Page 8 - Vision Manual

No one has the exact same symptoms or is bothered to the same degree. You may, however, recognize having experienced some of the symptoms discussed below.
“Hallucinations” are false perceptions. This means that people hear, see, feel or smell something that is not actually there. Hearing voices or seeing shadowy images are the most common types of hallucinations. Some voices might be pleasant, but many times they are unpleasant, saying insulting things or calling people names. When people hear voices, it seems like the sound is coming in through the ears and the voices sound like human voices. It can sound extremely real.
Some Examples of Hallucinations
 “It was like a voice kept calling my name and telling me I was doing things wrong, it really got me down.”
 “Sometimes I heard two voices talking about me, like they were having a conversation about what I was doing.”
 “The voices would tell me what to do and sometimes they would try and make me do things I didn’t want to.”
 “Sometimes I see weird reflections in the mirror or in the glass that seem really real. Sometimes they look like people, and sometimes they are just strange shapes.”
 “I thought I saw smoke coming under the doors, but nobody else saw it”.
“Delusions” are false beliefs. This symptom is seen when people have really strong beliefs that are firmly held and unshakeable, even when there is evidence that contradicts them. In order for this to be considered as a symptom of schizophrenia, these delusions must be very individual, and not shared by others in their culture or religion. Delusions seem very real to the person experiencing them, but to others they seem strange, obviously untrue, and impossible.
One common delusion, called paranoia, is when people believe that others want to hurt them, when they do not. This delusion is oftentimes accompanied by beliefs that the person is being watched, pursued, or tracked. Another common delusion that a person with schizophrenia might have is that they have special powers, talents, or wealth. Other delusions include the belief that a person is being controlled by another’s thoughts, that their thoughts are being read, that they are ill when there is no diagnosable condition, or that the television or radio is communicating directly with them.
“Disorganized Speech” includes difficulty speaking in a way that others understand. It oftentimes seems as if the words are coming out wrong, or that a person is having trouble keeping track of their thoughts and is easily derailed. Disorganized speech can sometimes seem to make sense, but oftentimes becomes tangential or only loosely
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