Are you schizophrenic quiz

Schizophrenia Test

Medically reviewed by Tiffany Taft, PsyD — By Psych Central Staff — Updated on February 4, 2021

Schizophrenia is a chronic mental health condition that affects a person’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

It’s characterized by several symptoms, the most common being hallucinations or delusions that have no connection to reality, but feel real to the person experiencing them.

This schizophrenia quiz is for anyone who wants to see if they may have symptoms commonly associated with schizophrenia or a related condition. It takes most people less than 2 minutes to complete and will provide instant results.

Instructions

Answer the questions below honestly based on how you currently feel or have felt in the past month.

This quiz cannot replace diagnosis by a healthcare provider. If you believe you have symptoms of schizophrenia or another condition after taking this test, reach out to a qualified healthcare professional for a full evaluation.

This online screening is not a diagnostic tool. Only a trained medical professional, like a doctor or mental health professional, can help you determine the next best steps for you.

Common symptoms of schizophrenia

You may be diagnosed with schizophrenia if you experience 2 or more of the following symptoms for at least 1 month:

delusions
hallucinations
incoherent speech, or speech that quickly switches from topic to topic with no thread between them
severely disorganized or catatonic behavior
any of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia

Schizophrenia has two main types of symptoms: positive and negative.

Delusions and hallucinations are the main characteristics of schizophrenia. These are positive symptoms.

A delusion is a fixed belief that doesn’t change, even when a person is given evidence the belief isn’t based in reality. An example of a delusion is that “everyone is out to get me. ”

Hallucinations involve seeing, hearing, or feeling things that aren’t there. Examples include hearing voices that aren’t your own, or seeing people that aren’t actually in the room.

Hallucinations and delusions are called positive symptoms because they represent additional behaviors not generally seen in people without the condition. Negative symptoms can be seen as behaviors that are missing or underdeveloped.

Negative symptoms include:

lack of emotional expression
an inability to experience happiness
difficulties planning or sticking with an activity like grocery shopping
social withdrawal

Check out more about the symptoms of schizophrenia.

How is schizophrenia treated?

Schizophrenia is often managed with a combination of treatments, including medications and psychotherapy.

Symptoms of schizophrenia are often effectively treated with antipsychotic medications. Since there are many types of these drugs, you should reach out to your doctor about your options, their pros and cons, and how to manage any side effects that may occur.

Psychosocial treatment is also often recommended. This includes talk therapy and social skills training.

You may want to reach out to your doctor about programs in your area, and assistance in getting enrolled. Most insurance companies, if you have insurance, will cover some of these services.

Support groups can be another great way to get started and learn about additional resources. For example, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has a weekly support group for people with mental health conditions. You can find a group in your area on the NAMI homepage.

Learn more about the treatment options and approaches to schizophrenia.

What causes schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a complex mental health condition. Its exact causes are unknown, but several things may play a role, including:

genetics
environmental triggers
structural or chemical brain changes
complications before or during birth

Most people develop schizophrenia in their late teens or early 30s.

Ready to start therapy? Our Find a Therapist resource may help.

FREE 3-Minute Schizophrenia Test & Screening: Get Instant Results

Schizophrenia

Do I have schizophrenia? Take this schizophrenia quiz to see if you may benefit from diagnosis and treatment from a mental health professional

Jan 26, 2022

Medical ReviewerRandy Bressler, PsyD

Who Is This Schizophrenia Quiz For?

Below is a list of 10 questions designed for people who are concerned about schizophrenia. Read each question carefully, and indicate how often you have experienced the same or similar challenges.

If you have any been struggling for a month or more and those struggles have caused difficulties in functioning for the past six months, let your doctor know. This interactive quiz has been structured in a manner to allow for a short and simple self-assessment. The questions relate to life experiences common among people who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia and are based on criteria in the DSM-5.

How Accurate Is It?

This quiz is NOT a diagnostic tool. Mental health disorders can only be diagnosed by licensed healthcare professionals. Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder that is difficult to diagnose. Just over 1% of the US population is estimated to have schizophrenia.

Psycom believes assessments can be a valuable first step toward getting treatment. All too often people stop short of seeking help out of fear their concerns aren't legitimate or severe enough to warrant professional intervention.

Learn More About Schizophrenia

The American Psychiatric Association offers an in-depth guide to the disorder for patients and their families.
The National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) has an overview including symptoms, causes and treatment options.
Mental Health America offers some early warning signs of the disorder and contact info for The Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance (formerly called the National Schizophrenia Foundation) and National Institute of Mental Health, among other resources.

How to Get a Diagnosis

Schizophrenia can only be diagnosed by a medical doctor or mental health professional. A doctor may use tests like MRIs, CT scans or blood tests to check for physical causes for your symptoms. If those can be ruled out, a psychiatric evaluation will be given in which a health care professional will ask about the symptoms you are experiencing, as well as for a family medical history.

The diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia come from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), published by the American Psychiatric Association.

Your privacy is important to use. All results are completely anonymous.

Professional survey solutions - Alchemer. Please take my survey now

If you think you may have schizophrenia, Psycom strongly recommends that you seek help from a doctor in order to receive a proper diagnosis and support.

Schizophrenia FAQs

How do doctors test for schizophrenia?

There are no laboratory tests to diagnose schizophrenia. Instead, a doctor will perform a physical evaluation, review your medical history, and may use various diagnostic tests, such as a blood test, MRI, or CT scan to rule out any other conditions. If there are no physical reasons for the symptoms, the individual is referred to a psychiatrist or psychologist, for further assessment. A diagnosis is made based on the symptoms the person is experienced and the psychiatrist’s observation of their behavior.

Is schizophrenia genetic?

Genetics are just one factor in the cause of schizophrenia. Doctors do not believe that one gene is responsible, but that it takes many genetic mutations to raise your chances of having the disorder. While schizophrenia does tend to run in families, it is possible for people with no family history of schizophrenia to be diagnosed with it themselves. Research suggests that a combination of genetic, physical, psychological, and environmental factors make it more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia.

What is the major difference between a diagnosis of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder?

The main difference between schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder is the presence of a mood disorder. For people with schizoaffective disorder, the mood disorder is a prominent and persistent part of their condition. People with schizophrenia may experience mood episodes, but the total duration of the mood symptoms is brief and psychotic symptoms are more frequently present.

What type of schizophrenia has the most favorable diagnosis?

The prognosis of schizophrenia is more dependent on the factors relating to the individual themselves, rather than the sub-type of schizophrenia they are diagnosed with. Research suggests multiple factors are associated with a more favorable prognosis: being female, rapid onset of symptoms, older age of first episode, and the presence of predominantly positive symptoms are all examples of such factors.

What co-morbid disorders can often accompany a diagnosis of schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia can co-occur with and be exacerbated by a variety of other mental health disorders including depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, substance use disorder, panic disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Some studies have identified depression as the most common comorbidity to occur with Schizophrenia, with up to half of patients with Schizophrenia also experiencing depression.

What are the early signs of schizophrenia?

The most common early signs of schizophrenia may include social withdrawal, depression, hostility, oversleeping or insomnia, inability to cry or express joy, and deterioration of personal hygiene. The early stage of the schizophrenia is called ‘the prodromal phase’. It is difficult to diagnose schizophrenia during this early stage, as these symptoms could result from a number of other problems.

Can someone with schizophrenia live a normal life?

While schizophrenia cannot be cured, with the right treatment plan many people with schizophrenia can live relatively normal lives outside of a healthcare setting. The treatment must be ongoing for the person with schizophrenia to continue to live a productive, fulfilling life, including maintaining a job or socializing with friends and family.

At what age is schizophrenia diagnosed?

Schizophrenia usually develops after puberty, with most people being diagnosed with schizophrenia in their late teens to early 30s. The typical age of onset and diagnosis also varies between males and females. Males are more likely to be diagnosed in their late teens to early 20s, while females are more likely to be diagnosed in their late 20s to early 30s.

Can you see schizophrenia on a brain scan?

Brain scans cannot single-handedly reveal schizophrenia. Brain scans can help doctors to make the right diagnosis for a variety of mental health disorders, but they are not yet intricate enough to reliably diagnose mental health conditions on their own.

National Institute of Mental Health. Schizophrenia. Accessed July 13, 2021.
American Psychiatric Association. What is Schizophrenia? Accessed July 13, 2021.
Buckley, P. F., Miller, B. J., Lehrer, D. S., & Castle, D. J. (2009). Psychiatric comorbidities and schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia bulletin, 35(2), 383–402. https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbn135. Accessed 4/11/2021.

Notes: This article was originally published June 16, 2021 and most recently updated January 26, 2022.

Test for schizophrenia online, test for the definition of schizophrenia - Central Medical Center "Alliance" How prone are you to schizophrenia? An exact answer can only be obtained at a psychiatrist's consultation - make an appointment with a doctor to understand your mental state for sure.

If you're not sure it's time to seek medical help, take our quiz.

note

Test results are approximate, indicative. An experienced doctor can both confirm them and refute them. If you are concerned about your mental state, do not put off a visit to a psychotherapist or psychiatrist.

No.	Question	Yes	Not
one	I always have someone to meet and spend time with	Yes	Not
2	I believe that life is meaningless	Yes	Not
3	I don't usually ask for help when I'm doing a job.	Yes	Not
four	I often tell my friends: “I just had a wonderful time (spent) this time”	Yes	Not
5	I have a poor or unsatisfactory sex life	Yes	Not
6	Some people think I'm weird or crazy	Yes	Not
7	When others cry or laugh, I remain calm	Yes	Not
eight	Wherever I am (at home, on the street or in society), I am always deeply immersed in my thoughts	Yes	Not
9	I am indifferent to praise	Yes	Not
ten	I am never loving, affectionate or tender	Yes	Not
eleven	I do not like to work in a team and I am not suitable for such work	Yes	Not
12	I love life and enjoy it	Yes	Not
13	I find it difficult to congratulate people on their birthday, holiday or special date	Yes	Not
fourteen	If someone scolds me, humiliates me or does not appreciate me enough, I usually ignore it.	Yes	Not
fifteen	If someone offends or insults me, I know how to protect myself	Yes	Not
16	I don't have much success with the opposite sex	Yes	Not
17	I like spending holidays in the countryside	Yes	Not
eighteen	I would rather fail than struggle	Yes	Not
19	I'm fairly focused on myself	Yes	Not
twenty	I'm not interested in friendship and new acquaintances	Yes	Not
21	It's not easy for me to laugh or smile	Yes	Not
22	I don't like being part of my family, and I am unrestrained	Yes	Not
23	Attending the funeral of people I knew does not affect my emotional state	Yes	Not
24	I feel strong attachment to some people	Yes	Not
25	I know how my friends live, but they don't know much about me and how I live	Yes	Not
26	I prefer to do what I can do alone rather than work in a group	Yes	Not
27	I have few friends - fewer than fingers on one hand (or none at all)	Yes	Not
28	Sometimes I'm just too lazy to do my daily chores	Yes	Not
29	Most conversations bore me or seem boring.	Yes	Not
thirty	I absolutely do not want to get involved in someone or something	Yes	Not
31	It's hard for me to look into the eyes of others	Yes	Not
32	It takes a lot of effort for me to do my normal daily activities.	Yes	Not
33	I am full of energy and vitality	Yes	Not
34	I prefer to always remain unnoticed	Yes	Not
35	I remain indifferent to both good and bad news	Yes	Not
36	Sometimes I feel apathy	Yes	Not

Schizophrenia test

Physicians use the PQ-B (Prodromal Questionnaire, Brief Version) for early detection of psychotic symptoms such as those associated with schizophrenia. It is impossible to describe all manifestations in one test, therefore a negative result is not a guarantee of the absence of schizophrenia.

Test results are not a diagnosis, it is always best to consult a psychiatrist to interpret the results and in case of doubt.

All questions on the test are about thoughts, feelings, and situations that you have had in the past month. If you know that your condition was affected by the use of alcohol, drugs or medications, answer "No".

1. Did familiar surroundings sometimes seem strange, confusing, threatening, or unreal?

Yes No

2. Did you hear any unusual sounds—thumping, clicking, hissing, popping, or ringing in your ears?

Yes No

3. Did the appearance of things differ from the usual - were they brighter or dimmer, larger or smaller, looked changed, unusual?

Yes No

4. Have you had any experience with telepathy, spiritual powers, predicting the future?

Yes No

5. Did you feel like you had no control over your intentions or thoughts?

Yes No

6. Did you find it difficult to convey your point of view because you started talking, lost the thread many times during the conversation?

Yes No

7. Do you have a feeling or belief that you are an unusually gifted, talented person?

Yes No

8. Do you feel that other people are looking at you or talking about you?

Yes No

9. Do you ever feel like insects are crawling on (or under) your skin?

Yes No

10. Sometimes you are distracted by sounds coming from somewhere far away, which you do not notice in ordinary life.

Yes No

11. Have you ever had the feeling that there was a person or something nearby - but at the same time you did not see anything?

Yes No

12. Do you sometimes worry that there might be something wrong with your psyche?

Yes No

13. Have you ever felt that you do not exist, that the world around does not exist, or that you are dead?

Yes No

14. Sometimes it is difficult for you to tell whether what you experienced was real or imaginary.

Yes No

15. Do you have beliefs that seem unusual, bizarre to others?

Yes No

16. Do you feel like parts of your body have changed or don't work as usual?

Yes No

17. Thoughts are sometimes so loud that you can practically hear them.

Yes No

18. You often treat others with distrust or suspicion.

Yes No

19. Have you ever seen unusual things - flashes of light, fire, blinding light, geometric shapes?

Yes No

20. Have you ever seen things that people around you cannot see, it seems that others do not notice them?

Yes No

21. Do other people have difficulty understanding you?

Yes No

Tell friends

VKontakte

Just about schizophrenia

Answering common questions about schizophrenia.

Learn more