What exactly is schizophrenia?

Question

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Answer 1

It's a psychotic disorder usually characterized by withdrawal from reality, illogical patterns of thinking, delusions, and hallucinations, and accompanied in varying degrees by other emotional, behavioral, or intellectual disturbances.

Answer 2

I am a counselor and work with clients suffering from schizophrenia on a daily basis. It is not just seeing things and hearing things that are not there. Look down at your hand -- can you see it, feel it, touch it, etc. When a person has an auditory, visual, tactile, or olfactory hallucination, it is SO real to that person. Many times, even through counseling and medications when the person is able to recognize that what is happening to them is only happening to them, it is still very really. Schizophrenia can also present itself in the form of delusions. This is taking a piece of reality and skewing it. For example, I hear people talking (people who are actually there) and I hear them say bad things about me. My brain is taking in what they are saying and manipulating it. Like the previous comments made before, it is not something that can be fully understood unless you have it, know someone who does, or fully research it.

Answer 3

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a mental disorder characterized by impairments in the perception or expression of reality and/or by significant social or occupational dysfunction. A person experiencing untreated schizophrenia is typically characterized as demonstrating disorganized thinking, and as experiencing delusions or auditory hallucinations. Although the disorder is primarily thought to affect cognition, it can also contribute to chronic problems with behavior and emotion. Due to the many possible combinations of symptoms, there is ongoing and heated debate about whether the diagnosis necessarily or adequately describes a disorder, or alternatively whether it might represent a number of disorders. For this reason, Eugen Bleuler deliberately called the disease "the schizophrenias" plural, when he coined the present name.

Answer 4

Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disease. Approximately 1 percent of the population develops schizophrenia during their lifetime – more than 2 million Americans suffer from the illness in a given year. Although schizophrenia affects men and women with equal frequency, the disorder often appears earlier in men, usually in the late teens or early twenties, than in women, who are generally affected in the twenties to early thirties. People with schizophrenia often suffer terrifying symptoms such as hearing internal voices not heard by others, or believing that other people are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts, or plotting to harm them. These symptoms may leave them fearful and withdrawn. Their speech and behavior can be so disorganized that they may be incomprehensible or frightening to others. Available treatments can relieve many symptoms, but most people with schizophrenia continue to suffer some symptoms throughout their lives; it has been estimated that no more than one in five individuals recovers completely.
Schizophrenia is found all over the world. The severity of the symptoms and long-lasting, chronic pattern of schizophrenia often cause a high degree of disability. Medications and other treatments for schizophrenia, when used regularly and as prescribed, can help reduce and control the distressing symptoms of the illness. However, some people are not greatly helped by available treatments or may prematurely discontinue treatment because of unpleasant side effects or other reasons. Even when treatment is effective, persisting consequences of the illness – lost opportunities, stigma, residual symptoms, and medication side effects – may be very troubling.
The first signs of schizophrenia often appear as confusing, or even shocking, changes in behavior. Coping with the symptoms of schizophrenia can be especially difficult for family members who remember how involved or vivacious a person was before they became ill. The sudden onset of severe psychotic symptoms is referred to as an “acute” phase of schizophrenia. “Psychosis,” a common condition in schizophrenia, is a state of mental impairment marked by hallucinations, which are disturbances of sensory perception, and/or delusions, which are false yet strongly held personal beliefs that result from an inability to separate real from unreal experiences. Less obvious symptoms, such as social isolation or withdrawal, or unusual speech, thinking, or behavior, may precede, be seen along with, or follow the psychotic symptoms.
Some people have only one such psychotic episode; others have many episodes during a lifetime, but lead relatively normal lives during the interim periods. However, the individual with “chronic” schizophrenia, or a continuous or recurring pattern of illness, often does not fully recover normal functioning and typically requires long-term treatment, generally including medication, to control the symptoms.

Answer 5

Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disorder that affects about 1 percent of people all over the world. People with schizophrenia sometimes hear voices others don’t hear, believe that others are broadcasting their thoughts to the world, or become convinced that others are plotting to harm them. These experiences can make them fearful and withdrawn and cause difficulties when they try to have relationships with others

Answer 6

It is not split personality. It is a semi or total distortion of reality. They may hear voices in their head telling them things about themselves Grately eggagerated either for the good or bad. They may also see things that are not there also. These people believe all their delusions and not even meds take that away completely (but a lot can funtion and work etc. as long as they take their meds). They are usually extremely intellegent people and it is a very sad disease because it really changes who they think they are. Did you see A Beautiful Mind?

Answer 7

A diagnosis by a medical psychiatrist for someone who needs help, and possibly medication and inpatient treatment.

The world is out of control for those patients, and it is a long term challenge for the person and the family.

Nothing is impossible, and I shall offer my prayers today, on 9/11/06 for the help of the Almighty to help your person of choice.

You are a good person to ask about challenges.

Answer 8

A chemical imbalance in the brain (there is too much dopamine) A schizo often has auditory hallucinations, (or olfactory and visual) they have loose thought patterns, lose touch with reality, can become quite paranoid. (like thinking someone is poisioning their food) have grandiose sense of self worth (think they are GOD) and they truly believe these delusions.

Answer 9

Its an inherited mental illness that show up in the late teens or early 20s. The person hears voices in his head tell him to do things. Medication usually can treat it, but most don't like the way it makes them feel.

Answer 10

most of these descriptions are accurate and others so off the mark its bad,,my ex hubby and my younger sister have it,,hubby not too bad now but was a total horror to live with ,with two kids,,imagine the worst and you wont be far off,my sister on the other hand is by far 'gone',,she will never have a successful relationship,have children,have real friends,,,she hears voices all the time,she ,when getting poorly again,has a man who comes through the floor and gets into bed with her and just lays there staring at her,,v scary but she,s used to him she says,,she was diagnosed with childhood schz at 12 which in itself is bad as they tend to ignore anything before puberty but my god did she have it,,,we all lived at the hospital as she climbed their windows and set fire to the curtains just as they told us they cant help those under 16 with treatment and they THREW us out ffs,,she got on the bus home and sat crossed legged on the pushchair compartment shouting at the other passangers who were talking about her,,she attacked a car because the people inside who were waiting for the light change were going to kill her,,that was 14,,then she started to cut herself even in front of my kids and nearly lost her arm,,she reached the bone and wouldnt let anyone touch it for a week,it went manky and pussy but she still believed the doctors were going to put her away,she has been a drug addict on crack and tabs but the sad thing for schizophrenics is that many of them turn to drugs,heroin especially and for them,,it can make them feel normal,,no voices,having a 'normal conversation',,the things we take for granted,,at present she thinks everything is contaminated and washes everything in sight,,including herself in bleach,,scrubbing herself in a bath of cold water,,these are the nice parts of schz because lets face it,,most aint pretty and cant be put here.