In psychiatry, thought broadcasting is the belief that others can hear or are aware of an individual's thoughts. This differs from telepathy in that the thoughts being broadcast are thought to be available to anybody.
Thought broadcasting can be a positive symptom of schizophrenia. Thought broadcasting has been suggested as one of the first rank symptoms (Schneider's first-rank symptoms) believed to distinguish schizophrenia from other psychotic disorders.
In mild manifestations, a person with this thought disorder may doubt their perception of thought broadcasting. When thought broadcasting occurs on a regular basis, the disorder can affect behavior and interfere with the person's ability to function in society. According to an individual's personality this is considered to be a severe manifestation of thought broadcasting that is usually indicative of schizophrenia.