Schizophrenia is a chronic, disabling brain disorder

1. Schizophrenia Health Center
Slideshow: A Visual Guide to
Schizophrenia

2. What Is Schizophrenia?
• Schizophrenia is a chronic,
disabling brain disorder that
affects about 1% of Americans.
It may cause people to hear
voices, see imaginary sights, or
believe other people are
controlling their thoughts.
These sensations can be
frightening and often lead to
erratic behavior. There is no
cure, but treatment can usually
control the most serious
symptoms.

3. Schizophrenia Symptoms
• Symptoms of schizophrenia may include:
• Hallucinations -- hearing or seeing imaginary things
• Delusions -- wildly false beliefs
• Paranoia -- the fear others are plotting against you
• Some symptoms, such as lack of enjoyment in
everyday life and withdrawal from social activities, may
mimic depression.

4. How Schizophrenia Affects
Thoughts
People with schizophrenia
often have abnormal ways of
thinking. They may have trouble
organizing their thoughts or
making logical connections. They
may feel like the mind is racing
from one unrelated thought to
another. Sometimes they
experience "thought blocking," a
feeling that thoughts are
removed from their head.
Despite popular belief,
schizophrenia is not dissociative
identity disorder (multiple
personality disorder.)

5. How Schizophrenia Affects
Behavior
• Schizophrenia causes a wide
range of behaviors. People may
speak incoherently or even
make up words. They may act
agitated or appear stone-faced.
Many people have trouble
maintaining basic hygiene or
orderly homes. Schizophrenia
can also cause repetitive
behaviors, such as pacing. In
contrast to common
stereotypes, the risk of violence
against others is small.

6. Who Gets Schizophrenia?
• Schizophrenia affects men and women at the
same rate, and occurs almost equally in all
ethnic groups around the world. Symptoms
usually begin between ages 16 and 30. The
onset tends to be earlier in men than in
women. Schizophrenia rarely begins during
childhood or after age 45. People with
schizophrenia in their family may have a
higher risk for the illness.

8. What Causes Schizophrenia?
• The exact cause is not known, but scientists
suspect genes and environment both play a role.
Inside the brain, levels of the chemical
messengers dopamine and glutamate may be out
of balance. And brain structures may be
abnormal, too. For example, brain scans of
identical twins show that the fluid-filled
"ventricles" can be larger in a twin with
schizophrenia, compared with a twin who does
not have the illness. Activity levels can also be
higher or lower than normal in some areas of the
schizophrenic brain.

9. Diagnosing Schizophrenia
• There are no lab tests to
detect schizophrenia, so a
diagnosis is usually based on
history and symptoms. Tests
may be ordered to rule out
other medical causes of
symptoms. In teenagers, a
combination of family history
and certain behaviors can
help predict the onset of
schizophrenia. These
behaviors include
withdrawing from social
groups and expressing
unusual suspicions.

10. Medicine for Schizophrenia
• Prescription drugs can reduce
symptoms such as abnormal
thinking, hallucinations, and
delusions. It's thought they
work by regulating certain
brain chemicals and receptors
that influence thinking,
perception, and behavior.
Some people have troubling
side effects, including tremors
and weight gain. Schizophrenia
drugs can also interact with
other medications or
supplements. In most cases,
long-term medication is
essential to managing
schizophrenia.

11. Psychosocial Therapies
• Counseling can help people cope with their
problem behaviors and thoughts, and improve
how they relate to others. In cognitive
behavioral therapy (CBT), people learn to test
the reality of their thoughts and better
manage symptoms. Other forms of therapy
aim to improve self-care, communication, and
relationship skills. These strategies are not
meant to replace medication, but can help
people already stable on medication manage
everyday challenges.

12. Rehabilitation
• Rehabilitation may include job training,
money management counseling, and guidance
in using public transportation or shopping for
groceries. The goal is to help people with
schizophrenia stay employed and maintain as
much independence as possible. Rehab
programs are particularly effective when
combined with psychotherapy.

13. Relapse Prevention
• People with schizophrenia sometimes quit
their medications because of side effects or a
poor understanding of their illness. This raises
the risk of serious symptoms returning and
triggering a full psychotic episode. Regular
psychosocial therapy can help people stay on
medication and avoid a relapse or the need
for hospitalization.

14. Schizophrenia and the Workplace
• People with schizophrenia often have trouble
finding or keeping a job. This is partially because the
disease impairs normal thinking, concentration, and
communication. But it also stems from the fact that
symptoms begin in young adulthood, which may
interfere with education and job training. Vocational
training can help people develop practical job skills.

15. Schizophrenia and Relationships
• Relationships can be a challenge for people with
schizophrenia. Their unusual thoughts and behaviors
may alienate friends, co-workers, and family
members. Sticking to a treatment plan can reduce
social isolation. One form of therapy focuses on
forming and nurturing interpersonal relationships. In
addition, support groups or family therapy can help
loved ones better understand the illness.

16. Schizophrenia and Substance
Abuse
• People with schizophrenia are
much more likely than the
general population to abuse
drugs or alcohol. Some drugs,
including marijuana and
cocaine, can make symptoms
worse. Drug abuse can also
interfere with treatments for
schizophrenia. Patients with a
drug problem may benefit
from substance abuse
programs specifically designed
for people with schizophrenia.

17. Schizophrenia and
Pregnancy
• Most drugs used to
treat schizophrenia
have no known risk for
increasing the risk of
birth defects, but
decisions about
medication treatment
for schizophrenia
during pregnancy
should be discussed
with your doctor.

18. Tips for Family Members
Schizophrenia can be confused with other
mental health disorders so a careful evaluation
is key. It can also be difficult to convince
someone with schizophrenia to get help.
Treatment often begins when a psychotic
episode results in a hospital stay. Once the
person is stabilized, family members can help
prevent a relapse by:
• Encouraging the person to stay on
medication
• Tagging along on follow-up appointments

19. here to Learn More
To learn more about schizophrenia,
contact the National Institute of Mental Health
(NIMH) or the National Alliance on Mental
Illness (NAMI). NAMI can put you in touch with
local support groups for patients and their
families.

20. Reference
• http://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/ss/sli
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