Schizophrenia is a serious brain disorder which affects how a person thinks, feels and acts.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a serious brain disorder which affects how a person thinks, feels and acts. It is often a life-long disease that makes it difficult for a person to tell the difference between real and imagined experiences, to think logically, to express normal emotional responses or to behave appropriately in social situations.
Schizophrenia is increasingly becoming a very treatable illness, and many newer medications that offer better control or prevention of a wide and increasing range of symptoms are now available. New methods of detecting and treating the illness earlier are also on the horizon.
Symptoms vary from person to person. They may develop slowly over months or years or appear very suddenly.
Initial symptoms, which usually begin to appear in late adolescence or early adulthood, gradually may include mild feelings of tension, an inability to sleep or concentrate, or a loss of interest in school, work and friends.
As the disorder intensifies, the individual may experience more disabling and bizarre symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations or disordered speech and thoughts. The illness can also rob people of normal functions, such as the ability to feel motivated, experience or express emotion or solve problems.
Schizophrenia may appear in cycles known as relapse or remission. During times of relapse, the person suffering from schizophrenia may experience one or all of the following symptoms:
- Delusions
- Hallucinations
- Disordered thinking
During periods of remission, psychotic symptoms may lessen but symptoms such as social withdrawal, inappropriate or blunted emotions and extreme apathy, may persist.
In general, there are four basic types of schizophrenia. They are:
Paranoid schizophrenia: A person feels extremely suspicious, persecuted, grandiose or experiences a combination of these emotions.
Disorganized schizophrenia: A person is often incoherent but may not have delusions.
Catatonic schizophrenia: A person is withdrawn, mute, negative and often assumes very unusual postures.
Residual schizophrenia: A person is no longer delusional or hallucinating, but has no motivation or interest in life. These symptoms can be most devastating.
For more information on this illness and the other services of Information and Referral, visit Information and Referral Resources.
