Schizophrenia is a serious brain illness. People who have it may hear voices that aren't there, believe others are trying to hurt them, or speak in ways that don't make sense. It can make it hard to hold a job or look after oneself.
When it starts
Symptoms usually begin between ages 16 and 30, and often earlier in men than in women. People seldom develop schizophrenia after age 45.
Three kinds of symptoms
- Psychotic symptoms distort thinking: hallucinations (hearing or seeing things that are not there), delusions (beliefs that are not true), trouble organising thoughts, and unusual movements.
- "Negative" symptoms make it hard to show emotion and to function normally; a person may seem depressed and withdrawn.
- Cognitive symptoms affect thinking: trouble using information, making decisions and paying attention.
Causes
No one is sure what causes schizophrenia. Genes, environment and brain chemistry may all play a part.
Treatment
There is no cure, but medicine can control many symptoms. It may take trying several medicines to find the one that works best, and it is important to keep taking it for as long as the doctor advises. Other treatments help with daily life: therapy, family education, rehabilitation and skills training.
Sources
- MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, "Schizophrenia," drawing on the National Institute of Mental Health (NIH). https://medlineplus.gov/schizophrenia.html
- Rewritten in hubnx's own words.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from medlineplus.gov
1
0
0
0
Comments
