Would this be considered as schizophrenia or something else?

[psy_guy]

Hi everyone. I've observed one person, and it seems to me, like he is schizophenic and maybe should seek help. I'm not going to tell him this though probably, but I am interested if my understanding is correct. So here's some facts, that looks like that to me of him (he's a mature aged guy, not a kid and not an adult):

He is scared to go out in the dark, because he thinks, that someone could happen to him, like getting robbed or sex-abused or something like that.
He doesn't believe in god, but believe in signs and is scared of ghosts. At his workplace the old head-chief killed himself or died from unknown reasons, and he believes, that he is still walking these corridors at night, of his workplace, so he is scared to work late, and tries to avoid going there at all, or going alone.
If you are at his place and place a plate not in the middle of the table (not literally), near the corner or a side, he thinks, that it can fall off and places it or asks you to do it further away from the corners or sides of the table. Same with other things and other places, like some box or a bag of cookies on an edge, or near it, it can fall, but it doesn't look like it can for other people.
He tries to do stuff like picking the phone or getting the doors or stuff like that very quickly, they might go away, you know. Sometimes he even runs to the phone, or almost runs.
He thinks, that he is not responsible for bad things, that happen to him, he thinks, that others are responsible and always accuses others. I'm not talking about just accusing others, I'm talking about things, that happens just of a misplacement or his mistake or stuff like that, like some thing fells off or is not where he thinks it should be. He just asks everyone around and accuses everyone around, if they didn't do it and says, that this is not his mistake, but someone else's (insert a person here).
He buys a lot of things sometimes, in case they might run out.
(this might not look as a paranoical thing to me, but may mean something, just writing anyway) He likes to buy a lot of the same kind of food, if there's a lower price, or just if someone likes it. Like he makes some nice food on some occasion, everyone says it's great, he can be making it every day for the next year for others. Same with buying the same food too.
He likes those... what if. What if it falls off? What if I will miss it? What if I will look bad? What if it won't happen. Such stuff.
(might not be related too)He thinks, that he's always right.

I think there's something more i didn't mentioned, but this should be about enough. You can ask more, if you think something might need more details or something like that.

Thanks for your opinions!

[SWM]

hi psy guy.
what symptoms of schizophrenia do you think you are observing in this person?

[gone]

what you describe isn't schizophrenia, schizophrenia is when people hear voices or have multiple personalities.

your 'friend' sounds like he's a little OCD 'obsessive compulsive disorder' checking things constantly for safety which is why he moves things that may fall, or buy too much in case he can't buy it again, with the doors again it's the same, getting through it before it closes. These seem to be signs of OCD. Common ones are repeatedely washing hands and checking doors are locked and plugs unplugged (all seem to relate to fear of something horrible happening if they don't adhere to the rituals of - handwashing or locking the door or moving the cookies or checking their money is still in their pocket.

It's an IRRATIONAL FEAR of something bad happening if they don't do what they think they must do in order to keep themselves safe and it becomes a COMPULSION and an OBSESSION. OCD!

your 'friend' displays these signs I think from your observations.

If that makes sense. Defo not schizo though.

This explains more http://helpguide.org/mental/obsessive_compulsive_disorder_ocd.htm

having just read the link I'm wondering if I have OCD as I collect empty food container (never know when you might need one) and don't like to throw things away..
Read the above link with caution - can be self diagnosing but really applicable to everyone :-)

[SWM]

its also very easily treatable with hypnosis   2 to 3 sessions, or 8 - 12 sessions Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

[psy_guy]

Yea, that looks like it. He have 3 symptoms of OCD total. One may not be it, as it is not very noticable, but the other two - very noticable.

Thanks for your reply.

[gone]

  @SWM

[SWM]

@psy guy

you might find GAD (Generalised Anxiety Disorder) could fit a lot of those thoughts and behaviours.

[psy_guy]

That's possible, as the guy's worried a lot about his children too, if they are out when it's dark or just going out, etc.. Other than that - it's hard to tell, as you cannot read his mind that well. He worries about what ifs though a lot. Can it be both?

[SWM]

if it was OCD  you might observe evidence of ritualised behaviours or magical thinking. do you know what these are and what you might witness?

[psy_guy]

Well, if magical thinking is belief in stones, lucky numbers, ghosts, horoscopes, etc, then it there is magical thinking.

[SWM]

it would probably be a little more extreme than that. those kind of beliefs are common and normal.

it would be more like,

"i have to touch my head 9 times with my lucky stone, if i dont touch my head 9 times with my lucky stone i'll have a brain tumor and my head will fall off"

or "if i read my star signs and they are bad i have to repeat them to myself constantly for the whole of the day, if i dont repeat my astrological mantra all day my bad horoscope will come true and i will befall some dreadful fatality"

or "I have to perform a banishing ritual 12 time before i go to bed other wise the ghosts will keep me awake with their wailing and moaning"

[psy_guy]

"it would probably be a little more extreme than that. those kind of beliefs are common and normal. "
Yes, that's what I thought, these, which I said seems normal to me too, many people believes in such things... Just answered like that, because there seems not to be more extreme... rituals.

[Mahiqun]

Honestly I would say schizotypal personality disorders- as far as I know OCD's are people who are obsessive about perfection and overdemanding to themselves and the others, they are anxious but about being improper and don't show magical thinking. They have stiff routines, but not rituals.
Definition of SZT:
Ideas of reference, odd beliefs or magical thinking, unusual perceptual experiences, odd thinking and speech, suspiciousness or paranoid ideation, inappropriate or constricted affect,odd behavior or appearance, lack of close friends or confidants other than the closest family, excessive social anxiety not disappearing with familiarity and associated rather with paranoid fears and not low self- esteem; he'd have to show at least 4 of the features.

Obsessive- Compulsive PD means "preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism and mental and interpersonal control, at the expense of flexibility, openness, and efficency, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, preocupation with details, rules, lists, order, organization, schedules, is devoted to work. I'm quoting after DSM and Lorna Smith Benjamin's book:Interpersonal Diagnosis and Treatment of Personality Disorders"

After what you say I would guess SZT. As far as to the treatment: people with personality disorders are as I remember about 10% of population. The treatment of PD takes YEARS and I doubt any medical insurance pays for the psychologist. Does it really affect his life apart from "seeming weird"? If you'll advise him to go to the psychologist I doubt you'll get appreciation. It would be recommended but in reality most of people with personality disorders never get any treatment and they live with it. And if he is about 20 he may just grow out of it, I had some weird beliefs about this age I would laugh at today, though not that strange maybe.

That's my personal opinion and I'm not a psychologist, I'm just very interested in the subject.