Learn about schizophrenia, its symptoms, causes, and effective treatment options. Get advice for managing the disorder and supporting those with schizophrenia.
What is Schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is a severe and chronic mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. Individuals with schizophrenia may seem disconnected from reality, making everyday life challenging. While not as common as other mental disorders, schizophrenia can be highly disabling if left untreated.
Signs and symptoms
Symptoms usually appear between ages 16 and 30, though rare cases occur in children. Schizophrenia symptoms fall into three main categories:
Positive symptoms
These involve psychotic behaviors not typically seen in healthy people:
Hallucinations (hearing or seeing things that aren’t real)
Delusions (false beliefs)
Thought disorders (disorganized or unusual thinking)
Movement disorders (agitated or unusual body movements)
Negative symptoms
These reflect disruptions to normal emotions and behaviors:
Flat affect (reduced expression of emotions)
Reduced pleasure in daily activities
Difficulty starting or sustaining activities
Reduced speech output
Cognitive symptoms
Cognitive symptoms affect memory and thinking:
Poor executive functioning (difficulty making decisions)
Trouble focusing or paying attention
Problems with working memory
Risk factors
Schizophrenia develops due to a combination of genetic, environmental, and brain chemistry factors:
Genetics: Family history increases risk, though no single gene causes schizophrenia.
Environmental factors: Exposure to viruses, malnutrition before birth, birth complications, and psychosocial stressors.
Brain chemistry and structure: Imbalances in neurotransmitters such as dopamine and glutamate, and faulty brain connections during development.
Treatment and therapy
Though the exact causes of schizophrenia remain unknown, treatment focuses on managing symptoms:
Antipsychotic medications – help reduce hallucinations and delusions.
Psychosocial treatments – therapy, social skills training, and support groups.
Coordinated specialty care (CSC) – combines medication, therapy, family support, and case management.
Advice for living with Schizophrenia
Accept your diagnosis and actively participate in your treatment.
Avoid stigma; associate with people who see beyond your illness.
Communicate openly with your doctor about symptoms and side effects.
Combine medication with therapy and self-help strategies.
Set meaningful life goals beyond your illness to maintain purpose and fulfillment.
Supporting someone during a crisis
Remain calm; don’t shout or use sarcasm.
Reduce environmental distractions.
Avoid continuous eye contact and physical touch.
Encourage the person to sit down and provide a quiet, safe environment.
