Serious Symptoms Of Catatonic Schizophrenia

Catatonic schizophrenia, one of the five schizophrenia subtypes, tends to present with disturbances in movement, although other typical symptoms are present to a lesser extent. Individuals affected by this illness might have dramatically reduced physical activity, and their voluntary movement might even stop entirely. Activity might also undergo periods of dramatic increase. Other movement disturbances might also be present. The same symptoms that occur in catatonic schizophrenia can also occur in other subtypes, but they tend to be dominant for those with catatonic schizophrenia. To receive a diagnosis of catatonic schizophrenia, the core symptoms must be present.

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Cataplexy

Cataplexy is a movement abnormality that typically occurs in narcolepsy patients. Though cataplexy rarely occurs in those who don't have narcolepsy, there have been cases where narcolepsy presents alongside catatonic schizophrenia or vice-versa. The condition occurs when an individual experiences uncontrolled, sudden paralysis or muscle weakness. It occurs during the day and can often be triggered by strong emotions like laughter and excitement. There's typically very little warning before an individual loses their muscle tone. They might have total weakness throughout their body, buckled knees, broken speech, and a slack jaw. When a patient experiences complete cataplexy, they're awake and aware of what's happening, but they are unable to move. The episode will typically last just one or two minutes, and some individuals fall asleep following them. The frequency of these episodes varies widely from case to case. Patients who have catatonic schizophrenia but not narcolepsy might never experience cataplexy. Some patients might avoid experiencing emotions that bring on cataplexy attacks. The lack of muscle tone occurs because an individual's sleep and wake cycles are not regulated, and the body suddenly believes it's asleep.

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Mutism

Mutism is a condition that occurs when an individual is incapable of speech or unwilling to speak at least part of the time. This may occur in all circumstances, or they may be selectively mute, which means they only lose the ability to speak in certain situations. Though it can occur as part of a variety of mental illnesses and neurological conditions, it is most commonly associated with catatonia. It can occur within catatonic schizophrenia, other forms of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and intoxication. Before the use of antipsychotic drugs, total mutism in non-catatonic schizophrenia was much more common than it currently is. Total mutism is rare in patients who are receiving advanced medical care. Mutism can sometimes be difficult to treat in catatonic schizophrenia patients. What makes treatment more difficult is the lack of patient input and communication. The ways mutism presents can be psychotic symptoms, or they can be adaptive behavioral strategies for individuals to deal with their environment.

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Stupor

Stupor, one of the core signs of catatonic schizophrenia, occurs when a patient's reactions to their environment seriously decrease. They may stop reacting to spontaneous events or acknowledging conversation if they're spoken to. They may not look up when a new person enters the room or a loud sound occurs. They typically seem to be detached from their surroundings entirely. Individuals in a stupor might not move much independently at all. Rather than engaging in basic self-care tasks like eating, drinking, and using the bathroom, they may stay confined to one space and look in one direction. When an individual is in a stupor, they will still respond to physical stimulation like having their chest rubbed or being prodded with a needle. This is a serious symptom whether it occurs in catatonic schizophrenia patients or not. If it occurs in someone who does not have a history of schizophrenia or psychosis, it may be a sign of a potentially life-threatening condition that requires emergency medical treatment.

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Delusions And Hallucinations

As with the other subtypes of schizophrenia, catatonic schizophrenia tends to present with delusions and hallucinations. Though these aren't the core symptoms, they are still necessary to make a definitive diagnosis of schizophrenia. There is a difference between a hallucination and a delusion. Both are forms of psychosis, which means they involve beliefs or experiences not grounded in reality. Hallucinations are experiences involving an individual's senses. They might see, hear, smell, or taste things that aren't actually there. One of the most common portrayals of schizophrenic hallucinations in media is hearing conversations or voices that haven't actually occurred. Delusions are beliefs not grounded in reality. Even when an individual is presented with evidence that the delusion isn't true, they may continue to believe it. In catatonic schizophrenia, the hallucinations and delusions accompany symptoms of catatonia and movement involvement. Experiencing psychosis isn't always a sign of schizophrenia, but when someone does have hallucinations or delusions, they should be evaluated by a health professional to see if they're being caused by an underlying physical or mental health condition.

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Poor Emotional Expression

Schizophrenia can lead to poor emotional expression. This is especially true in catatonic schizophrenia, which presents with impaired motor functioning and overall movement. If an individual is excited, they might not express emotions appropriate to the situations around them. At the same time, if an individual is in a stupor or catatonic, they might not express emotions appropriately at all. Schizophrenia can cause impairment in emotional functioning. It can be difficult to react to situations with the appropriate amount of feeling. Researchers are working on how to recognize when emotional functioning is impaired and create treatment methods to minimize the symptoms. Flat affect is the term for poor emotional expression. A patient exhibiting flat affect will have an unchanging and apathetic facial expression combined with very little change in their pitch, tone, or strength of voice as they speak.