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Resources by Disability
Schizophrenia
Definition: Schizophrenia is a neurological disorder that affects about 1.1% of Americans ages 18 and older.
Symptoms: People with schizophrenia commonly suffer from a state of severe mental impairment known as psychosis, where they encounter hallucinations, delusions, and/or distorted perceptions of reality. Depending on the individual, these psychotic episodes can occur once in a lifetime, several times followed by interim periods, or chronically without recovery to normal function. Patients may also experience fearfulness, loss of interests, social withdrawal, unusual speech, disordered thinking, memory loss, and other cognitive problems.
Early symptoms of schizophrenia can appear in childhood (as early as age 5), usually in the form of extreme behavioral changes. Psychotic episodes typically do not occur until adolescence and early adulthood. The sudden onset of severe psychotic symptoms is known as the acute phase of schizophrenia.
Cause: The causes of schizophrenia have yet to be determined, but are most likely linked to genetic and behavioral factors.
Diagnosis: Diagnosing schizophrenia involves a detailed medical history exam and physical and laboratory tests. Because several illnesses and commonly abused drugs can cause symptoms resembling schizophrenia, it is critical to rule out other undetected medical conditions as well as the presence of drugs and other toxins in the body.
Treatment: Scientists are currently testing new medications and researching the outlook for people with schizophrenia. A combination of psychotherapy and medications is shown to relieve most symptoms of schizophrenia, but patients must learn to cope with some residual symptoms.
Myth: People falsely associate schizophrenia with violent behavior. In reality, most schizophrenia patients are not especially prone to violence and prefer to be withdrawn. While severe paranoia and psychosis can lead to violence, most patients learn how to manage their symptoms.
Notable People with Schizophrenia:
- Picasso, an influential 20th Century painter and sculptor.
Support Groups:
North Philadelphia NAMI PA
Tel: (215) 224-2166
Email: nami-pa@nami.org
Website: namipa.nami.org
Helpline: (800) 950-6264
Northeast Philadelphia NAMI PA
Tel: (215) 342-9553
Email: nami-pa@nami.org
Website: namipa.nami.org
Helpline: (800) 950-6264
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