Schizophrenia is a serious brain illness.

People who have it

may hear voices that aren't there. They may think other people
are trying to hurt them. Sometimes they don't make sense when
they talk. The disorder makes it hard for them to keep a job or
take care of themselves.
Symptoms of schizophrenia usually start between ages 16 and
30. Men often develop symptoms at a younger age than women.
People usually do not get schizophrenia after age 45. There are
three types of symptoms:
Psychotic symptoms distort a person's thinking. These
include hallucinations (hearing or seeing things that are not
there), delusions (beliefs that are not true), trouble
organizing thoughts, and strange movements.
"Negative" symptoms make it difficult to show emotions and
to function normally. A person may seem depressed and
withdrawn.
Cognitive symptoms affect the thought process. These
include trouble using information, making decisions, and
paying attention.

No one is sure what causes schizophrenia. Your genes,

environment, and brain chemistry may play a role.
There is no cure. Medicine can help control many of the
symptoms. You may need to try different medicines to see which
works best. You should stay on your medicine for as long as your
doctor recommends. Additional treatments can help you deal
with your illness from day to day. These include therapy, family
education, rehabilitation, and skills training.

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder often characterized by

abnormal social behavior and failure to recognize what is real.
Common symptoms include false beliefs, unclear or confused
thinking, auditory hallucinations, reduced social engagement
and emotional expression, and lack of motivation. Diagnosis is
based on observed behavior and the person's reported
experiences.

Genetics and early environment, as well as psychological and

social processes, appear to be important contributory factors.
Some recreational and prescription drugs appear to cause or
worsen symptoms. The many possible combinations of symptoms
have triggered debate about whether the diagnosis represents a
single disorder or a number of separate syndromes. Despite the
origin of the term, from Greek skhizein, meaning "to split", and
phrn, meaning "mind", schizophrenia does not imply a "split
personality" or "multiple personality disorder" a condition with
which it is often confused in public perception. [1] Rather, the
term means a "splitting of mental functions", reflecting the
presentation of the illness.
The mainstay of treatment is antipsychotic medication,
which

primarily

suppresses

dopamine

receptor

activity.

Counseling, job training and social rehabilitation are also

important in treatment. In more serious cases where there is risk
to self or others involuntary hospitalization may be necessary,
although hospital stays are now shorter and less frequent than
they once were.

Symptoms begin typically in young adulthood, and about

0.30.7% of people are affected during their lifetime. The
disorder is thought to mainly affect the ability to think, but it
also usually contributes to chronic problems with behavior and
emotion. People with schizophrenia are likely to have additional
conditions, including major depression and anxiety disorders;
the lifetime occurrence of substance use disorder is almost 50%.
Social problems, such as long-term unemployment, poverty, and
homelessness are common. The average life expectancy of people
with the disorder is ten to twenty five years less than the average
life expectancy. This is the result of increased physical health
problems and a higher suicide rate (about 5%). In 2013 an
estimated 16,000 people died from behavior related-to or caused
by schizophrenia.