Verywell / Cindy Chung
People withschizophreniacan experience bothpositive and negative symptoms.
This doesn’t mean that there are “good” versus “bad” symptoms.
Negative schizophrenia refers to behaviors or emotions that are deficient or lacking in people with schizophrenia.
Verywell / Cindy Chung
As negative symptoms indicate deficits in functioning they are also called deficit symptoms.
Causes of Negative Symptoms
The cause of negative symptoms is not clear.
People can mistake blunted affect as someone being “cold” or “unfeeling.”
Asociality causes a lack of involvement in social relationships or increased desire to spend time alone.
This is different than a person who isolates him or herself afterhearing voicesor experiencing feelings ofparanoia.
Many people mistake this negative symptom for “laziness.”
This can even carry over into basic activities like personal hygiene and grooming.
What’s more, they may come and go during the course of schizophrenia.
Since these symptoms are due to the medications, they are calledsecondarynegative symptoms.
What Is Deficit Schizophrenia?
This is why effective treatment ideally includes a combination of drugs, therapy, and support.
Atypical Antipsychotics
Second-generation medications known asatypical antipsychoticsare the first-line treatment for schizophrenia.
Family Psychoeducation
Family support plays a key role in the treatment of negative symptoms.
Psychoeducation for patients and families is helpful in decreasing stigma and improving opportunities for ongoing social engagement.
It can also offer families effective strategies for communicating and coping with a loved one with schizophrenia.
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