Further+Symptoms

Schizophrenia is a biological disease of the brain that has highs and lows.

Acute periods are called **__"relapses"__** and that is when patients experience sensations that are in addition to their usual self. Because they are additions, they are referred to as **__"positive symptoms”__**. These positive symptoms are the hallucinations, delusions & thought confusions which return periodically, triggered, probably, by a variety of stresses. They respond, in general, to decreased stimuli, calm interactions, & antipsychotic medicine.

Between the acute periods are various stages of convalescence during which patients frequently experience **__"negative symptoms"__** and these are subtractions from the normal self like feelings such as loss of interest, loss of energy, loss of warmth, loss of humor.