Schizophrenia is the descriptive term for a group of
psychotic disorders characterized by gross distortions of reality; with-drawal from social interaction, and the disorganization and fragmentation of
perception, thought and emotion. These disorders are a prominent part of the
category of mental disorders knows as psychotic disorders. A psychotic disorder may also include
disorganized speech and behavior.
People with schizophrenia disorders hear voices that are not
there, speak a language others don’t understand, laugh when others see nothing
humorous, and seem to lose touch with the real world. The major characteristics
of schizophrenia disorder include specific patterns of thought content and the
form or the structure in which thoughts are expressed. Schizophrenia occurs in
all societies, although schizophrenia disorders sometimes occur during
childhood or old age, about three-fourths of all first admissions are between
the age of 15 and 45, with a median age of just over 30. The incidence rate is
about the same for males and females. Because of its complexity, its high rate
of incidence, especially during the most productive years of life, and its
tendency to recur and/or become chronic, schizophrenia is considered one of the
most serious of all psychotic disorders as one of the most baffling.
Changes in behavior can be noted before the active psychotic
phase, they may include such things as marked social isolation and withdrawal;
impairment in functioning in a previous role as a worker. Student or homemaker;
impairment in personal hygiene and grooming; inappropriate affect; vague,
digressive speech or contactless speech; add beliefs or thinking that one has
magical powers; and/or marked lack of initiative, interests or energy.
Often schizophrenia develops slowly and insidiously, thus,
the early clinical picture maybe dominated by schizophrenias, gradual lack of
interest in the surrounding world, excessive daydreaming, blunting of affect
and inwardly inappropriate responses.
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