Patients reported a sense of losing themselves of not knowing who they were. They has a pervasive sense of unreality and became preoccupied with a particular idea. They had great difficulty with concentration, racing thoughts, and fear of losing control. Their visual and auditory perceptions were unusually strong an troublesome. Patients and their families noted four kinds of behaviors that occurred frequently during this prodromal period.
Most individuals quit school, university, or job usually after a long, unhappy struggle.
They exhibited marked shifts away from practical, social interest to introverted and individual interest such as meditation, religion, and mysticism. Most of the individuals displayed marked and lasting social passivity, withdrawal, or isolation. Parents reported marked and lasting change in global appearance or behavior. They said something was basically changed or wrong. They noted strange speech, preoccupation with irrelevant details, ignoring basic responsibilities, and impaired hygiene.