Psychosis - Some loss of contact with reality

hallucinations - hears, smells, sees, feels things that aren't there

Delusions - Strong beliefs that aren't true

Thought disorder - unusual thinking, may jump from speaking thought to thought without control.

Movement Disorder - abnormal body movements.

Serious brain disorder

As if someone is controlling their mind

Always Paranoid

Always having psychotic episodes

Requires life long treatment

Medication - Antipsychotic meds manage signs and symptoms, psychiatrist may mix drugs, add anti anxiety and antideppresents.

Therapy - Individual: Normalize thought patterns, Social skills training: Communication and social interactions.

Hospitalization - In worst cases, severe symptoms, can cause one to become unable to care for themselves.

"Schizophrenia affects approximately 24 million people or 1 in 300 people (0.32%) worldwide".

"People with schizophrenia are 2 to 3 times more likely to die early than the general population (3). This is often due to physical illnesses, such as cardiovascular, metabolic, and infectious diseases".

"Stigma against people with this condition is intense and widespread, causing social exclusion, and impacting their relationships with others, including family and friends. This contributes to discrimination, which in turn can limit access to general health care, education, housing, and employment".

"Approximately 50% of people in mental hospitals have a schizophrenia diagnosis (4). Only 31.3% of people with psychosis receive specialist mental health care (5). Most resources for mental health services are inefficiently spent on care within mental hospitals".

Schizophrenia is usually diagnosed anywhere between the late teen years and the early 30s.

Schizophrenia tends to show up earlier in males than females. For males, it’s typically between ages 18 and 25 and for females, between ages 25 and 35.

As kids and teens with schizophrenia get older, their signs and symptoms become more like the ones adults experience. (psychotic)

Be aware that diagnosing schizophrenia can be a long process, especially with kids and teens.

Early intervention can greatly improve symptoms for a child or teen with schizophrenia. Left untreated, schizophrenia can cause serious behavioral, emotional, and health problems.

Go to a doctor to receive a diagnosis