usually isolation from society, social isolation, emotional coldness, indifference to loved ones and one’s appearance, loss of interest in things and events that previously fascinated the patient.

A mentally healthy person sees with his mind, not with his eyes

When you look at the world, your eyes are not just lenses that coolly record everything that happens. On the contrary, the brain adjusts the picture to the context of a specific situation. Let's look at another visual test for schizophrenia. Look at the following optical illusion.

The initial signs of the disease include:

causeless aggression, anger towards loved ones;

loss of interests and hobbies previously characteristic of the patient;

unexpected and illogical ideas and solutions;

auditory hallucinations (voices giving orders to the patient);

neuroses (obsessive actions, obsessive fears, disorders of self-perception).

Dmitry Belov

How to detect early manifestations of the disease

You began to notice that your interlocutors react somehow strangely to your actions and words. Relationships with loved ones have become strained. You begin to sleep anxiously at night and have nightmares. More and more often you begin to think about the question: have I gone crazy? The answer to such a question, of course, can only be given by a specialist, inviting you to undergo a psychiatric test at his appointment. And after a long study of all the symptoms, make a final diagnosis. Unfortunately, our mentality often prevents us from seeing a doctor of this profile in time, so there is a high probability of developing the disease. What to do if for some reason you are unable to visit a doctor. You can take a schizophrenia test yourself.

What online tests are there?

Test for the presence of the disease - mask.

This optical illusion provides an instant indication of the presence of schizophrenia. A British psychologist first proposed a very effective visual test called the Chaplin Mask. You're looking at a rotating mask where one side is convex and one side is concave. A healthy person succumbs to optical illusion and sees the mask as convex from the side where it is actually concave. The point is that the human brain is not able to perceive a face as concave, so it completes its picture of the human face so that it seems ordinary. But a schizophrenic sees reality without distortion, that is, they see the face as concave, from the side where it should be. Interestingly, in this case, distorted reality and self-deception are a sign of a healthy person. People under the influence of alcohol or drugs can also see the mask without optical illusion.

Test for schizophrenia using pictures. Rorschach test.

During a psychological test, the test taker answers questions about what he sees in the picture and what the image looks like. Does he see the whole picture or individual parts, do objects move? This test is the most common; it can reveal the full picture of a person’s mental disorders. Gives answers to many troubling personal questions.

Luscher Color Test.

This is one of the most informative and complete tests that determines the tendency to schizophrenia. Developed by Swiss psychologist Max Luscher back in the 40s of the last century. Over many years of scientific activity, the scientist has deduced the relationship between color perception and the psycho-emotional state of a person. Using the test, you can identify the causes of stress, measure psychophysiological criteria, activity, and communication skills. There are currently 2 types of tests:

Short. The short version uses 8 colors: gray, dark blue, blue-green, red-yellow, yellow-red, red-blue, brown, black.
The complete one consists of 73 colors. From 7 color tables: gray, 8 colors, 4 primary colors, blue, green, yellow, red.

The subject chooses from the tables offered to him the most acceptable color for him at the moment. At the moment of choice, a person must be distracted from the influence of any factors influencing the perception of color. This means that you need to forget what color scheme you prefer in clothes, whether certain bright colors irritate you in everyday life, and choose only the color that pleases you at the moment. After a few minutes, the procedure is repeated and the subject chooses colors in any order, without connecting his preferences with previous times. The first version of the psychological test for schizophrenia determines the desired state, and the second the actual one.

Cube - test for schizophrenia.

You can easily take online schizophrenia tests. This may be the initial step in diagnosing this disease. Early detection of this mental illness gives every chance of a quick recovery. Whether you take the test results seriously or with a bit of irony, your further actions will depend on this. In any case, if you are concerned about your condition, you should contact a specialist who will conduct a professional consultation and make a final diagnosis.

The psychiatric term “schizophrenia” and its derivatives - “schizophrenic”, “schizo”, “schizoid” - can often be heard in everyday life among ordinary people who are inexperienced in mental disorders and use it as a curse or a label.

What is schizophrenia really, what forms does it have, who is at risk of becoming schizophrenic, and how is such a serious mental disorder correctly diagnosed and treated?

Today on the website you will learn what are the symptoms and signs of schizophrenia in women, men and teenage children.

And also, you can take a test for schizophrenia online and for free, both for yourself and for another person.

Schizophrenia is literally a “split mind” - an internally caused (endogenous) psychotic disorder, manifested in the breakdown of thinking, perception and emotional reactions.

According to scientific research by Russian and Western scientists, approximately 1 in 100 inhabitants of the planet suffers from schizophrenia or schizophrenia-like disorders, and every 7th person suffers from schizoid psychotype.

6 people out of 1000 have the risk of becoming schizophrenic, both in childhood, adolescence and youth, and in adulthood.

Main symptoms and signs of schizophrenia:

“Echo” of thoughts (the sound of one’s own thoughts), putting or taking away thoughts, openness of thoughts to others
Delusions of mastery, influence, or passivity, distinctly relating to the body or limbs, thoughts, actions, or sensations; delusional perception
Hallucinatory “voices” commenting or discussing the patient’s behavior; other types of "voices" coming from different parts of the body
Persistent delusions that are culturally inappropriate, absurd, impossible and/or grandiose in content
Persistent hallucinations of any kind, if they occur daily for at least one month and are accompanied by delusions (which may be unstable and semi-formed) without a distinct affective content
Neologisms, sperrungs (breaks in thinking), leading to discontinuity or inconsistency in speech
Catatonic behavior, such as agitation, rigidity or waxiness, negativism, mutism, and stupor
“Negative symptoms” (but not caused by depression or pharmacotherapy), usually leading to social alienation and decreased social performance; symptoms that may be expressed:

apathy
speech impoverishment or smoothness
inadequacy of emotional reactions

Reliable and consistent changes in the general quality of behavior, manifested by loss of interests, aimlessness, absorption in one’s own experiences, social alienation

The main causes of schizophrenia:

Heredity and genetic predisposition
Negative living conditions in early childhood
Psychological and social problems in relationships
Frequent and prolonged stress
Organic, neurobiological disorders (little studied so far)

Risk groups and factors:

Residents of megalopolises and large cities
Personalities with a schizoid psychotype or accentuation
Persons with schizophrenics in the family up to the 3rd generation
Suffering from loneliness and social isolation
Children in a disharmonious family
Stressful professions
Seasonality (people born in winter and spring are more likely to develop schizophrenia)
Short social status individual: poverty, bad conditions residence, relocation and discrimination
Experienced psychotrauma, psychological and physical violence, including sexual, illness

Forms of schizophrenia ^

Eat various shapes schizophrenia and schizotypal disorders, not counting the schizoid character - let's look at it in more detail...

Mental illnesses in Russia are considered according to ICD-10 ( International classification diseases 10th revision - classes F00-F99“Mental disorders and behavioral disorders”), used in Russia, the CIS and Europe (not everywhere).

The USA has its own classification of mental illness - according to DSM-5 ( D iagnostic and S tatitical M anual of mental disorders, fifth edition - Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition), developed by the American Psychiatric Association.

F20 - Schizophrenia

F20.0 - Paranoid schizophrenia
F20.1 - Hebephrenic schizophrenia
F20.2 - Catatonic schizophrenia
F20.3 - Undifferentiated schizophrenia
F20.4 - Postschizophrenic depression
F20.42 - Postschizophrenic depression, postpsychotic stage of fur-like schizophrenia
F20.5 - Residual schizophrenia
F20.6 - Simple type of schizophrenia
F20.8xx1 - Hypochondriacal schizophrenia
F20.8xx2 - Senestopathic schizophrenia
F20.8xx3 - Childhood type of schizophrenia
F20.9 - Schizophrenia, unspecified
F22.03 - Paranoid schizophrenia with sensitive relational delusions
F22.82 - Paranoid schizophrenia
F23.1 - Acute polymorphic psychotic disorder with symptoms of schizophrenia
F23.2 - Acute schizophreniform psychotic disorder
F25.0 - Schizoaffective disorder, manic type
F25.1 - Schizoaffective disorder, depressive type
F25.2 - Schizoaffective disorder, mixed type

F21 - Schizotypal disorder(in Russia - “Sluggish schizophrenia” is a borderline, smoothed level of the disease that does not fit the F20 criteria, this includes:

F21.1 - Latent schizophrenia
F21.2 - Schizophrenic reaction
F21.3 - Pseudoneurotic (neurosis-like) schizophrenia
F21.4 - Pseudopsychopathic (psychopathic-like) schizophrenia
F21.5 - “Symptom-poor” schizophrenia
F21.8 - Schizotypal personality disorder
F21.9 - Unspecified schizotypal disorder

F60.1 Schizoid personality disorder(pronounced psychotype or accentuation of schizoid, which is similar to the symptoms of schizophrenia and signs of borderline schizotypal disorder, but is not a serious psychopathology)

Diagnosis of schizophrenia ^

To make an accurate diagnosis of the disease, it is necessary differential diagnosis, because many symptoms and signs of schizophrenia are often similar to other mental, personality, psychosomatic and somatic disorders.

Only a psychiatrist, medical psychotherapist or clinical psychologist has the right to diagnose schizophrenia, after listening to the patient’s complaints, interviewing relatives and friends, and observation.

Also, for differentiation from other diseases, with similar symptoms, it is necessary to conduct, along with a psychiatric examination, a medical examination (blood examination, kidney and liver examination, thyroid gland, urine test, pregnancy and analysis for narcotic and psychotropic substances).

Diagnosis of schizophrenia based on the symptoms and signs outlined above implies one or two symptoms over a long period of time (usually at least a month).

Prognosis for recovery
With long-term, more than 20 years, studies and observations of the treatment of patients with schizophrenia in different countries, it was found that more than 50% can fully recover, and get rid of the symptoms of schizophrenia and improve their condition to an adequate and functional state - even more(with normal treatment - both medication and psychotherapeutically for a long time).

The difference between a schizophrenic and a schizotypal and schizoid^

You should understand that there is mental disorder- schizophrenia, but there is personality disorders- schizotypal disorder and schizoid.

Also, there is personality psychotype- schizoid (or schizoid accentuation of character), which is not a mental or personality disorder.

Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders and diseases are dealt with by psychiatrists, medical psychotherapists and clinical psychologists - this is “big psychiatry”

Psychological psychotherapists can also deal with schizotypal or schizoid personality disorder - this is “minor psychiatry”.

Schizoid character accentuation (psychotype) can, under certain conditions, develop into a disease - schizophrenia.

To prevent this from happening, a preventive consultation with a psychotherapist or psychoanalyst is necessary.

Test for schizophrenia online ^

Take the online test, for yourself or for someone else, and find out from your symptoms whether you have signs of schizophrenia, schizotypal or schizoid disorder.

Are you schizophrenic or not?- take the schizophrenia test online

How not to become schizophrenic^

If you are at risk (see above), then in order not to become a schizophrenic, you should protect yourself by taking preventive measures.

Most best option- this is to consult and, if necessary, undergo preventive, preventive psychotherapy (this is not treatment, but rather training...)

Psychotherapy for schizophrenia^

Preventive psychotherapy for schizophrenia is the removal or leveling of risk factors for the disease, especially internal, personal emotional and psychological problems, and training preventive methods and technicians.

Psychological therapy for schizophrenia or schizotypal, schizoid personality disorder is carried out in conjunction with drug therapy or after the last one.

If you suspect schizophrenia, its symptoms and signs, or you have a schizotypal disorder or schizoid accentuation, then undergo a psychoanalytic examination,

Testing as an additional technique in making a diagnosis

A single test for predisposition to schizophrenia is not able to give an accurate answer as to whether the patient has really developed this disease or whether it is other mental disorders.

The history of the development of various psychological tests to identify signs of pathology goes back decades. Some of them, only slightly improved, are still used in our time, others have lost their relevance. The test is based only on the psychological characteristics of a person, showing a general picture of his psyche, but this data is not enough to make a diagnosis. Only long-term observation of the patient in combination with a number of tests can give a clear picture of what is happening in the patient’s psyche.

The most popular tests are:

"Mask";
Luscher;
eye movement test.

Test "Mask"

The “Mask” test for schizophrenia is performed as follows. The patient is given a drawing that shows a mask with the concave side. If a person is healthy, his brain will automatically correct the picture using his imagination and see the mask as convex, as he is accustomed to seeing it. A person who is sick with schizophrenia does not have such imagination, he does not notice details, his brain cannot establish a connection with the environment. The patient sees only the mask as it is drawn, that is, curved inward.

Luscher test

The short version contains a set of eight colors:

blue-green;
grey;
dark blue;
red-yellow;
yellow-red;
violet;
brown;
black.

Interesting fact! It has been revealed that people suffering from mental disorders subconsciously choose predominantly yellow shades. But the essence of the test is not limited to the fact that the choice of the entire color scheme and its relationship to each other matters.

psychological state at the time of the study;
analyze the presence of family conflicts and other difficulties in your personal life;
control the volitional and emotional qualities of athletes before the upcoming competition;
conduct a psychoanalytic analysis of the selection of candidates for a specific job.

Eye movement test

The test for schizophrenia itself is quite simple, but at the same time it allows you to quite accurately determine the signs of schizophrenia. It has been used in psychiatry for quite some time and is as follows. During the study, a person is shown scenes with different speeds of motor activity and is asked to continuously monitor, for example, one of the characters. Or keep your gaze on one non-moving object. Thus, if a person is healthy, difficulties will not arise with any of the assigned tasks. But, if there is a disease, it will be difficult for the patient to keep his gaze on an object without moving, long-term fixation will be impossible. Often, patients do not have time to follow the movement of an object, even if it is slow; they abruptly return their fixation to the object that has lost sight of them. According to statistics, in 98% of cases, patients with schizophrenia have disturbances in eye movement.

History of knowledge of schizophrenia

In the mid-19th century, the physician Morel introduced the concept of “dementia praecox,” which meant dementia praecox. Since then

moment and a more global description of mental disorders, including schizophrenia, began, although at that time this term did not yet exist. The next step in the history of the disease was the description of catatonic psychoses in 1863 by Kahlbaum. Afterwards hebephrenia, idiophrenia, chronic psychosis, etc. were described. Until, between the 19th and 20th centuries, E. Kraepelin made a breakthrough in this area. In 1898, Kraepelin analyzed all previously described conditions and isolated dementia praecox with symptoms characteristic of the disease, thereby describing schizophrenia. The term “schizophrenia” itself appeared a little later in 1911, it was proposed by E. Bleuler. Thus, dementia praecox was renamed schizophrenia.

Reading strengthens neural connections:

doctor

How to detect early manifestations of the disease

You began to notice that your interlocutors react somehow strangely to your actions and words. Relationships with loved ones have become strained. You begin to sleep anxiously at night and have nightmares. More and more often you begin to think about the question: have I gone crazy? The answer to such a question, of course, can only be given by a specialist, inviting you to undergo a psychiatric test at his appointment. And after a long study of all the symptoms, make a final diagnosis. Unfortunately, our mentality often prevents us from seeing a doctor of this profile in time, so there is a high probability of developing the disease. What to do if for some reason you are unable to visit a doctor. You can take a schizophrenia test yourself.

What online tests are there?

Test for the presence of the disease - a mask.

This optical illusion provides an instant indication of the presence of schizophrenia. A British psychologist first proposed a very effective visual test called the Chaplin Mask. You're looking at a rotating mask where one side is convex and one side is concave. A healthy person succumbs to optical illusion and sees the mask as convex from the side where it is actually concave. The point is that the human brain is not able to perceive a face as concave, so it completes its picture of the human face so that it seems ordinary. A schizophrenic sees reality without distortion, that is, they see the face as concave, from the side where it should be. Interestingly, in this case, distorted reality and self-deception are a sign of a healthy person. People under the influence of alcohol or drugs can also see the mask without optical illusion.

Test for schizophrenia using pictures. Rorschach test.

Luscher Color Test.

Short. The short version uses 8 colors: gray, dark blue, blue-green, red-yellow, yellow-red, red-blue, brown, black.
The complete one consists of 73 colors. From 7 color tables: gray, 8 colors, 4 primary colors, blue, green, yellow, red.

The subject chooses from the tables offered to him the most acceptable color for him at the moment. At the moment of choice, a person must be distracted from the influence of any factors influencing the perception of color. This means that you need to forget what color scheme you prefer in clothes, whether certain bright colors irritate you in everyday life, and choose only the color that pleases you at the moment. After a few minutes, the procedure is repeated and the subject chooses colors in any order, without connecting his preferences with previous times. The first version of the psychological test for schizophrenia determines the desired state, and the second the actual one.

Cube - test for schizophrenia.