Serious Symptoms Of Catatonic Schizophrenia

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 may not express emotions appropriate to the situations around them. At the same time, if an individual is in a stupor or catatonic, they may 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 recognizing when emotional functioning is impaired and creating treatments 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.

Waxy Flexibility

Waxy flexibility is a significant symptom seen in catatonia and catatonic schizophrenia. It refers to individuals remaining in the same position for an extended period after someone places them there. For instance, a doctor can move a patient's arm and place it into a specific position. If the patient has waxy flexibility, including due to catatonic schizophrenia, they will often keep their arm in this position until the doctor moves it again. It is worth noting that waxy flexibility often means the patient will display slight resistance in the part of their body that the doctor or other person is trying to move.