The Schizophrenia Checklist
This is a checklist to help one understand Schizophrenia. One may use it to self-diagnose or as a worksheet to present to a doctor or therapist and better communicate symptoms they are experiencing. All information is taken from the DSM-5.
Section I Must check ONE of the following, each present for a significant portion of time during a one-month period:
I experience delusions.
I experience hallucinations.
I experience disorganized speech patterns, in which I derail from conversation or am incoherent.
__ / 3
Must have at least TWO or more checks TOTAL by the end of this section, including ones from previous section (If you checked two above, you don’t need to check any below, for example):
I experience disorganized or catatonic behavior.
I experience negative symptoms, such as lack of emotional expression or decrease in motivated to initiate or perform purposeful activities.
__ / 5
For more information on these symptoms of psychosis, see the Psychosis Checklist.
Section II Must check ALL of the following:
For a significant portion of the time I’ve been experiencing these symptoms, I have been unable to function in one or more major areas of my life, such as work, school, my relationships with others, and my ability to take care of myself.
I have been experiencing these symptoms on and off for at least six months. In this six-month period, I have spent at least one month in which symptoms were present for most of the time.
I do not experience these symptoms in episodes, such as manic episodes which can be seen in Bipolar Disorder. They are simply persistent regardless of my mood. Any mood episodes I’ve experienced (if any), even depressive episodes, include my psychotic symptoms.
My symptoms have not been caused by substance use or another medical condition.
Section III Common Symptoms and Behaviors Associated (not required for diagnosis):
I have difficulty reading social cues.
I have difficulty perceiving what’s happening around me.
I have poor memory.
I have difficulty focusing.
I have difficulty expressing myself.
I have experienced my symptoms since childhood or adolescence.
I perceive things differently from other people and often remember things differently.
I am frequently depressed and have little hope for my future.
People say I have an odd way of thinking.
I sometimes feel like I can sense people near me, even though no one is there.
I find myself mumbling in public.
I have become more withdrawn since my symptoms began.
I have inappropriate reactions to things sometimes, such as laughing when nothing prompted the response.
I sometimes feel dysphoric, in which I feel my body is not my own.
I experience disturbed sleep patterns.
I have a low appetite.
I experience dissociation.
I have anxiety and/or phobias.
I sometimes interpret events as more meaningful than they actually are.
I remain mostly unaware of my symptoms unless someone points them out to me.
I am often angry.
I am impulsive.
I feel like I process things more slowly than my peers.
I have difficulty knowing the intentions of others.
I have refused treatment or haven’t been able to stick with it for very long.
__ / 25
At this point, if you have checked the minimum, you may qualify for a diagnosis of Schizophrenia. If you did not meet the minimum, you may want to look into Bipolar Disorder or other disorders on the schizophrenia spectrum.
