There are eight kinds of schizophrenia. The key characteristics of each type are set out in bullet points. 

Paranoid schizophrenia

• Common form of schizophrenia.

• Prominent hallucinations and/or delusions

• May develop at a later age than other types of schizophrenia.

• Speech and emotions may be unaffected.

Hebephrenic schizophrenia

• Behaviour is disorganised and without purpose.

• Thoughts are disorganised, other people may find it difficult to understand you.

• Pranks, giggling, health complaints, grimacing and mannerisms are common.

• Delusions and hallucinations are fleeting.

• Usually develops between 15-25.

Catatonic schizophrenia

•Rarer than other types.

• Unusual movements, often switching between extremes of overactivity

and stillness.

• You may not talk at all.

Undifferentiated schizophrenia

Your illness meets the general criteria for a diagnosis and may have some characteristics of paranoid, hebephrenic or catatonic schizophrenia, but does not obviously fit one of these types.

Residual schizophrenia

You may be diagnosed with this if you have a history of psychosis but only have negative symptoms.

Simple schizophrenia

• Rarely diagnosed in the UK.

• Negative symptoms are prominent early and get worse quickly.

• Positive symptoms are rare.

Other, including ‘cenesthopathic’ schizophrenia

 • Schizophrenia which has traits not covered by other categories.

• For example, in cenesthopathic schizophrenia, people experience

unusual bodily sensations.

• Unspecified schizophrenia

• Symptoms meet the general conditions for a diagnosis, but do not

• fit in to any of the above categories.