Some examples of positive symptoms are experiencing illusions and hallucinations. An illusion uses people or objects that exist and distorts them into something else. A person may perceive shapes and faces in the wallpaper or see faces of people they know in strangers. Hallucination is when a person perceives people or objects that are not there. It can affect one or all of the senses, although audio hallucinations are most common. People may see, feel, smell, taste or hear things that are not there.
Another positive symptom is delusions. A delusion is a false belief that persists even when challenged or tested. Delusions can be grandiose, when a person feels that they are Christ or the Queen of England. Paranoid delusions are called bizarre if it is something that can never happen, such as the person believes they are a robot composed of wires and electronic components. Sometimes a person may feel special or that the T.V and radio are referring to him, this is called delusion of reference. A non-bizarre delusion is one that can actually occur like being spied on or followed. A person with schizophrenia may think they can fly, perform magic or miracles, or even travel in time.
Some examples of negative symptoms are poverty of speech, depression, loss of sex drive, and difficulty in sleeping and eating. A person with schizophrenia may not reply or take a long time to respond to comments and questions.
Anti-psychotics more easily treat positive symptoms than negative symptoms.
