positive symptoms
Abnormal experiences or behaviors that are present in psychiatric conditions but absent in healthy individuals.
Full Definition
Positive symptoms refer to psychiatric manifestations that represent an excess or distortion of normal functions, essentially adding abnormal experiences to a person's mental state. In schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders, positive symptoms include delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking, and grossly disorganized or abnormal motor behavior. These symptoms are called 'positive' not because they are beneficial, but because they represent the presence of abnormal phenomena that are not typically found in healthy individuals.
Usage
Usage note: Always contrast with 'negative symptoms' when discussing symptom profiles in psychotic disorders.
In Context
- "The patient's positive symptoms, including auditory hallucinations and paranoid delusions, responded well to antipsychotic medication." — Treatment response documentation
- "Research indicates that positive symptoms typically emerge during adolescence or early adulthood." — Literature review