Schizophrenia
In a Flash :-
Schizophrenia is an illness which affects both men and women and often starts in late teens into early adulthood. The causes of schizophrenia are uncertain although there is some belief that there may be a genetic component, this does not explain all cases of schizophrenia though as people can develop it where there is no family history.
As with all mental illness there are a range of symptoms which may be present and each person experiences the illness differently. However there are some symptoms which must be present for a diagnosis of schizophrenia to be made;
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Hallucinations (hearing or seeing things which other people don’t)
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Delusions (beliefs, often about yourself which are not true or supported by fact)
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Erratic and unpredictable behaviour
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Disorganised speech and finding it difficult to process thoughts and out sentences together
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Blunted mood (affect) which means that you do not seem to feel or express emotion, either happiness or sadness.
More Detail :-
These symptoms need to have been present for some months before a diagnosis can be made.
It is possible to have some of the symptoms on their own which are not linked to schizophrenia so it is the combination of them and the period of time which they have been present which suggests schizophrenia.
It is really important to see your GP if you have any of these symptoms as if present individually, they may be caused by a physical problem which can be easily treated. If you do experience these symptoms it can be very scary and so getting support from your GP and people around you whom you trust is really important and can help you feel less anxious and more in control of what is happening.