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They don't tell you about the cognitive symptoms. Most people only describe the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia when talking about the disease. Most of the time people forget to mention the cognitive symptoms. In fact, cognitive symptoms are rarely used to diagnose schizophrenia, and when they are they are incorrectly labled as negative symptoms.So what are cognitive symptoms? Cognitive symptoms include problems with memory, problems with attention, difficulties planning, and difficulties with decision making. It is very common for people with schizophrenia to struggle with memory. For me personally my significant problems with my memory is what first led my psychiatrist to diagnose me with depression with psychotic symptoms instead of regular depression before we finally arrived at the diagnosis of schizophrenia. Psychosis is defined as having a split from reality and it is rare to have your memory be unaffected when in this state. But memory problems persist long after a psychotic episode. I remember sometimes going into my therapist appointment and having difficulties recalling what had happened to me that week, sometimes even forgetting basic details like who I had gone out to eat with or the name of the close friend I had talked with.Personally one of the most devastating symptom of schizophrenia for me, certainly the most devastating of the cognitive symptoms, is problems with attention. Problems with attention are typically harder to spot than problems with memory so they sometimes go unnoticed. For me however, it has had a large impact on my life even when most of the other symptoms are under control. I got into one of the most prestigious public universities in the nation thanks in large part to my ability to concentrate. What's more, I was invited into the university's honors program and thrived for the first year and a half before the onset of my schizophrenia. I used to be able to sit in the library and study for up to 9–10 hours at a time without need for a single study break and be incredibly productive the whole time. I remember once in high school I read the entirety of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein in one sitting. Needless to say my ability to concentrate was very impressive and was a large part of my academic success. However, ever since the onset of schizophrenia I have struggled to get anywhere near the same levels of concentration as I had before. I struggle to find myself in the right headspace to start studying and even when I do, I find myself having to re-read the same paragraph over and over in order to understand it. I can't concentrate for more than a few minutes before I become distracted with something. Even in distraction-free environments I can only concentrate in short bursts before my mind wanders off and I loose track of what I was doing. Even writing this response has taken me the better part of two hours due to my problems with attention. These problems with attention have led me to withdraw from the university and although I am currently re-enrolled, they have set back my academics over a year.There are also problems with planning and decision-making but these are a bit self-explanatory given what I've said about memory and attention. What's more I fear I have gone on for too long. To get back to the original question, cognitive symptoms are a large part of living with schizophrenia, and some have been personally as devastating if not more devastating than positive and negative symptoms. Yet despite the role that they play, they are often left out of conversations regarding schizophrenia. As a result, nobody ever really tells you about them, yet they are certainly and large part of living with schizophrenia.

Enroll in boxing classes to get out your excess or even aggressive energy. It’s also great for self esteem. You will notice that your outside world is reflective of your inside world and if you are high energy anyway, doing a sport or activity that compliments this can be very helpful.Yoga is great if you can get into the headspace. Some people are more cut out for it than others. You’re not the only one who can feel frustrated while doing it or not enjoy it.Mindfulness practice can be done anywhere at any time is useful no matter what. You don’t need to practice yoga to do it.

Here are 7 habits I’ve practiced over the past several years.My favorite? #2. It sharpens your focus in seconds!Daily habit #1. Feed your brain with a nutritious breakfast.When you feed your brain right, you can optimize your cognitive performance, boost memory, and increase concentration in everything you do during the day. Try a simple oatmeal breakfast. Mix one cup with 1 tablespoon flaxseeds (an excellent source of alpha-linolenic acid which is a healthy fat that boosts cerebral cortex function), 1 teaspoon peanut butter, a sliced banana or other fresh fruit such as berries, papaya, and mango. Sprinkle some walnuts or almonds on top for more brain-boosting benefits.Daily habit #2. Improve your focus each morning with one question: What is the ONE thing I am committed to learning today?This habit keeps things simple, helps your brain focus better, makes you prioritize your goals, and streamlines your work so you don’t feel overwhelmed by a thousand things you “have” to do. Write it in big bold letters on a sheet of paper and hang it on your bedroom or bathroom wall. Read it out loud and come up with an answer on the spot as you’re brushing your teeth or getting dressed. Then, keep it top of mind as you go about your day, as a reminder of what you’ve committed to do.Daily habit #3. Do “deep work” early.Deep work can be any kind of analytical thinking that requires the most concentration such as reading, writing, analyzing or problem solving. It requires a different kind of focus from other more tactical things we do on a regular basis, from washing dishes to setting our alarm clock in the evening before going to sleep. Dedicate the first 2-4 hours after you wake up to maximize your brain’s peak performance time. If for example you wake up at 7, your peak times are between 9 and 11 a.m.Daily habit #4. Do a short 20–30 minute cardio workout.Being physically active improves both your physical and mental well-being, plus you get the boost of endorphins (happy hormones) when you break a sweat. But instead of aiming too high (“I have to spend two hours at the gym!”), start with a super simple workout session, either in the morning before you start your daily commute or when you’re done with work or school. Pick a shorter activity that requires your body to move, such as a 15 minute bootcamp session, a set of lunges and squats, a power walk, bike ride, or quick run through the neighborhood. Looking for a challenge? Try building this 30-day plank pose habit!Daily habit #5. Calm your busy thoughts with meditation.If you find yourself often feeling overwhelmed and stressed, you can quiet your mind from all those busy thoughts with a simple 10-minute meditation practice. Download the Headspace app, which makes it super simple for beginners. Practice 10 minutes consistently for 10 days. Experiment to find out which time works better for you, mornings after you wake up or right before going to sleep. After that you can opt to increase the time to 15 and later 20 minutes, or you can keep it to 10 if that amount of time works for you.Daily habit #6. Create your fiction book-reading ritual.If you haven’t given reading fiction a try, here are some benefits for you to consider. Did you know that reading fiction improves brain function and boosts connectivity in the brain? It’s not my personal opinion — science backs it up. Neuroscientists from Emory University published a study called Short and Long Term Effects of a Novel on Connectivity in the Brain explaining the benefits in detail. To make reading a daily practice, get a library membership, download the Goodreads app to help you find topics and writers, and read up on Quora’s novel recommendations to get started on your reading journey.Daily habit #7. Practice a growth mindset.If you think that a mindset is something you’re just born with, think again. Unlike having a fixed mindset (where you believe you’re born with a set of skills and abilities that are in your “nature”), cultivating a growth mindset means you push yourself outside your comfort zone, challenge beliefs on what you can and cannot (or “should not”) do, and re-program your mind so you can develop your core qualities and skills through continuous efforts. I created an online course that’s great for beginners and that shows you how to implement a growth mindset way of thinking in your everyday life. Click here for more details if you’d like to enroll.