Diagnosing schizophrenia

In order to diagnose schizophrenia, an expert will first talk to you and your family to find out about your:

• Family history³⁶
• Personal and emotional history³³
• Severity of symptoms and how long you have had them³³³⁶
• How well medications have worked³⁶
• Ability to function and how this has changed³⁶

The diagnosis of schizophrenia may then also involve brain scans and blood tests to rule out other conditions.³⁶

Schizophrenia may be diagnosed if:

• You have symptoms from a range of negative and positive symptoms³³
• Your symptoms are impacting on your ability to carry out every day jobs, to work or to study³³
• You have had symptoms for at least six months³³
• Other causes, such as other illnesses or drug use, have been ruled out³³

Schizophrenia symptoms usually develop over time, possibly over a period of months or years.²³ Each person with schizophrenia has their own individual set of symptoms and no two people have exactly the same symptoms.² The earlier your treatment begins, the more effective your treatment will be.⁸