What are the early symptoms of Schizophrenia?

[s54]

If someone starts developing Schizophrenia, what are the early symptoms that they would be showing?

[ILADVOCATE]

Depends on the person. I have schizoaffective which is schizophrenia with a mood disorder (and have made a full recovery with an antipsychotic in Phase II FDA study, read through my posts) so I had some mood issues as well. What was standard for me and other people was feelings of unreality, paranaoia, starting to hear voices, wanting to avoid people, being unable to do things that I could before such as get through class. It all depends. Only a psychiatrist can make a diagnosis. If you have concerns why not speak to one.

[Jena_C]

During prodromal symptoms our D  tried to hide any symptoms and suffered
silently but her negative symptoms were more prominent ( no one could think
at that time that it was negative symptoms).    She looked depressed,  became
withdrawn,  spending a lot of time in bed,  tired, lethargic.   From being an
academic student gradually struggled in the Uni.
Psychiatrist could not diagnose for a long time until the onset of psychosis.

Even during psychosis she could hide her symptoms in front of the psychitrist.
She had more delusions than hallucinations.  Always denied hearing voices, thought
it was a "dream" but she admitted  visual hallucination.   Person can become
very fearful with paranoid delusions ( spy, FBI, police).

Good news is our D now doung well after being on med.

[drifter0213]

hearing voices and having delusoins,and disorganized thoughts

[s54]

Thank you all for your responses. I've been seeing a psychiatrist for the past 5 years for depression. (I'm 20 years old now). I've been on almost 20 meds, nothing has helped. My depression isn't so much "sadness", but it's more about the lack of joy and pleasure that I have. Nothing makes me happy. I get really irritable, angry and grumpy if I have to be around people, whether it's my family or if I have to go out in public. I hate socializing. I have my best friend that I talk to (only online, I never talk on the phone) and that's it. I spend almost all my time in my room, I sleep for 12-15 hours a day.
That's basically how I was living my life for 5 years because medicine and therapy was not helping me. Then about a year ago I started having hallucinations. I never hear specific voices though. I hear people crying, I hear music. I hear people talking, but it sounds as if it is coming from a radio or television that is in another room. I can never understand what's being said. I'm just not sure if these hallucinations are a sign of my depression worsening and/or becoming something else, or if it is completely unrelated.

[ILADVOCATE]

Perhaps you have more than just depression. Anti-depressents can actually worsen bipolar (or if you have psychosis bipolar with psychotic features or schizoaffective as I do). Lamictal is a mood stabilizer that works well and has a strong anti-depressent and even antipsychotic effect (although it can't replace an antipsychotic). With an antipsychotic and a mood stabilizer together generally you get a good response. For more information google "Depression Central". If you've tried all known antipsychotics and they haven't helped I could tell you more about what I am in study for but only then. Best to try all available options first. Speak to your psychiatrist about having medications adjusted.

[s54]

I've been on Lamictal before. As far as antipsychotics go, I've tried Abilify, Geodon, and Risperdal.
My psychiatrist has been suggesting ECT for the past year or so. I told him that I did not want to do ECT until ALL other options have been tried. But it seems to me that there aren't really any options left now...

[ILADVOCATE]

Trans cranial magnetic stimulation is safer than ECT and is FDA approved. That is for treatment refractory depression and has been used experimentally for psychosis. The antipsychotic agent I am on in Phase II FDA study (for more information google "Dr. Javitt, glycine" my case study will be published in a psychiatric journal) is available but must only be taken with a psychiatrist's consent. It might be considered if all known antipsychotics have failed to work. Bring the information to your psychiatrist and ask them about it. There are many other mood stabilizers as well:
http://www.psycheducation.org/depression/meds/moodstabilizers.htm

[s54]

I've been on almost all of those mood stabilizers that are on the page of the link you posted.
I've been on Vyvanse for 4 or 5 months (before that, I was on Adderall (adderrall) for a few years) for the severity of my daytime sleepiness. I discontinued the stimulants for a while because they thought that maybe those were contributing to the hallucinations. But the hallucinations didn't stop with the discontinuation of the meds.

[ILADVOCATE]

Well it can have side effects of its own so it depends. If the psychosis is not from the anti-adhd meds but if is from a psychotic disorder and you've tried all known antipsychotics Clozaril is still an option and although it has severe side effects of its own for some people it helps. What I take is still experimental and I am the first person to recover with it by itself. But in the study it was given with a standard antipsychotic and won't interact with any except Clozaril. Speak to your psychiatrist more about any options.