What Is Schizophrenia?
7. Testing for Schizophrenia
It can be tricky to test for psychiatric conditions. For the most part, there is no specific test a doctor can use to determine if an individual has schizophrenia. Still, a process of elimination can be used to make the assessment. A psychiatrist or psychologist can conduct a computed tomography scan on a patient in order to rule out a number of other conditions of the brain. To be diagnosed as a schizophrenic, a doctor must base his or her assessment on the information provided by the afflicted individual, family members, or caregivers.
Outside of word-of-mouth data, a doctor will also take several other factors into consideration. Family history is a big indicator of schizophrenia, as is medical history, developmental background, and the length at which certain symptoms have persisted.
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