Schizophrenia (from the Greek, meaning split or shattered mind) is a severe mental illness in which the sufferer has disordered thoughts, emotions and behaviour. Although many people think that schizophrenia means a split or multiple personality, the term actually means separation of thought from reality. Whilst most people rely heavily on their real-life experiences, a schizophrenic will give equal validity to everything that enters their mind, which means that they very often lose touch with reality.
The features common of many cases of schizophrenia include hallucinations (the sensation of an experience that isn't actually happening), delusions (abnormal beliefs not based in reality) and disordered thought or speech based on the hallucinations and delusions.
This major psychiatric disorder affects around one in a hundred people at some point in their lives, most commonly developing in men in their late adolescence or in women during their mid-twenties.
You can find out more about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia by simply selecting a choice from the menu below.
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