Describe some of the "positive" and "negative" symptoms of schizophrenia. Explain what is meant by these terms and how they relate to prognosis and outcome

What will be an ideal response?

The positive symptoms of schizophrenia involve the active manifestations of abnormal behavior including delusions and hallucinations, inappropriate affect, and formal thought disorders. Negative symptoms usually indicate the absence or insufficiency of normal behavior in areas such as poverty of speech, lack of motivation, and flat or blunted affect. A diagnosis of schizophrenia requires that two or more positive, negative, and/or disorganized symptoms be present for at least one month.
People with schizophrenia have a poorer prognosis than those with most of the other disorders—including a high risk of suicide—although a significant number of individuals can experience long periods of recovery. Treatment typically involves antipsychotic drugs that are usually administered with a variety of psychosocial treatments, with the goal of reducing relapse and improving skills in deficits and compliance in taking the medications. The effectiveness of treatment is limited, because schizophrenia is typically a chronic disorder.