Schizophrenia is a serious and challenging medical illness, an illness that affects well over two million American adults, which is about one percent of the population age 18 and older. Although it is often feared and misunderstood, schizophrenia is a treatable medical condition.Schizophrenia often interferes with a person's ability to think clearly, to distinguish reality from fantasy, to manage emotions, make decisions and relate to others.
The first signs of schizophrenia typically emerge in the teenage years or early twenties, often later for females. Most people with schizophrenia contend with the illness chronically or episodically throughout their lives, and are often stigmatized by lack of public understanding about the disease.
Schizophrenia is not caused by bad parenting or personal weakness. A person with schizophrenia does not have a "split personality."
The World Health Organization has identified schizophrenia as one of the ten most debilitating diseases affecting human beings. Click here to read more about schizophrenia, including the symptoms, causes and treatments.
