disorders of perception
Last reviewed 01/2018
Certain types of hallucination are relatively specific to schizophrenia, especially (as first rank symptoms):
- voices conversing - the subject hears voices referring to them in the third person
- voices commenting - giving a running description of the subject's actions
- audible thoughts - the subjects hear their own thoughts spoken aloud
- somatic passivity experiences - subjects have a perception of interference with bodily function, which they often attribute to alien influences
Other types of hallucinations, such as visual hallucinations, are quite common, but are less specific to schizophrenia. Illusions which are misperceptions of sensory stimuli are also common but non-specific.