Diagnosis
Diagnosis
Although brain scans can show a range of abnormalities, there is no ‘test’ for the diagnosis of schizophrenia. Assessment using diagnostic criteria is carried out by specialist mental health practitioners.1 Substance misuse or organic brain disease should be excluded as these can cause schizophrenia-like symptoms.
People vary considerably in their pattern of symptoms. Recurrent episodes or relapses, often related to stress, adversity, social isolation and poor adherence to treatments, can be brief for some people, but can last for months or years for others. Only 14-20 per cent of people diagnosed with schizophrenia will fully recover.