Understanding Schizophrenia: Symptoms, Causes & Diagnosis

Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness classified as a psychotic disorder. Approximately 1 percent of American adults are diagnosed with schizophrenia each year.

Time Frame

• Symptoms of schizophrenia typically emerge between the late-teens and mid-20s. People with schizophrenia usually deal with symptoms either chronically or episodically for the rest of their lives.

Symptoms

• A diagnosis of schizophrenia requires two or more of the following symptoms for at least a one-month period: delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, disorganized or catatonic behavior and negative symptoms such as flat affect (see reference 2).

Types

• There are four main types of schizophrenia: paranoid type, which is characterized by the presence of delusional thoughts and hallucinations in the absence of the other symptoms; disorganized type, which is characterized by disorganized speech, behavior and inappropriate affect all being present; catatonic type, which is characterized by awkward movements, catatonia, stereotyped movements and echolalia or echopraxia; and undifferentiated type, which includes individuals who do not meet the previous criteria.

Functional Impairments

• People suffering from schizophrenia are often unable to keep a job, lack daily structure, forget to complete apartment care and personal hygiene tasks on a regular basis and have impairments with other independent living skil. Interpersonal skills are typically poor as well, which results in isolation and lack of social supports.

Treatment

• Antipsychotic medications such as haloperidol, risperidone and ziprasidone, inpatient hospitalization, supervised group living, psychotherapy and case management are potential treatment options for schizophrenia, depending on the severity of symptoms.