Negative symptoms of schizophrenia result from a difficulty in feeling9 or showing emotions, or in functioning normally.230 These symptoms affect the ability to work and to interact with people30 and may include:
- Lack of motivation136 and enthusiasm15
- Lack of feeling19
- Loss of interest in personal appearance21 and hygiene7
- Avoiding people5
- Not talking much36 – difficulty having a fluent conversation, often hesitating and pausing31
- Lack of emotional expression56 - talking in a dull voice and lacking facial expression732
- Lack of concentration135
- Lack of pleasure in everyday life7
- Poor self-esteem4
Negative symptoms generally develop during the early or prodromal phase of schizophrenia, often before positive symptoms develop and a psychotic episode happens.32123 They can be mistaken for other conditions.7 This is because their symptoms are often similar to those seen in certain other mental disorders, such as depression,725 bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder,333 drug-related conditions, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),33 or other anxiety disorders.23
The negative symptoms of schizophrenia can be just as debilitating as the positive symptoms.18
