11 Facts About Schizophrenia

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1. Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that distorts the way a person thinks, acts, expresses emotions, relates to others and perceives reality.^[NAMI. "Facts On Schizophrenia." National Alliance on Mental Illness. Accessed April 30, 2014.]
2. 1% of the population (2.2 million Americans) will develop schizophrenia.^[Healthguides MSN. "10 Things to Know About Schizophrenia." Microsoft. Accessed April 30, 2014.]
3. There are five subtypes of schizophrenia: paranoid schizophrenia, disorganized schizophrenia, catatonic schizophrenia, undifferentiated schizophrenia, and residual schizophrenia.^[WebMD. "Mental Health and Schizophrenia." WebMD. Accessed April 30, 2014.]
4. Positive symptoms of schizophrenia include delusions, hallucinations and catatonia, which is when a person stays in a single position for a long period of time.^[WebMD. "Mental Health and Schizophrenia." WebMD. Accessed April 30, 2014.]
5. Cognitive symptoms include trouble focusing or paying attention, and difficulty remembering.^[WebMD. "Mental Health and Schizophrenia." WebMD. Accessed April 30, 2014.]
6. Negative symptoms is defined as the absence of normal behaviors. This includes reduced speech and energy, lack of motivation, lack of emotion, and withdrawal from family and friends.^[WebMD. "Mental Health and Schizophrenia." WebMD. Accessed April 30, 2014.]
7. Although the cause is unknown, this mental illness can be developed through factors such as genetics, brain chemistry, brain abnormality and environmental factors.^[NAMI. "Facts On Schizophrenia." National Alliance on Mental Illness. Accessed April 30, 2014.]
8. Schizophrenia typically appears when a person is in his or her teens to early 20s.^[NAMI. "Facts On Schizophrenia." National Alliance on Mental Illness. Accessed April 30, 2014.]
9. About 10% of people with schizophrenia commit suicide and are more likely to have a drug or alcohol abuse problem.^[WebMD. "Mental Health and Schizophrenia." WebMD. Accessed April 30, 2014.]
10. Most people prefer to be left alone and are not violent.^[WebMD. "Mental Health and Schizophrenia." WebMD. Accessed April 30, 2014.]
11. Treatments such as taking medication, participating in therapy and being hospitalized can reduce symptoms.^[WebMD. "Mental Health and Schizophrenia." WebMD. Accessed April 30, 2014.]