Disorganized schizophrenia is a type of schizophrenia in which behavior is disturbed and has no purpose.

Causes

The cause is unknown. This type of schizophrenia usually begins before age 25.

Symptoms

• Active behavior, but in an aimless and not constructive way
• Bizarre and inappropriate emotional responses
• Difficulty feeling pleasure
• False, fixed beliefs (delusions)
• Lack of motivation
• Seeing or hearing things that aren't there (hallucinations)
• Strange or silly behavior
• Speech that makes no sense

Some of these symptoms are also seen in other types of schizophrenia. The main difference is that in disorganized schizophrenia, there is a lot of strange, aimless behavior and often speech that does not make sense.

See: Schizophrenia for a more complete description of schizophrenia and its treatment.

Alternative Names

Hebephrenic schizophrenia; Disorganized schizophrenia