There are no tests that can definitively identify schizophrenia therefore a diagnosis depends on excluding other causes that may bring about schizophrenia-like symptoms, eg substance misuse, epilepsy and brain tumours. Other illnesses also need to be ruled out.Having excluded other causes, a diagnosis is based solely on the symptoms observed in the patient and reported by the patient and his/her family. This section describes the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia, the symptoms of schizophrenia and the disorders that must be ruled out when making a differential diagnosis of schizophrenia. Rating scales are also discussed.
Figure 2. Diagram showing the importance of early identification of schizophrenia and treatment initiation
