Is Schizophrenia Handwriting a Known Symptom?

What Is the Connection Between Schizophrenia and Handwriting?

Schizophrenia is a mental illness that can degrade your connection to reality. The illness is most well-known for its ability to trigger symptoms of psychosis. However, it can also affect you in various other ways. One potential change is a notable alteration of your normal handwriting. 

What does handwriting reveal about the nature of schizophrenia? Can doctors use changes in the way you write to diagnose this condition? Over the past few decades, researchers have explored these questions about schizophrenia handwriting.

Catalina Behavioral Health’s team is here to treat schizophrenia effectively. With experts versed in mental health and addiction, our team is here to give you or your loved one the close-knit care you deserve.

The Links Between Schizophrenia and Penmanship

In addition to other symptoms of schizophrenia that may be more expected, schizophrenia can cause motor dysfunction. Research indicates that motor dysfunction is evident in the handwriting movements of individuals with the disorder vs. healthy controls.

So, while “schizophrenia handwriting” is not a diagnosis or medical term, it is true that schizophrenia can affect writing styles. Learning more about schizophrenia can help you understand how and why schizophrenia and related disorders might affect a person’s writing.

Understanding Schizophrenia and Motor Dysfunction

In discussing schizophrenia and handwriting, it helps to understand how the illness affects your body. Problems related to motor abnormalities a person with the illness may experience, as opposed to healthy controls, can include but aren’t limited to:

• Larger reaction times.
• Poor muscle coordination.
• Motor restlessness.
• Difficulty performing complex tasks.
• Muscle spasms and contractions.
• Jerky and irregular muscle movements.
• An overall reduction of body movements.

These abnormalities can affect your handwriting, as well as other parts of life.

Examples of Potential Changes in Handwriting in Schizophrenic Patients

How exactly can schizophrenia affect your handwriting? Specific changes may include such things as:

• The speed and direction of your writing.
• How much physical pressure you use when writing.
• How aware and present you feel during a handwriting task.
• The length of your writing strokes.

These are just some examples of the potential changes in handwriting that can be seen in schizophrenic patients.

Can Doctors Diagnose Schizophrenia Through Handwriting Movements?

Can doctors use changes in your writing to diagnose schizophrenia? No, and there are several reasons for this. First, schizophrenia is not the only mental illness that affects the way you write. The same kinds of changes occur in people with bipolar disorder.

In fact, the changes found in the two illnesses are so similar that they are functionally identical. Since the same changes appear in people with bipolar disorder and other conditions, handwriting alone certainly will not lead to a diagnosis.

Second, handwriting does not in any way cover the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia. For a diagnosis of any disorder to be made, a qualified professional must conduct a comprehensive evaluation.

How Do Doctors Actually Diagnose Schizophrenia?

If handwriting cannot be used to diagnose schizophrenia, what steps do doctors actually take to identify it? The process is complicated. Often, schizophrenia is diagnosed following a clear episode of psychosis. However, psychosis has many other possible causes.

That includes such things as:

• The use of certain drugs.
• Physical problems, like a brain tumor.
• A mental illness other than schizophrenia.

Before making a diagnosis, your doctor must rule out these possibilities. Then, to make an accurate diagnosis, they must make sure that you meet the full criteria for schizophrenia.

Knowing the Signs of Schizophrenia and Related Disorders

Keeping in mind that schizophrenia is not diagnosed based on motor dysfunction alone, it is important to remember that schizophrenia is a complex, chronic mental illness. Doctors identify it by looking at three areas:

• The appearance of psychosis.
• Impairment of certain traits and behaviors.
• Mental and physical disorganization.

Psychosis is marked by hallucinations, delusional thinking, and paranoia. These are known as “positive” symptoms. In this case, positive is not actually a good thing; it refers to symptoms that “add” something, like psychosis.

Traits and behaviors that may be impaired if you have schizophrenia include your ability to:

• Express emotions (may have a flat affect).
• Speak (may speak very little or have trouble finding words).
• Feel pleasurable sensations.
• Feel motivated.

Doctors classify these impairments as “negative” symptoms. In schizophrenic patients, negative symptoms refer to the absence or removal of something; for example, motivation or emotional expression.

Mental disorganization symptoms may include things as:

• Confused or jumbled thoughts.
• Illogical thoughts.
• Disordered or nonsensical speech.

Symptoms of physical disorganization may include atypical movements or behaviors. Someone may become catatonic (unable to move), or they could experience repetitive psychomotor movements that are abnormal.

Episodic Schizophrenia Symptoms

The definition of schizophrenia is centered on episodes or outbursts of symptoms. During these episodes, symptoms intensify. Between episodes, symptoms decrease. Not everyone experiences the same episodic schizophrenia symptoms. In addition, not everyone has episodes that last as long or have the same intensity.

Most people experience their first bout of symptoms as late teens or young adults. Men tend to develop the illness at an earlier age than women. In many cases, episodes of schizophrenia become less severe as time passes.

What to Do If You Notice Signs of Schizophrenia in a Loved One

How should you react if you notice signs of schizophrenia in someone? That depends, in part, on the situation. Loved ones of schizophrenic patients can help by:

• Encouraging treatment.
• Monitoring for signs of relapse (once the person is treated) and knowing when to seek help from medical professionals.
• Learning the facts about schizophrenia. There are many myths about schizophrenia, and accurate information is important.

Our center offers family therapy as a part of our programs. Family therapy sessions can be advantageous in helping loved ones understand how to support the person in their life living with schizophrenia.

The Core Approaches Used to Treat Schizophrenia

Seeking treatment for mental health issues is always important. Schizophrenia is an illness that can have very severe, detrimental effects on your life if it goes untreated. As a rule, effective treatment usually involves:

• Medication (e.g., antipsychotics).
• Talk therapy.
• Supporting services for various parts of daily life.

There’s no “cure” for schizophrenia. Instead, it requires ongoing management. The right treatment can help keep its effects as minimal as possible, and it’s entirely possible to live a full, happy, and healthy life with schizophrenia.

Find Effective Schizophrenia Treatment at Catalina

At Catalina Behavioral Health, we understand the complexities of diagnosing and treating schizophrenia and related conditions. That’s why we provide detailed evaluations and intake assessments for incoming clients.

If you are affected by schizophrenia, our center is an established source for effective treatment. Treatment options at our center include both inpatient programs and multiple outpatient options.

Regardless of which program is most suitable, you will benefit from our personalized approach to mental health care. For more information on our resources for schizophrenia, call our admissions line today.

FAQs About Schizophrenia and Handwriting

What is an example of schizophrenic writing?

“Schizophrenic writing” usually refers to differences in handwriting movements a person experiences as a result of the condition. It can also affect your thoughts, hence the potential for word salad, either written or spoken.

Can handwriting show mental illness?

Mental health conditions like schizophrenia can change your handwriting. However, the possible differences in handwriting seen in schizophrenic patients vs. healthy controls (people without schizophrenia) in research are not enough to support a definitive diagnosis.

References

1. Crespo, Y., Ibañez, A., Soriano, M. F., Iglesias, S., & Aznarte, J. I. (2019, March 14). Handwriting movements for assessment of motor symptoms in schizophrenia spectrum disorders and bipolar disorder. PloS one.
2. Słowiński, P., Alderisio, F., Zhai, C., Shen, Y., Tino, P., Bortolon, C., Capdevielle, D., Cohen, L., Khoramshahi, M., Billard, A., Salesse, R., Gueugnon, M., Marin, L., Bardy, B. G., di Bernardo, M., Raffard, S., & Tsaneva-Atanasova, K. (2017, February 1). Unravelling socio-motor biomarkers in Schizophrenia. Nature News.
3. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Schizophrenia. National Institute of Mental Health.
4. What is schizophrenia?. Psychiatry.org – What is Schizophrenia? (n.d.).